Boys & jeans

[Aubrey]

Ds hasn't had more than one pair of jeans that fit in a long time. I'd bought him some a while back that were too big, & they finally fit, & family sent him a pair. For about a day, that was good. :glare:

 

He rode his bike w/ the pair I bought--the 1st time he wore them--fell down, & got a blow out in the knee. A BAD one. UGLY.

 

The 2nd pair had a couple of those decorative rips in them, very, VERY small. He picked at them & ripped them open.

 

He's back to having no jeans.

 

So this is my question: is he at all responsible for this? I can't decide. Should I have not let him wear his new jeans to ride his bike? I've never seen a blow out happen like that before, but I figure he's my oldest, so there's a learning curve. He's never had jeans w/ the decorative rip, so...while I would have LIKED for him to know better than to pick at them...& it sorta seems like he should have...what do you think?

 

His jeans have always been hand-me-downs before & lasted a LONG time--he doesn't really grow, so he'll wear a pair for YEARS. Blow outs happen eventually, but...good grief!

 

:bigear:

Edited November 14, 2011 by Aubrey

[Forget-Me-Not]

How old is he?

 

Can you patch the ripped ones and designate them as 'play clothes'?

[Avila]

No boys here.

 

But my friend who has mostly boys buys all their jeans at Sears under the Kidvantage program. There are brand restrictions, but with Kidvantage, Sears will repair or replace the jeans if they wear out before your child outgrows them.

[Aubrey]

How old is he?

 

Can you patch the ripped ones and designate them as 'play clothes'?

 

He's 10. Patches haven't worked well in the past, but yeah, we could try something like that.

 

So bike riding = play clothes. I just...thought jeans were good play clothes. I thought they were supposed to last more than one time around the block. :glare: And I don't have a particularly rough kid. His little brother? Yeah, I can see THAT kid having trouble w/ jeans. :lol:

[Aubrey]

No boys here.

 

But my friend who has mostly boys buys all their jeans at Sears under the Kidvantage program. There are brand restrictions, but with Kidvantage, Sears will repair or replace the jeans if they wear out before your child outgrows them.

 

The pair I bought was under that program. I guess I should see what I need to do to replace them.

[KS_]

I think all you have to do is take them in and they will replace them with the same size.

[Random]

I have six boys, and there's one thing that I've learned from it: there's no such thing as hand-me-down boys' jeans. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Yes and Amen.

[MamaAkins]

Ds hasn't had more than one pair of jeans that fit in a long time. I'd bought him some a while back that were too big, & they finally fit, & family sent him a pair. For about a day, that was good. :glare:

 

He rode his bike w/ the pair I bought--the 1st time he wore them--fell down, & got a blow out in the knee. A BAD one. UGLY.

 

The 2nd pair had a couple of those decorative rips in them, very, VERY small. He picked at them & ripped them open.

 

He's back to having no jeans.

 

So this is my question: is he at all responsible for this? I can't decide. Should I have not let him wear his new jeans to ride his bike? I've never seen a blow out happen like that before, but I figure he's my oldest, so there's a learning curve. He's never had jeans w/ the decorative rip, so...while I would have LIKED for him to know better than to pick at them...& it sorta seems like he should have...what do you think?

 

His jeans have always been hand-me-downs before & lasted a LONG time--he doesn't really grow, so he'll wear a pair for YEARS. Blow outs happen eventually, but...good grief!

 

Anyway, I'm leaning toward asking him to replace one pair *mainly* to teach him the cost/value of a pair of jeans. More of a lesson than a consequence.

 

So far, though, I haven't done anything, just told him we'd talk later.

 

:bigear:

 

Unless you had specifically told him not to wear his new jeans for bike riding, I don't think he did anything wrong. It's not like he deliberately destroyed his jeans. He was just being a typical 10 year old boy and playing. I wouldn't punish him by making him replace the jeans.

[Sophia]

All of my boys are brutal on their jeans. I've come to accept that's just part of them being active boys.

I don't think they are trying to ruin their pants~it just happens.

They keep wearing them with holes in the knees for playing and we keep dress pants (khakis) they are not allowed to play in for church.

