Sunday, February 28, 2010

RANT! Strollers are NOT necessary! Neither are infant carseats!

Evidently, Sam's Club has banned strollers due to people using the strollers to steal merchandise. On my favorite message board of all times, a woman is urging stroller-loving moms to "unit" (she means "unite") and "campgain" (she means "campaign") for a reversal of this policy.

Here's what I wrote in response, but then deleted because I don't want anyone to get their panties in a wad over me having an opinion (this message board has a LOT of rules to protect pansies).  

I don't understand the problem. Why shop with a stroller anyway? It's not like you can fit much of Sam's merchandise on it, so do you push a stroller AND one of their carts? The carts have 2 spots for kids in them. There aren't many of us that have 3 kids needing to use a stroller at the same time. I have 3 under 4 years, and with a sling can shop just fine. Dragging carseats around isn't necessary if you have a sling or other baby carrier.

If container-izing your monkey of a toddler with a 5-point harness is really what's necessary, then urge Sam's club to install 5-point harnesses on their giant carts. I often wish carts had 5-point harnesses, but instead, I either get the kids to listen or leave the store.

I know I'm in the minority, but I don't see a need for strollers other than jogging strollers for jogging/walking, when for the sake of the workout, you need the kids to keep up. I don't have an infant carseat for Wyatt. I see them as one of those things that our culture has convinced people they need to spend a pretty penny on when it's just not necessary (except maybe for people with multiples).

An old military saying that I love is "Adapt and Overcome."

This particular member generally annoys me, so I would have just ignored her pleas for support but people are actually agreeing with her!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are right about strollers. I'm past stroller pushing age, but I have seen too many near-accidents involving strollers--on escalators, subway trains, intersections, and it makes my skin crawl to see how dependent people have become on them, and how they assume strollers are a safe way to stow their infants. I can just imagine what must have happened at a Sam's Club to make them institute their new policy.

Good for you, for thinking primarily about your kids instead of "just" what is easiest for you.

I might disagree with you about the infant car seats though--aren't they required by law?

PegHead said...

in saying Infant Car Seats, I'm talking about the buckets that people use to carry their children around in. Carseats, safe places for children to ride in cars are of course necessary. Convertible carseats that carry babies from 5-65 lbs are a much smarter investment than a bucket and then 6 months later, a big baby seat.

***Sharon*** said...

"unit" - LOL I thought I was the only one that noticed that!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails