Its good to read this- DS is cruising only, and we hardly ever have anything on his feet- socks or slippers when its cold, but that's all. We're in the States right at the moment and its warm-ish here so we never put anything on his feet, and all these people are like "oh, where's his shoes?", like we're bad parents or something. Its like shoes have become this fashion statement rather than an important part of development!