It has been said that when children are born, instructions are not included with them. I, however, have evidence to the contrary.

In the months since the birth of our daughter, we have accumulated enough manuals and instruction booklets to keep a small team from Ikea busy assembling and running safety checks until she starts kindergarten.

We have three strollers, each with a set of instructions save one. That stroller came with four separate manuals.

Our car seat, which came essentially fully assembled, still included a 66-page instruction book. This car seat is so durable that you can strap a watermelon inside, drop it from a skyscraper and your fruit would still hit the ground fully intact.

We have several contraptions to hold our baby at different angles and heights. Instructions are not NOT included with any of them. Thank God because these devices have multiple settings and options so they sing, swing, soothe, rock, turn, swivel and tilt in various combinations and speeds. Our early favorite, a rocker, included all of the aforementioned. We call it “The Flying Saucer.” You place it under a sunny window and your baby rocks to a soothing beat until they drift off for hours of uninterrupted nap time. The instructions for this item mimic a kid’s “choose your own adventure” coloring book because of the many options for the rocker’s final use. Other seats simply sit and hold your child in one place just above ground level. Those multipage-instruction books all boil down to one simple demand: “Place seatbelt on the child.”

We have four baby carriers/slings: two for outside travels and two for in-house use. One outside option I use to take our daughter to the park daily. This baby carrier also comes with a sleeping bag attachment to keep her warm in the severe weather; those instructions are drawn in pictures on the tag. The other outdoor baby carrier is so structured and has so much storage space that I could take my child and a week’s worth of survival gear up through the Himalayas. The manuals for that, oddly, are fairly basic and straightforward.

We have attained three high chair/table seating devices. One is an ordinary A-frame type that we use next to our dinner table. Another is a travel unit that connects to any table. The third one is a “sturdier” (according to my wife) travel unit that she assures me we will need at some point. When we reach that point is anyone’s guess. These items are a bit more in-depth with instructions on how to secure your children and attach them to fixed furniture. Well, you do eat more often than you hike through Nepal.

We also have two night-sleeping units. The master crib, adorned with all of her stuffed animals hanging from each corner, was put together in the early days of pregnancy. The instructions were many, yet straightforward enough to understand the different stages of converting it from a crib to a bed as she grows. We have a co-sleeper unit that, I’m guessing by its name, aids your child in sleeping dependent on the parents. Our daughter slept in it one evening, next to our bed, until my wife decided it was easier just to lay her in our bed. So that may be the end of that. I’m thankful. Should we ever need to explore the different height settings of this co-sleeper unit, the manual and its photos indicate I might need to go back to school for a different degree.

As the seasons have changed and the blooms kick in we have had to utilize the nose suction device that pulls the runny snot from inside your nostrils. Fun for the whole family! This is not a favorite of our little girl but it’s effective. And the pictures in the instruction book are worth a thousand words!

There are, of course, many other useful items — toys, first aid, soothers, and clothing, to name a few — that we regularly use. All are accompanied by pages and pages of words that I keep in a specific drawer. And while I prided myself on never reading instructions on home goods before her birth, I am now certain to follow all manuals to the letter when assuring the safety of our little one.

They keep us all sleeping soundly! Well, most of us …

About the author

Robert Brawley is a West Coast kid who moved out to NYC. He and his wife are the proud parents of a beautiful girl.

“Instructions Not Included” was first published in 2013. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels.

For many new parents, all of their time is spent simply taking care of the baby. It can be tough figuring out how to find time to work out or exercise. If running is your thing (or was — before having kids), here’s a “how to” guide for getting back into your sport by using a jogging stroller:

Picking a Jogging Stroller

There are many great brands (Jeep, Graco, BabyTrends, Joovy) and types (single, double, fixed wheel) jogging strollers. I suggest that you try out a few before deciding. I use BOB Gear jogging strollers because I found they work best in terms of size, flexibility, and durability for the streets, elevators and small apartments of New York City. Our BOB Gear stroller comes in handy for more than just running with my child. It’s great to take when I bring my daughter grocery shopping or to a museum.

