A Simultaneous Stroller Switch
Executive summary: We’ve made some changes to our fleet of kids’ wheels as our old strollers are getting rickety but the kids still aren’t ready to go everywhere on their own feet yet.
We are currently in between trips to the grandparents’ homes – we recently returned from a week at my MIL’s for Thanksgiving, and we will be leaving soon to see my parents for winter break. Every time we go somewhere overnight with the kids, there is a considerable list of kids’ gear and stuff that comes with us, ranging from the basics like diapers to the nice-to-have like their favorite foods and toys. We used to bring one stroller and one baby carrier, but little sis has been out of the carrier for several months now (she and her brother each rejected it within days of turning 22 months, coincidentally). So now we have two strollers, one for each child. Yes, my 5yo still wants to ride in a stroller, and I don’t care what anyone says, because it works for us. The only exercise my husband and I get is taking the kids out on a walk – it’s time-efficient (and less lonely!) to make it a family activity, instead of one parent being on childcare duty while the other one goes to exercise alone. If the kids aren’t contained in strollers, they either whine, get sidetracked and wander off, or run around wildly (which isn’t safe on the street). We walk briskly and want to keep moving, so a stroller is the preferred method for keeping the kids going, as my 5yo doesn’t like bikes, scooters, etc. that would allow him to keep pace with us, and my 2yo can’t ride anything else yet. So be it.
We’ve had two strollers for a few years now, and they’re both showing signs of wear. We started with the Mountain Buggy Nano when my son was born, as it fit our criteria of being lightweight, travel-friendly (fits in an overhead compartment), budget-friendly (~$250), and not needing a converter to fit an infant car seat. It’s gotten squeaky over the years and we’ve had to cobble together a fix for two weak joints, but we still take it out for a spin daily after 5.5 years. Our 2yo considers it her “comfort stroller” and will run to it if she gets frightened by something while we’re out. Our second stroller was the basic Summer Infant 3D Lite (only $60 in 2021), but my son broke the footrest strap because he put a lot of stress on it climbing in and out. But without the strap, his feet dangle right into the front wheels. I felt silly replacing the stroller, but ultimately decided to because both kids still want strollers and we use them constantly. For the replacement, we went with the Summer by Ingenuity 3D Quick Close, which is like a lovechild of our Mountain Buggy and 3D Lite. It folds up more like the former but has design features more like the latter, and it doesn’t break the bank (~$100). I can’t speak to its longevity as we’ve only had it for a couple months, but it’s the smoothest-rolling stroller we’ve had (probably because the wheels are slightly larger, which we pay for in additional weight — it’s a little bit heavier than the other two strollers).
These are the two strollers we currently take everywhere: the compact but aging Mountain Buggy Nano on the left and the heavier but smoother 3D Quick Close on the right.
Now, I did title this post “a simultaneous stroller switch.” So far, it seems that we’ve only replaced one stroller with another, so what am I talking about? Well, the 3D Quick Close was not the only new set of wheels to enter our home lately. For her second birthday, our toddler received the Step2 Whisper Ride II push car. She always liked the ride-on toy cars left behind at the playground, so we thought she’d appreciate having one of her own. Indeed, she was/is thrilled by the buggy and runs toward it protectively every time another child ventures within 5 feet of it (that includes her brother). It’s not quite the stroller substitute that I hoped it could be (I have a vision in which we eventually retire our old Mountain Buggy, but little sis has thwarted my plans so far by refusing to give it up as her comfort stroller), but we take it on shorter walks around the neighborhood frequently. It’s only “whisper” quiet compared to a jackhammer, and much noisier than a stroller, but I suppose the point is that the wheels are soft/rubbery instead of clunky hard plastic. I like this car because her feet are contained inside — they don’t hang out the bottom and they don’t dangle over the sides. Because if they did, we’d never be able to go anywhere without stopping literally every 2 seconds as she drags her feet on the ground (that’s what happens with the cars at the playground).
This girl has a special affinity for blue cars.
I’m a failed minimalist when it comes to the kids’ wheels. I swear I tried! But the kids want what they want, sigh. Someday, they’ll either grow up or the strollers will break, it’s just a question of which happens first. In the meantime, our car is full of kids’ gear, from their car seats to their toys to their mealtime booster seats to their strollers. And everyone tells me I’m going to miss this phase of parenting. Am I? Am I???