Last weekend I took the girls to buy their new school shoes! I decided to take them to Clinkards because they have a better selection than Clark’s, and having twins I needed two pairs! Stupidly I chose Saturday afternoon for this activity, thinking that all normal mothers would have been organized and brought their kids footwear before term started. I was wrong!

We sat in the queue for approx 45 minutes before we were even seen. The girls were being unusually well behaved, but I was still losing the will to live by the time our number was called. I had picked out numerous black pairs for the girls to choose from while we waited, but I had also noticed a flashing pair that came in two dark colours. Quietly I asked the assistant if she could find their sizes in those shoes as well as the ones the girls had originally chosen, thinking that they would prefer the novelty of the flashing ones.

I explained to the young lady that as they are twins, if there was only ONE pair that flashes do not bring them down, DO NOT MENTION IT AGAIN. For anyone who has twins you will totally understand where I’m coming from when I say, you do for both or not at all, for fear of your life being made hell thereafter!

When the lady returned she shook her head and explained that unfortunately their stock was low. She had managed to produce three different black pairs for the girls to choose from, all patent! (which I wasn’t keen on.) But like I said earlier I was losing the will to live, and quite frankly I would have brought them neon pink glitter shoes at that point had there have been no other choice!.. We finally left the shop with the girls proudly carrying a bag each.

It was about two days later that I found the three little lights on the heels of Monkey’s shoes. In my defense they are quite tiny! (I’m heading towards 40 and my eyesight is failing.)  I quickly checked Mookin’s hoping to god that I had somehow missed this feature on hers too, but there was none! Zero, zilch, nada, nothing. I could feel the panic rising!

Thankfully there seemed to be a problem with Monkey’s shoes, as they hadn’t flashed since we brought them. I checked for a button or battery to activate them but could find nothing. I didn’t know whether to be angry or happy about this matter… Either the assistant had realized they were not working, and having been told it was either two flashing pairs or none at all, had knowingly sold me broken ones? In which case I should have had discount! Or, she went against my wishes and sold me only ONE flashing pair.

The week has gone by and thankfully both children seemed totally oblivious to the “FLASHERGATE” saga… Until this morning! While preparing breakfast I was woken from my daydream by Monkeys excited squeals “LOOK, Mummy my shoes are flashing!” Unfortunately for me, my three year old daughter having found the on/off button, (that I myself couldn’t find) had activated the flasher and was sat flaunting her beautiful flashy shoes in front of her sister’s face!

Panic set in straight away as I waited with bated breath for poor Mookin’s reaction. Waiting for the tantrum to start or the tears to flow, but surprisingly Mookin didn’t bite! Only once did she comment that her shoes don’t flash! To which I replied as best I could with “but you have pretty pink flowers on your shoes and Monkey doesn’t!” For now that seems to be working!