Start Slowly

I started running with my daughter, Lucinda, when she was around 5 months old. The instructions for my BOB Gear jogging stroller advised me not to run with a baby younger than 8 months. You need to use your best judgment. I felt confident trying it as soon as she could sit up without slumping over in the stroller. The first time out we went for about 2.5 miles. The first mile and a half she was fine, but then she got fussy. So we abandoned ship. The second time out was a little better. By the third time, she had gotten used to the stroller and things started to go more smoothly.

Jogging Strollers Help with Naps

After about five short runs in the jogging stroller, she had gotten into the routine of napping really well during my runs. Before I knew it, I couldn’t stop or she would wake up! And as you know or will certainly learn … you should do whatever humanly possible NOT to wake a sleeping baby. The breakthrough came in early June, when she fell deep into a nap and didn’t wake up after the usual 30 minutes. She slept and slept, and before I knew it, I had run almost 2 hours in the middle of the day! Running with ourBOB Gear jogging stroller was a great antidote to short napping. Eventually, we got into a routine of taking most afternoon naps during a jog in the park.

Stopping could end a nap prematurely during the middle months, but I find as she’s getting older, stopping isn’t as detrimental to the nap. My daughter has always been a light sleeper, but if you have a good sleeper it should be fine.

Prepare for Weather

Spring and fall are the best months for the jogging stroller. Always keep in mind that your baby is not getting warmed up from exercise like you are.

If you plan to run in the summer, find a model with a sun shield. This will protect your child from the rays and keep her cooler. Most good brands (BOB Gear, Jeep, Graco, BabyTrends) have jogging strollers with these that are either detachable or foldable. It’s also best to go early or late and avoid the heat in the middle of the day.

In the winter, we’ve been using a weather shield, essentially a plastic enclosure, which keeps the stroller quite toasty and dry. In fact, you should not use the shield unless it’s lower than 60 degrees due to the possibility of overheating. It also protects your child from wind and the elements. I’m not sure how cold will be our cut-off for going out, but below 30 degrees will probably be our limit.

Speed

Don’t expect to be running 7-minute miles with the stroller; it can really slow you down. My running pace is around 11 to 12 minutes with the stroller, and when I’m without the stroller it’s usually more in the 9- to 10-minute range, sometimes faster if I’m racing in a shorter distance. So don’t expect to run fast with the stroller, but do expect to work hard. I think the extra effort you put into running with the stroller, even if you are going at a slower pace, can make your runs without the baby a little faster. Think of it as a type of speed work!

How Much Should I Run with the Stroller?

I train for ultra marathons so running for 90 minutes every day with my baby isn’t such a problem for me. But if you are not an ultra marathoner, at least getting out there for an hour will be great for you and the baby.

Best Jogging Stroller Routes

Living in NYC, we usually head to Central Park or Riverside Park. Hills are tough but add to the fun. Quiet routes are ideal, so try to stay away from construction, heavy traffic, and people wanting to ask how it is to run with the baby. That is my warning, but it’s hard to schedule around those problems.

Bringing the jogging stroller into your and your baby’s life can be fun (a little intimidating initially) and I think it can help you and your baby explore the town, provide fitness, and give your baby a great opportunity for napping. Since my daughter, Lucinda, is turning 1 next week, we will see how this plan works and evolves as she gets older.

About the author

Mat Gerowitz is a stay-at-home dad, ultra runner, and part-time running coach. Mat can be found on what used to be Twitter at @matruns and at ultrarunningstayathomedad.blogspot.com.

This post first ran in 2012 and has since been updated.

BOB Gear, Jeep, Graco, BabyTrends single, double, fixed wheel jogging strollers

It’s been said that the best way to learn a foreign language is to immerse yourself in the culture.

So two months into this fatherhood thing and I’ve fully immersed myself into this really screwed up world called the language of parenting.

Never before in my life have I spent so much damn time talking about poop. Not shit. Because, babies don’t do that. They “poop” or “go poopy.”

Newborns aren’t throwing up or vomiting … they are “spitting up.”

And my daughter doesn’t drool. Well, actually, apparently she does drool because, this is the term we choose to use as a crossover from both worlds. Either way, it’s still gross.

No. It is not fucking cute. It is still gross. No matter how many cute words we apply to excrement, it will always be shit. My baby shat herself last night and it was messy.

But I digress.

Along with the language of parenting comes this entirely new world of marketing to parents. It’s a scary, deceitful business, my friends. You will literally be smacked upside the head with every single marketing tactic in the playbook to try and lure you into this web of spending on utter bullshit.

From diaper wipe warmers to chairs that electronically swing themselves to apps that monitor your child’s bodily functions, there is something for everything and for everyone. For example, I can control the motion of my daughter’s nap chair from my iPhone and toss on some background tunes to the sound of rain while the seat rotates to mask the rhythm of an ocean wave. All while I chill out on the reclining “glider.” Note: It’s not a rocking chair … it’s a glider, because we have to add a crafty little marketing title so we can force you to pay another $200-300. Because, eff you.

In fact, as I write this post, I’m looking across the room at my daughter as she rotates on her MamaRoo chair. The best part? She’s totally not entertained by the actual built-in mobile that hangs over her head while she rocks. She’s more interested in her hands that she recently started to discover.

And that is actually the dirty little secret: the babies don’t know any better and don’t need all of that technology to have a good time.

My in-laws came to visit recently and were stunned at all the gadgets and stuff we have furnished in our teeny-tiny little closet-sized apartment here in Manhattan. Matter of fact, until about a week ago, my daughter hated everything anyway.

We’ve got a specially designed floor mat with a hanging decoration (ugh, “mobile”) and built-in walls that entrap your tot like a felon at Clinton Max. It’s all adorned in colors and cute animals, so you know … it’s not really like a prison. It’s cute. But not at first to my daughter. It might as well have actually been the clink.

Same with that damn MamaRoo. We tried that bad boy on day one from the hospital. It took a daily dedication and vigilance for us to finally get the offspring to enjoy that thing … six weeks later.

Meanwhile a few notes on this contraption: First off – screw that name, because you know, dads apparently don’t give a shit if the baby is chillin’. Second – how someone hasn’t made this thing in an adult version for grown-ass men is a total fail. Imagine watching football while sitting in this rocking chair, errr — glider, on steroids? I’m looking at you, Apple. Make up for the iWatch.

Here’s the big takeaway: avoid the marketing hype. For my first-time fathers out there, you are going to run into a million and one baby books and friends and family members and coworkers and advertisements and social media posts and all sorts of crap in between begging you and pulling at you and imploring you to buy [blank] because “your baby will love it” or because “you NEED this to survive parenting.” False.

Stay strong, my friends.

You do need some very basic things to get by; because how the hell do you think your child will be able to survive without a diaper wipe warmer, bro? (Editor’s note: His two kids did.) But, don’t be that dude that loads up on product after product because it looks shiny. Your kid won’t know the difference. You’ll just clutter up your house. And you could actually probably end up saving money in the long run.

A version of this first appeared on Daddy Mind Tricks.

So you find yourself in the market for one of the big-ticket items when it comes to being prepared to raise a child – the stroller. Not just any stroller, a jogging stroller, so your little one doesn’t stop you from your daily run. Now you need to decide if you take out a second mortgage and go for a premium jogging stroller, or spend just enough to get one that barely passes the safety ratings?

Fear not. The Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight jogging stroller fits in perfectly. It is priced to meet most budgets, yet retains luxury quality any parent rightly expects. Straight out of the box, it is as easy as the proverbial 1, 2, 3 – literally:

1. Put the rear right wheel on
2. Put the rear left wheel on
3. Unfold

Simple. Just buckle junior in and hit the road running. But what are you really getting for your money? For a start, a sturdy, stable product. The Joovy Zoom 360Ultralight framing is solid and all the joints are well connected and move with ease. The brake is a simple one-foot action that locks solidly into grooves on the wheels, so when it’s locked, it’s going nowhere. The front wheel can swivel freely or lock in place. Good for different types of terrain. I prefer the free turning wheel (roads in my neighborhood are not the best, and in the locked position, it veers too easily), but can see the benefits of a fixed wheel on a true running trail. Locked or unlocked, the stroller glides along with ease at the merest of touch.

Joovy have also thought about both adult and child when it comes to storage. There’s a decent enough storage space beneath (I’ve seen bigger, I’ve seen smaller), which can easily accommodate a diaper bag/backpack. In addition, there’s a good sized storage pouch behind the seat, an organizer that straps over the handle with two cup holders and storage pocket, big enough for phone, wallet and keys, and a couple of storage pockets inside the seat itself – for water cups, snack cups or what have you!

A nice added feature is also an air pump that nicely straps away in the lower storage compartment. However, for the good, there’s also the not so good.

It’s hard to find anything to be negative about with the Joovy Zoom 360Ultralight, but there are a few bugbears:

1. I would like to have seen a moveable tray over the seat, even as an added option.
2. The seat straps are not padded, so you may need to add some padding for some children.
3. lastly, at time of writing, there doesn’t appear to be a double jogging stroller available.

In the end, the Joovy Zoom 360Ultralight really does look and feel like a high-end stroller. It is nicely priced at $299 and will appeal to both fitness enthusiasts and day to day, running around parents.

Disclosure: *Our reviewer was not financially compensated for this post. He did receive a sample from Joovy for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are solely based on his own based on his own experience.*

Editor’s Note: Longtime NYC Dads Group member Larry Interrante of Queens writes this special post about being the recipient and giver of generosity in the matter of a child being born premature. 

My wife, Kate, and I were not prepared when she gave birth prematurely to our son in 2011.

We had a car seat and a bassinet for our child, Peter, plus some basics like diapers and wipes that friends and family bought for Kate’s baby shower. But there was one missing item I remember worrying about most: “How was I going to afford a stroller?”

My wife had been out of work for a while and her unemployment had expired. We were struggling to keep up with the bills. When looking at strollers, I couldn’t believe how expensive they were. Crazy expensive.

After Peter’s birth, my co-workers threw us a baby shower. When Kate and I arrived to my office, it was amazing: cake, balloons, baby-blue streamers and a bunch of signs reading, “Congratulations on your baby.” There were also lots of baby gifts. Diapers, bottles, clothes, gift cards — you name it.

But no stroller.

The last item we received at the shower was a card. It contained money.

Lots of money.

Enough to cover the cost of the stroller we wanted.

I cried because I could not believe my colleagues loved me so much and could be so generous to my family. I vowed to myself that I would pay it forward someday to someone in my office.

That finally happened this year.

My co-worker Barbara Rodriguez gave birth to a baby, also premature. Although my Peter came only three-and-a-half weeks early, Barbara’s son Mathew arrived three months before his due date.

Like my wife and I, Barbara was really not prepared. One thing she did not have was a stroller.

This past May, I worked with some of my fellow NYC Dads Group members at the New York Baby Show as part of the “Dads Lounge.” Our group runs the lounge every year, offering parents a place to relax, change their child’s diaper and seek advice from longtime dads like me while our members talk about the services, support and camaraderie NYC Dads Group offers. It’s always an awesome experience meeting these anxious new and expecting fathers.

While there, our group met representatives from Guzzie+Guss, a Canadian maker of baby strollers. One product stood out — the Connect stroller. Thomas Deumier, director of sales for Guzzie+Guss, talked to me about its open-frame concept for easy walking, the front and rear suspension system, the adjustable handles for comfortable pushing, the reversible and adjustable seat, and many other features. I found the Connect to be unique and awesome.