 

**I should add my 18 y.o. is better with his jeans, but even he gets the holey knees after a while.

[gardenmom5]

I have gone through this. jeans being destroyed mere weeks after purchase. I finally went back to buying toughskins jeans at sears. they also have a kidvantage program where they will replace them in the same size and color once if you bring them in.

 

they have the adjustable elastic waist which ds needed because he was so skinny, skinny jeans were too big. they come in skinny (bigger than other brands skinny) regular, and husky sizes.

 

toughskins are nothing fancy, but they last.

[elise1mds]

We very, very rarely have jeans that outlast my son, and he grows like a weed. That Sears program is a lifesaver. He's just as likely to rip a hole in the backside as the knees, but either way, those jeans just don't even go out in public.

[gardenmom5]

The pair I bought was under that program. I guess I should see what I need to do to replace them.

 

take them in and find out if they qualify. your purchase should be in the computer.

[Allearia]

That is a reason never to buy those jeans that are pre-ripped. I don't think I would have him pay to replace them. What I do is buy five identical pair of jeans, basic dark blue straight leg no pre-fading or ripping. I like the Gap ones. They each have these and wear them every day. My other ds has fallen a bunch of times on his bike and not ripped them, but could also be just luck.

 

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=6984&vid=1&pid=580859

 

 

And hand me down jeans don't work here either, maybe now that ds is older but he just got these jeans a few months ago so we'll see what they are like in a year.

[acurtis75]

No boys here.

 

But my friend who has mostly boys buys all their jeans at Sears under the Kidvantage program. There are brand restrictions, but with Kidvantage, Sears will repair or replace the jeans if they wear out before your child outgrows them.

 

I've never heard of kidvantave but I need to check it out immediately. I don't have boys either. Just a 6 yo daughter who never has a pair of pants to wear without holes in the knee.

[Aubrey]

Unless you had specifically told him not to wear his new jeans for bike riding, I don't think he did anything wrong. It's not like he deliberately destroyed his jeans. He was just being a typical 10 year old boy and playing. I wouldn't punish him by making him replace the jeans.

 

No, I didn't tell him that--that's part of my question--SHOULD I have told him not to wear them? Would you all be surprised that they were torn up that quickly? What should he have worn instead?

 

And like I said, I don't want to punish him, but I would like him to understand that jeans aren't cheap. Talking to him might be enough. Replacing both pair would definitely be too much (imo). But I'm toying w/ the idea of having him buy ONE pair--or maybe going w/ me, so he can SEE how much they cost?--just so he *knows* in a more 1st hand way that they need to be cared for a little.

[Aubrey]

All of my boys are brutal on their jeans. I've come to accept that's just part of them being active boys.

I don't think they are trying to ruin their pants~it just happens.

They keep wearing them with holes in the knees for playing and we keep dress pants (khakis) they are not allowed to play in for church.

 

**I should add my 18 y.o. is better with his jeans, but even he gets the holey knees after a while.

 

Yes, we've got khakis for church, & he doesn't play in those. But he's outgrown his other holey pants, & he's always played in his jeans w/out tearing them (on the first go) before.

 

But there's something between playing & church, imo. I don't want him going out in public--Target, AWANA, etc--w/ blown-out jeans. It's embarrassing! Not to mention, cold. (And what about cold weather--do you let them play in holey jeans in the cold?)

[Aubrey]

That is a reason never to buy those jeans that are pre-ripped. I don't think I would have him pay to replace them. What I do is buy five identical pair of jeans, basic dark blue straight leg no pre-fading or ripping. I like the Gap ones. They each have these and wear them every day. My other ds has fallen a bunch of times on his bike and not ripped them, but could also be just luck.

 

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=6984&vid=1&pid=580859

 

 

And hand me down jeans don't work here either, maybe now that ds is older but he just got these jeans a few months ago so we'll see what they are like in a year.

 

That was the pair the relative bought, but they were on clearance for $10 or less, so I still don't think it SHOULD have been a bad deal.

 

ETA: I don't think $25 is too much for jeans, but x5 pair? :svengo: I think that's the most frustrating part--he's needed jeans for SO long, he finally got a couple of pairs, & they *immediately* look as bad as his old ones.

