While leather uppers are desirable, leather soles are not necessary. Buying shoes with leather uppers and rubber or crepe soles will cut down on the price considerably. It is not necessary to get the most durable or expensive children s shoes. The chief reason for replacing shoes is that children outgrow them. High quality, long lasting shoes are therefore an unnecessary expense.
Sneakers are much less expensive.
The exception are running shoes with rubber bindings which tend to cause sweat accumulation if worn for long periods of time. The rubber bindings however, make the shoes more water-proof a distinct advantage on wet days. On the whole, sneakers that have the desired qualities that we shall discuss serve just as well as the more expensive leather shoes. I advise a pair of good sneakers or running shoes for everyday wear for most children. Even then, they should be allowed to be without shoes for part of the day.