So I told Thomas my story. Then I told him about my friend, Barbara.

At the end of the two-day baby show, Thomas gave me the stroller for Barbara.

The next day, I contacted Barbara. When I told her I Guzzie+Guss had generously donated a stroller to her, she was very quiet. Then she said, “What? Did I hear you right?”

Then silence again.

A week after the New York Baby Show, Barbara came to our house to pick up the stroller. She was in awe. I showed her all the features Thomas had shown me and she learned them easily. She said it was the nicest, coolest stroller she had ever seen. The smile on her face and the appreciation she showed was very gracious and thankful, not just toward me but toward Guzzie+Guss.

Barbara recently sent me a picture of her baby in the stroller. The caption she wrote read:

“Thank you for my chariot. It is so comfortable and my mommy loves it. She could see me while we walk.”

That made my day knowing that they are both enjoying their new stroller.

Both are our stories are different yet the same. Generosity comes in different shapes and forms but one thing, for sure, generosity can make a difference in someone’s life when it is needed.

Disclaimer: The author received no compensation for writing this post. He did receive a stroller which was given to a friend in need. The author wishes to convey his thanks and gratefulness to Thomas Deumier and Guzzie+Guss.

Autumn is one of the most beautiful and serene times of year to visit Central Park. The leaves light up our senses with their splash of insane colors. That makes it the perfect time to roundup a crew of father-friends from NYC Dads Group and plan a scenic stroll past some our favorite New York City landmarks.

We recently hooked up with one of our favorite children’s gear brands, Britax, to transport our children comfortably and safely in their modern, colorful and versatile new Britax B-Ready Strollers. Central Park has a wide range of rugged terrain and the B-Ready Stroller adapted gracefully to the gravel, tree roots and steep hills.

We mapped an invigorating walk with our little ones through Central Park. Fueled up on caffeine, we then assembled at The Plaza Hotel in the southeast corner, meandered through “the Mall” that’s featured in hundreds of movies, around Bethesda Fountain and The Loeb Boathouse, hugged the property of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and finished at popular Ancient Playground so our children can burn up energy as we enjoyed lunch under the glowing sun. Most organized activities at the park are suspended during the autumn work week which made our Britax B-Ready Stroller experience feel private — like we had Central Park all to ourselves.

We wanted to share some highlights of the experience with other families through a photo walk (see below) in the hope of inspiring more parents to bundle up and hit a local park for a scenic stroll this autumn.  Special thanks to talented photographer, NYC Dads Group member, and friend, Nick Lioi (and his lovely wife) for the stellar photos.

Dads, Start Your Britax B-Ready Strollers!

DISCLOSURE: NYC Dads Group have an ongoing relationship with Britax/BOB. It includes a variety of activities, workshops and experiences for which we are compensated. We’re proud to work with brands that make products and provide services that we believe in and use ourselves.

Editor’s Note: NYC Dads Group member Gregg Jobson-Larkin does an amazing job describing our invigorating “stroll” over the Brooklyn Bridge last week to celebrate the final four of the NCAA “March Madness” college basketball tournament.

“Growing up, spoiled a lot of things.”

Author Betty Smith’s esteemed introspective commentary in her novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn rang true on this year’s warmest day so far, at least in the hearts and minds of 20 NYC Dads Group members and their children. They gathered to celebrate the NCAA basketball tournament and participate in the BOB “Motion Madness” Brooklyn Bridge event.

Sultry R&B singer Alicia Keyes waves from a black ghost-proscenium multi-screened multimedia mecca of Jumbotroned light wizardry to a packed house of 19,000 fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. She shouts, “Brooklyn, I Love YOU!” And of course, the crowd goes LOUD, uproariously. The band strikes the introduction for “This Girl Is On Fire,” one of her latest releases, and in that moment, all my mind can envision is the troupe of NYC Dads Group members.

