When to buy shoes?

[kwaker5]

My 14+ mo started walking at Christmas.  He does have a pair of very soft leather slip-ons that he wears if we go to indoor playgroup or are in the garden/patio, but I prefer him to be barefoot as much as possible (all the time at home).  Should I hold off buying some 'real' shoes until he gets to the stage of being able to go for a proper outside walk?  He is still getting the hang of walking really and still tumbles too often to consider taking him for a 'walk'.

Thanks for your help

[Zoey]

I think its better for them to learn to walk barefoot... at least that's what I've been told.  I think those soft leather shoes are fabulous for tooling about indoors, and Owen used those for a long time.  I bought his first pair of shoes when he was walking well enough for me to actually use that for his mobility.  Funny though, it was like learning to walk again once he had those heavy sneakers on LOL.  Be sure when you do decide to buy shoes you have him fitted and buy a good supporting shoe.  He will get better at walking quickly now that he is walking.  Fun stuff, I loved when Owen started walking (was right at 14m too!).

Good luck, and don't forget to baby proof your house again now that he is able to be mobile and reach things higher! 

Zoey

[mom2ene]

We used Robeez ALOT when my dd was younger.  As long as it wasn't wet outside that is what she wore.  Then we moved to Stride Rite which has different stages of shoes(soft soles to just more bendy soles) for when she was walking more and more. We don't wear shoes of any kind in the house so she got lots of practice at home and just wore the shoes outside

[amywiz24]

I let my son go barefoot in the house as well. I did buy "real" shoes for when we went out of the house and would let him practice walking in shoes when holding my hand. Walking in shoes is a learning experience as well and this way he got the best of both worlds.