Car Seat Stroller

I have learned not to judge other parents

It takes being a parent to understand the joys, but also the stresses and struggles of parenthood. Before having a child, I often found myself passing judgment on parents, particularly parents of young children.

I would question why a parent would push a four-year-old around in a stroller when it was obvious the child could walk. It seemed to me they were encouraging their kids to be lazy. Now I understand strollers are a great way to contain a child in busy public places. A child strapped into a stroller makes for a much less stressful situation than a child weaving through crowds trying to escape his or her parents.

I also remember feeling annoyed at parents who would let their kids have temper tantrums at restaurants or any other spot where people were out trying to enjoy themselves. Now I realize you often can’t predict when an emotional explosion will occur. A toddler can be happy one second and screaming with rage the next. And given the irrational world of toddlers, there is often nothing that can be done to quell the outburst except to let it run its course.

I was also quick to criticize whenever I would hear stories of parents slipping up when it came to ensuring their child’s safety, such as failing to properly strap a child into a car seat before leaving home. If something goes wrong there’s always a friend or relative who speaks to the media about how the adult involved is really a great parent. Before starting a family of my own I would still blame the parent for being irresponsible and could not understand how such an important detail could be overlooked that put a child in jeopardy.

But today I have a totally different perspective. Instead of blaming the parent, I feel sad for them. I also feel ashamed that I was so quick to label them as bad parents in the past. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to go through losing a child, especially under a circumstance like that. And now that I have a child of my own, I can understand how accidents like this could happen.

There are many mornings when I am rushing out the door late for work and faced with doing a dozen things in a matter of seconds. I have to make sure I pack the essentials for the day, all while coaxing my toddler into the car and double checking that shoes match. Once in the car, I am scrambling to meet my child’s demands, ensuring he has his favourite blanket, a toy car for each hand and tucking his breakfast next to him in the car seat so he can eat it on the short trip to daycare.

Graco Snugride 35 Infant Car Seat, Rittenhouse at Modern Baby Stroller

Features

As a mom of three and having owned a wide variety of strollers over the years I love the way this stroller looks and rolls out of the box. To me, this is such a lightweight, easy to fold, unfold and load into the trunk item. It rolls so smoothly and turns on a dime. The parent holder looks so cool and CAN be WASHED!! My three year old son fit well on the back seat and the smile he had on his face when I pointed out the handles so he could stand securely on the back told me he’ll actually stay on this in the mall. My six year old, 43 pound daughter rode on the back with no weight in the front seat and the stroller felt sturdy and not at all like tipping back. Out of the box this beats any of the Peg Perego or Graco strollers we’ve owned in the past. I’ll update this review after I’ve used it with the new baby on the front and put some miles on this wonderful stroller!

12/20/2008 After using this stroller for over a year and a half I still love it. My now just turned five year old loves to sit or stand on the back and I almost never have to fight to get him to stay on it. Practically, my older child has to sit a little hunched forward when the baby’s sleeping and it’s reclined all of the way back, but he can stand with no problem. Also, it’s a little hard to get my diaper bag in the attached storage area, but that’s just me being picky. The parent storage is wonderful and I’m so glad I have the zippered area for keys and can put my phone and drink and other stuff safely tucked away. Airline boarding passes fit perfectly! 1 1/2 years later it still pushes effortlessly and is perfect rounding clothes racks a the mall and navigating at restaurants. I love my stroller and still recommend it to people that ask about it.

After thousands of hours of research, I FINALLY purchased a double stroller. Though the Phil & Ted Vibe Brand NEW! Phil & Teds Vibe Buggy With Doubles Kit- Redwas in consideration for a little while, the final pair I narrowed it down to were the Joovy Caboose UltraLight Joovy Caboose Ultralight Stand On Tandem Stroller, Black and the Baby Trend Sit N Stand PLUS Baby Trend Silverado Sit N’ Stand Plus Double Stroller .

What to Expect the First Year

Baby Bargains, Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furinture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More!

Best Baby Products

The Gallagher guide to the baby years, the real moms' survey of top-rated products and advice

Great Expectations: Best Baby Gear