About half of the NYC Dads Group community includes fathers who have the esteemed charge of daily raising the wee-one(s), while the significant other is away at other work. Dennis and I are of such honored pedigree, such is our lineage, our fatherly station in this form of metropolitan family lifestyle choice. We, the NYC Dads Group, are a growing trend of parentage with nearly 750 New York Metro area-based members.

Our group met on the Manhattan plaza of the “The Great Bridge” just like the opening ceremonies on May 24, 1883, and in homage to that grand pomp and circumstance opening day, the BOB Motion Stroller Madness Armada of Dads pushed on across the wooden bridge path atop the bustling East River.

These Brooklyn-bound NYC baby dads and their toddler elite were elevated and suspended on a grand Programme of Exercise, by chief engineer Washington A. Roebling’s engineering marvel, built by 1,000 workmen.

That day’s past, and this day’s present are reminisced by this 1883 vintaged description: “A holiday for high and low, rich and poor; it was in fact the People’s Day. More delightful weather never dawned upon a festal morning. The heavens were radiant with celestial blue of approaching summer; silvery fragments of clouds sailed gracefully across the firmaments like winged messengers, bearing greetings of work well done; the clearest of spring sunshine tinged everything with a touch of gold, and brisk, bracing breeze blown up from the Atlantic cooled the atmosphere to a healthful and invigorating temperature. The incoming dawn revealed the twin cities gorgeous in gala attire.” This excerpt is from the book titled, Opening Ceremonies of the New York Brooklyn Bridge by The Brooklyn Eagle Job Printing Department.

It was a day for paparazzi photographers, sightseers, onlookers, passersby and the just plain curious, paused; taking in the vision of fatherly-stroller loveliness. Dads Group members attempt to quell inquiring-mind queries with informative banter and quaint repartee, as the well-practiced PR-friendly troupe posed at the Manhattan tower, doling out snacks to their chauffeured mini-elite passengers, and then pressed on to the Brooklyn terminus of the marvelous bridge.

We, like grass-eating bovine lounged on the rolling hill of green grass partitioned only by concrete promenade river views and quaint park restoration structures. Our bundles of joy sprawling, running, scootering and eating from our fatherly bento, zip-locked, lunch-wrapped preparations. It doesn’t get any better than this. Priceless!

Alicia Keys sings a New York anthem, and unlike the chairman’s version Frank Sinatra proclaims, “If you can make it here…” well we made it, up, over and under the Brooklyn Bridge … only Alicia sings, “In New York.” And just like that, I’m back in the concert moment, head-nodding to Jay-Z, which all just happened to have occurred on the very same day!

The entire experience was another point of growth. The Alicia Keys concert? A close second to the Brooklyn Bridge excursion.

About the author

Gregg Jobson-Larkin is a proud father of three children. He lives in New York with his family.

**Disclosure: This is a paid, sponsored post with Britax / BOB. The opinions expressed in this post are our own and have not been influenced by our sponsor. We limit our advertising to relevant partners that offer products and services we believe in and use ourselves. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are the new normal!  So don’t gawk at us like we’re an exhibit at the zoo. We’re just a pack of dads getting together regularly with our children all over New York City almost every day of the week. Last week, a pack of fifteen members from our NYC DADS “dudes” GROUP were at the Central Park Zoo on a Wednesday morning with our kids sporting our brand spanking new Britax B-Ready Strollers. Special thanks to Britax for sponsoring this amazing outing and providing the sleek, durable, and smooth rides for all of the fathers involved. If you’ve seen the film, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, we were told by several tourists & parents at the zoo that day, that we reminded them of the “dudes group” from the movie…only without the star power of Chris Rock.

