My 7 year old daughter is hard on shoes.  Sadly, we can no longer buy the cheapo ones at the big box stores -- she goes right through them.  This is her second New Balance -- she outgrew the last pair and it was intact.  I feel this one will last as well, until she grows again.  Very solidly constructed.  Also, it is built for an athletic person.  She likes to run a lot and this is a nice little version of the grown up New Balance running shoe.