Has your toddler got his shoes yet? Is going barefoot good for kids?

The Seniol's favorite destination last year was South Africa (ofcourse if you don't count the toilet!) On his second visit, he narrated tales of how he found kids in South Africa going barefoot in public places - in the malls, restaurants and on the streets. Normal kids of all races from well to do families who were dressed impeccably nice but had no footwear. So, poverty had little to do with it. He found it rather strange and funny and assumed there must be logical reason to it and inquired his colleagues at work. Turns out kids until the age of four generally go barefoot because that's the way it is - passed down generations. Apparently they believe it leads to good formation of legs and makes them stronger. I decided to do a bit of my own research and this is all I could find. Tertia of So Close confirms this practice too. On a unrelated note, Tertia has a sad and interesting history of infertility and an entertaining bio to read.

Back to the shoe saga, I had put off buying sandals or shoes for Lil' General until now. Didn't find a good reason to buy one. It's been a month and half since he started walking but I've rarely let him walk outside - it's been confined to indoors and the car park so far. Of late, I've been finding it to difficult to shop with him on my shoulders as the roads are either too hot or not clean enough to let him go barefoot. Finally, I decided to get him a pair of comfy strap-on sandals. It was funny the first time he wore it. There he was acting like one doing a space walk. He's slowly getting used to it and loves the freedom of walking on real roads like adults that he keeps looking at me finding it hard to believe he is one among us now taking in all the sights so familiar to him, again. The smile ion his face makes me forget those long afternoons nagging me without sleeping. No one ever tells you these simple pleasures of parenthood.