 

Fwiw, he's got some other pants that were picked up at the Goodwill recently, & those are fine, but most of them just enough..."off" that...well, he's a kid that I want to help to...know how to dress, blend in, etc. Kwim? Jeans are *good* for him. :D

Edited November 14, 2011 by Aubrey

[MindyD]

I wouldn't have him replace them. He wasn't doing anything wrong. I'd let him wear the ripped jeans when he's playing or on a day that you're not going anywhere, and then get him another pair to wear when you're going out. But at 10, I wouldn't ask him to replace them unless he intentionally destroyed them.

[Random]

No, I didn't tell him that--that's part of my question--SHOULD I have told him not to wear them? Would you all be surprised that they were torn up that quickly? What should he have worn instead?

 

And like I said, I don't want to punish him, but I would like him to understand that jeans aren't cheap. Talking to him might be enough. Replacing both pair would definitely be too much (imo). But I'm toying w/ the idea of having him buy ONE pair--or maybe going w/ me, so he can SEE how much they cost?--just so he *knows* in a more 1st hand way that they need to be cared for a little.

 

I would have told ds not to wear his only pair of decent jeans while riding his bike. I would not have been surprised that they were trashed while still basically new. Around here, if they have access to them, they will be destroyed in short order. My boys wear old, torn jeans to play outside or ride bikes. The ONLY time (literally!) they wear something not already ripped up is when we leave the house. Even for a day of school, they are in pants that are already torn, because they are constantly on their knees, wrestling, running, falling....something!

 

I think it would be great to have him go with you to replace them. It has affected my ds 10 to see how much things cost. He is more careful....but that could just be his personality.

 

Sorry for your frustration! It's such a drag when they have *zero* decent clothes to wear, even though they have a closet full of *new* clothes!

 

Do check out the Sears program. It's great. And, it's great for shoes, too!

[*********]

Oh.My.Goodness.

 

This has been something weighing on me for a while now!

 

The boys are hard on their jeans. They both currently have two pairs with holes in them, along with at least two pairs each that don't.

 

I really, REALLY hate paying full price for clothes. I like to thrift store shop. But it's hard with jeans, because first of all, there's not many boys jeans because they all blow holes in them and they can't be donated, LOL.

 

I don't know the answer. If we're going to park day, they wear holey jeans. But for everyday, around the house, regular use? They wear nice ones. Then they end up going outside and getting grass stains on them. And eventually, they rip holes in them. :tongue_smilie:

 

I don't know what the answer is, except I always look for jeans for them when I'm at the thrift store, even if they don't need them right then. 'Cause they will soon. I'm always THRILLED when Zee has a pair of jeans that he can pass down to Moose that don't have holes in them.

 

What is WITH boys and jeans? I don't remember my sisters and I doing this when we were little. Sigh.

[Aubrey]

Oh.My.Goodness.

 

This has been something weighing on me for a while now!

 

The boys are hard on their jeans. They both currently have two pairs with holes in them, along with at least two pairs each that don't.

 

I really, REALLY hate paying full price for clothes. I like to thrift store shop. But it's hard with jeans, because first of all, there's not many boys jeans because they all blow holes in them and they can't be donated, LOL.

 

I don't know the answer. If we're going to park day, they wear holey jeans. But for everyday, around the house, regular use? They wear nice ones. Then they end up going outside and getting grass stains on them. And eventually, they rip holes in them. :tongue_smilie:

 

I don't know what the answer is, except I always look for jeans for them when I'm at the thrift store, even if they don't need them right then. 'Cause they will soon. I'm always THRILLED when Zee has a pair of jeans that he can pass down to Moose that don't have holes in them.

 

What is WITH boys and jeans? I don't remember my sisters and I doing this when we were little. Sigh.

 

The fairy tale got it wrong: there were 12 biking princes. They wore out jeans, not shoes. :tongue_smilie:

[Another Lynn]

I wouldn't have thought anything about letting him ride in new jeans. I wouldn't make him pay for a new pair.

 

If finding decent fit is an issue, you could try "climbers" from Lands End. They come in different colors as well as "blue jeans." They sometimes go on sale for ~20, but I don't think they are usually more than 25. They might not be as durable as the Sears program kind, but the fit is never an issue.... elastic waist, built-in belt, and reinforced knees. I have actually passed down a couple pairs from one boy to the next, but definitely not all. They also come in slims which my 6yo needs right now (too tall for a 5, too skinny for a 6). They might look a little geeky with shirts tucked in, but we're not big on tucking shirts in here. :001_smile:

[Pretty in Pink]

He did nothing wrong. Knowing the cost of a pair of jeans would not have prevented his fall. It was just an accident. Kids are prone to pick at those pre-ripped jeans, which is one reason I avoid them like the plague. I think I would jst ask him not to pick at his jeans in the future and leave it at that.

