SHOES OR A NEW 7 SEATER CAR - THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

The second most expensive thing about having kids, after childcare - which of course is a cost that can in theory be avoided as long as one parent gives up the day job - must be shoes, and in particular trainers. Unlike the childcare though, the only way to avoid this cost is amputation, and I don't think that's legal!
These are Marcel's trainers - I bought them on 26 June 2008 - the last day of school before the holidays so I remember exactly how old they are. My own trainers (which I bought more than 2 years ago do not look half as bad). It wasn't that they were cheap - Lacoste no less - reduced to a mere £35 in a half price summer sale. Would you look at them? They look like the dog ate them, or a truck ran over them. If I had an infinite supply of cash I'd already be consigning them to the bin but with 4 kids and an ex who still refuses to buy the odd pair of shoes for our kids - what am I to do? If I have to buy each of my 4 kids new trainers every 6 weeks from they learn to walk till they turn 18 I am looking at a bill of £20626.66. Nobody tells you that before you have kids, do they?