The morning was filled with our crew of active dads strolling over to the Penguin feeding, observing the monkeys, parading through the rain forest, catching the Sea Lion show, and carving out quality time for snacks, good conversations, and chasing after our children.  Then, some of us got to kick back and relax for a while as many of our children napped in their new wheels.  For me, the dads’ group experience is always about the camaraderie, bonding, and sharing of stories with other dads.  It’s nice to hear advice, best practices, and constructive feedback from other fathers to assist in helping me be the best dad I can be. Additionally, it’s a wonderful opportunity for dads with small babies to speak with “veteran dads” to help navigate parenthood. 

Our dads that attended the event had a lot of feedback about spending time and meeting new dad friends as well as discussing their Britax B-Ready Strollers which can be reviewed here. But, to really get an idea of what our experience was like, we’ve got some pics to share. Let us know what you think.

The New York Times published an article the other day, The Stolen Stroller: An Urban Bourgeois Problem?, (by Elissa Gootman) that made me half chuckle as well as reflect on the number of times that I left our $800 stroller unattended.  For example, most children’s venues in NYC have little or no space to house strollers.  Consequently, we are forced to park our strollers outside the venue, fend for ourselves, and assume the risk!  It’s funny because I was always concerned about making sure that I took the diaper bag (attached to the stroller) with me that was basically deemed worthless – who wants a diaper bag that smells like spit up, and is filled with diapers, A & D ointment, wipes, and some snack cups?

The past year, I have not been as concerned about our stroller being stolen, as I exchanged our sleek Bugaboo in for the much more practical and affordable Maclaren Triumph umbrella stroller.  This stroller gets beat up as it gets stowed underneath airplanes and schlepped on subways and buses.

Stroller theft is something to think about in New York City.  The parks or playgrounds that we traverse are huge, and we park our strollers on the side, and spend most of the time chasing around our tots – not concerned about whether someone is going to rip off your stroller.  I know a mom who lives on the fourth floor of a walk-up building and rather than carry up their bulky and pricey stroller every day, they leave it unattended on the bottom floor.  Sure enough, one day, it went missing.  The mom had told me that she “felt violated” that someone would take something that belongs to an innocent baby.  She reported the crime to the police – case has never been solved.  While I think that particular case is rare, I still believe that most parents do not spend much time considering the fact that their $500 – $1,000 strollers are real assets…and probably should be locked up like a bicycle or left with a valet like a car!  Your thoughts?  What do parents in the suburbs think about this?

With that title, you may believe this is a post about your Bugaboo, Maclaren, Graco, Stoke, etc stroller, but you would be mistaken. Let’s focus on the mini-sized strollers that our toddlers push around the city streets and local playgrounds.

Recently, we have been playground hopping on the Upper East Side. Even though each playground is unique, one common theme you will notice is the abundance of toddlers pushing around their pint sized strollers. Why are they so fascinated with these strollers? Maybe they want to emulate their parents because we spend so much time pushing them around in a stroller.

My son has been “borrowing” these strollers from his friends for quite some time now so I recently made a trip to the local children’s toy store and bought him his own. There were three choices – a blue & white checkered model with no brand name ($16), a pink model with no brand name ($16). and a red Maclaren ($30). My son selected the blue one.

This $16 investment has been a savior for me in confronting the concept of sharing and taking turns. Most of the time, my son is content pushing, carrying, or pulling around his own stroller. However, when he decides to borrow another child’s stroller, we have something to trade with.

This week, I was asked by two different moms (thanks Michelle for inspiring this post) about how I feel about my son pushing around a stroller. I was surprised by the question, but didn’t mind sharing the answer. I said that he enjoys playing with the stroller – if it puts a smile on his face, then it makes me happy. I am quite confident walking around with my boy pushing around a stroller…sometimes, he even decides to put a baby in the seat. Pictured above is my son proudly engaging with a stroller he “borrowed” on a local playground. Yup, it’s bright pink. Sometimes, after an exhausting day, I wonder how nice it would be if my son could push me around in the stroller…

I would be interested to hear a few other dads pitch in with their comments.