[Aubrey]

He did nothing wrong. Knowing the cost of a pair of jeans would not have prevented his fall. It was just an accident. Kids are prone to pick at those pre-ripped jeans, which is one reason I avoid them like the plague. I think I would jst ask him not to pick at his jeans in the future and leave it at that.

 

That's actually all I did--just wondering if there's more that would help. I was just so shocked to go from nothing to plenty to nothing in less than a week! :svengo:

[Sophia]

But there's something between playing & church, imo. I don't want him going out in public--Target, AWANA, etc--w/ blown-out jeans. It's embarrassing! Not to mention, cold. (And what about cold weather--do you let them play in holey jeans in the cold?)

 

We don't have snow, so yes~they do wear holey jeans to play in the winter. Were I up north, they would have snowpants over their pants.

What about sweatpants? We have several of those for playing. Of course, they get holes, too.:001_rolleyes:

 

I get that you're trying to teach them the value of a dollar and clothes aren't free, so please be careful.

I think that is learned in conjunction with other family attitudes about money that you and your dh consciously (and subconsciously) teach, not necessarily by making them play for clothes accidentally damaged during play.

It is frustrating, but I just count it as part of the cost of raising active boys.

[Pretty in Pink]

Amazingly enough my eldest ds is about to pass on FIVE pairs of perfect jeans to his next youngest sibling. Unfortunately the reason they are still in mint condition is because he outgrew them just weeks after I purchased them. I don't even think he wore each pair before he got too tall to wear them. And now I have to order him five new pairs of jeans. Grrrr.

[Pink Fairy]

The knees in my boys' pants last 3-4 weeks. They aren't doing anything bad to them, but they play like boys--on the floor, on the ground, etc. One winter I made them wear shorts once all their jeans were ruined, because I got tired of replacing them every month. Anyway, we have since discovered Thrift Town, and now we can get brand name jeans for $1.50-2.00 during their 50% off sales. Who are these boys who don't ruin their pants and can donate them to a thrift store? No idea! But I no longer care if my boys rip their jeans, I think of them like paper plates--disposable. Five bucks/month, and we are good to go.

[Annie Laurie]

My girl does this just as much as her brothers- they all go play outside with the neighborhood kids and fall off their scooters and bikes, or wipe out while running. She has holes in her pants too.

 

They just know that there are play clothes (already ripped, hand-me-downs, the ones that I got off the clearance rack just for this purpose) to wear outside and nicer clothes they're not allowed to wear outside to play in.

 

I recall having grass stains and holes in my jeans and pants all the time as a kid too and I didn't mean anything either, I just played hard.

[Kalmia]

These are made of blue jean fabric if you order "indigo." They have double-layer knees. Very durable. Also available in a cargo pocket version.

 

http://www.landsend.com/pp/OpenBottomClimberPants~146358_1189.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::DTK&CM_MERCH=search-_-boys+climbers&origin=search

 

I wouldn't punish him. Par for the course with boys.

[Splinter]

My kids don't wear jeans while they're riding bikes - it's too easy for them to get caught or rip on the chain. They always wear shorts or soccer pants.

 

As for jeans, my boys are rough on them too. I do make sure they keep one pair nice, but I'm not too worried about a 6 or 9 year old being seen in public with a hole in his jeans.

[Random]

These are made of blue jean fabric if you order "indigo." They have double-layer knees. Very durable. Also available in a cargo pocket version.

 

http://www.landsend.com/pp/OpenBottomClimberPants~146358_1189.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::DTK&CM_MERCH=search-_-boys+climbers&origin=search

 

I wouldn't punish him. Par for the course with boys.

 

 

How long do these pants last before they are torn, in your home? And, would you classify your boys as extremely active, normal-active or screen-addicted? Or somewhere in between?

 

(Just wondering if the $30 tag is worth it...none of the pants I've bought at Land's End have held up any better than other pants I've bought....)

