Barefoot is best

An article in today's Star Tribune discussses the growing popularity of stylish shoes for baby and toddlers. But what's best for growing piggies? No shoes whenever possible and ones with flexible soles. The article also outlines what to look for when buying for baby.

And, if you want to see where other Twin Cities parents go for shoes check out the Cribsheet blog for a list of favorites.

Creating a baby genius

I'm not a parent yet, but have scanned my share of baby registeries to know that it usually contains a Baby Einstein product. Is this bad? Not at all. The boom to recognize the importance of learning from birth is an ideal we were founded upon and hold dearly. However, how much is too much when it comes to teaching our kids, and can a "product" really make a baby smarter? Adrienne Martini explores the subject of "Baby Geniuses" on Babble.com, a magazine and blog devoted to new parents.

We'd believe that it's the love and attention from parents that helps baby excel. What do you think -- do educational products make a difference in how smart kids are?

(By the way, have a fun and safe Independence Day!)