I think my son is ready for his first pair of shoes so I took him to Stride Rite thinking that this brand is the best kind of shoes for a kid (I was indoctrinated when I was young). The salesperson told me that for my son's feet, he would be better off with "jumping jacks" brand, which caught me off guard. I've never heard of this brand and on the box, it said that wearing these shoes is even better for kids learning to walk than being barefoot, which doesn't make any sense at all.

Is there someone out there who can give me some advice on this? When does a kid need shoes? What brands are respectable? What do I look for? HELP!!

Thanks in advance.