 

Thanks for the tip!

[Aubrey]

How long do these pants last before they are torn, in your home? And, would you classify your boys as extremely active, normal-active or screen-addicted? Or somewhere in between?

 

(Just wondering if the $30 tag is worth it...none of the pants I've bought at Land's End have held up any better than other pants I've bought....)

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Hey! Mine's not super-active, but that's more because his nose is in a book or he's playing trains/legos/etc. I'd hate for that to classify him as a screen-addict. ;)

[4everHis]

I have six boys, and there's one thing that I've learned from it: there's no such thing as hand-me-down boys' jeans. :tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree: I need to have dh read this because he thinks I'm crazy when I say this. It's almost impossible to find, esp. slim, jeans at Goodwill or Salvation Army. Boys just kill jeans.

[Random]

Hey! Mine's not super-active, but that's more because his nose is in a book or he's playing trains/legos/etc. I'd hate for that to classify him as a screen-addict. ;)

 

 

Ha ha! That was a silly list for me to write. I was thinking in terms of activity level only, not in terms of why he would or would not move a lot in a day. ;)

[Pretty in Pink]

I've seen those double-layered knees on other brands, too. I know we have a few pairs of Lee jeans that are on their second child now thanks to those nifty, double-layer knees.

[maryanne]

Who are these boys who don't ruin their pants and can donate them to a thrift store? No idea!

 

I know, I know...

 

It's my son who refuses to wear long pants jeans except when forced, but who needs to have a few pairs of long jeans for those rare really cold days/snow days and the occasional other activity where long pants are required. He wears denim shorts 90+% of the time even when everyone around him has switched to long pants in order to stay warm.

 

Of course all the wear and tear that usually happens to the knees of the jeans ... well it happens to his knees. :crying:

 

I'm not sure this is the best solution, but it's been working for us for a few years now. We usually end up passing along barely worn jeans and 1 or 2 that are pristine. I think most of jeans come from Target for around $12 a pair.

[extendedforecast]

It's not just a boy thing. My eldest dd plays hard and went through a period where I was replacing jeans at about once a month. On another note, jeans may not be made as well as before. We've had three pairs in the past 6 months that have ripped in the seat or in the front crotch area. All jeans were purchased at different stores (kohl's, children's place, and JCPenney) and were owned by my almost 9th and 11yo, who wear different sizes and have different body types.

[Allearia]

That was the pair the relative bought, but they were on clearance for $10 or less, so I still don't think it SHOULD have been a bad deal.

 

ETA: I don't think $25 is too much for jeans, but x5 pair? :svengo: I think that's the most frustrating part--he's needed jeans for SO long, he finally got a couple of pairs, & they *immediately* look as bad as his old ones.

 

Fwiw, he's got some other pants that were picked up at the Goodwill recently, & those are fine, but most of them just enough..."off" that...well, he's a kid that I want to help to...know how to dress, blend in, etc. Kwim? Jeans are *good* for him. :D

 

I bought them when there was a 40% off coupon so they were $15 each. Now I just started doing this a year ago, and used to be a big fan of the jeans from the thrift store/target, but they just didn't fit right or last long. The ones from Target the zipper broke or I couldn't find slims. I had the luxury of having a bit of extra funds to say, hey, let's get the boys in OK looking jeans every day of the week. I hate to see them wear the jeans with holes or that don't fit so I was happy to spend the money.

 

Also, previously I did the same with Children's Place jeans but they did not seem to last very long.

[raceNzanesmom]

They were them torn around here. Oldest ds patched one pair cuz you could see his undies, lol.

 

ETA: and my boys have a max of 3 pair of jeans unless I happen to find them at a thrift store (which rarely happens).

Edited November 14, 2011 by raceNzanesmom

[fenni]

How long do these pants last before they are torn, in your home? And, would you classify your boys as extremely active, normal-active or screen-addicted? Or somewhere in between?

 

(Just wondering if the $30 tag is worth it...none of the pants I've bought at Land's End have held up any better than other pants I've bought....)

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

 

Lands End will replace them if they don't hold up. Also, get on their email list, they have sales and codes all the time. 25% off right now. Look on their home page. Also, overstocks is a good place to get them on discount.