by Alana Kenn

Created on: April 24, 2008

I am a grandmother and have found shopping for my granddaughter isn't much different from shopping for my kids when they were younger. In both cases I made it fun from start to finish.

When the time had come to say goodbye to the outgown shoes, I knew I was going to have a battle on my hands because my girls litterally got attached to their footwear. However, once they were in the store and were able to see their choices of new ones, they were excited and were ready to choose their new best friends.

Spring and summer shoes are so different from fall and winter ones for one reason: The feet need to breathe during the warmer weather. When looking for these "cooler" shoes, Keep in mind they should not only be open in some way, but also comfortable for the wearer. One summer I bought my daughter a pair of sandals which felt hard to the touch. I bought them because I felt they were sturdy and would last. Nope! Nope! Nope! They didn't move with her step and she fell a lot because of it. I have learned since and only buy the softer sandal. The best way to test this out is to take the shoe and put it in your hand and see if you can squeeze it down. If you are successful, it is the shoe to buy.

Also, before buying, have her try on the shoes and let her walk around with them up and down the aisle to make sure she is comfortable in them. This is so important. On one outing, my daughter said the new shoe was hurting her baby toes everytime she walked. The shoe didn't look too narrow on her feet and was a pair I would have bought if she were not with me.

The same advice could be used in buying tennis shoes for your little princess. Remember, the softer the shoe, the better she can move freely in them. I have also found shoes with the Velcro flaps are easier to get on and off and are easier to wash because you do not have to take the laces out. They were the favorites of my daughters, and now even my granddaughter.

Another important thing to remember about buying shoes for your girl is to make sure it is a shoe she will wear for the entire duration. A shoe adorned with her favorite character is always a nice touch. My daughters always had their favorite character and my granddaughter loves flowers so just about every shoe she owns looks like a beautiful garden in springtime.

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