The thing that struck me about your comments about strollers on buses was this:

“Seniors and people with disabilities cannot be transported in baby carriers or in umbrella strollers. They need the space on the bus for their wheelchairs and their walkers. Parents with small children that wish to ride the bus (which I applaud, by the way), should find more compact ways of transporting their kids.”

I am a person with a disability AND a parent with a small child, who sometimes wants to ride the bus. I cannot carry my son in his wrap for long distances, so I have to use a stroller most of the time. I am also unsteady on my feet so the stroller is as much a walking aid for me as it is a conveyance for him – that’s why we chose a four-wheeled, substantial stroller. One of those umbrella strollers would collapse the first time I needed to put any weight on it.

No intent to pick, since I know I’m way in the minority here and most of the SUV size strollers are being pushed by able-bodied moms, but just wanted to add a perspective that your readers might not have considered.

But, we live in Chicago. If I am doing an outing at the zoo, downtown, the arboretum, etc, I NEED to bring a stroller if only just for all our stuff (diapers, change of clothes for the potty trained one, toys to keep her occupied in the train, snacks/lunch, my camera/purse, etc), and it is great for nap space for her too. I have a Phil and Ted sport with doubles seat that I love, and that folds down pretty flat and is relatively light, but I still can’t get both kids, the stuff, and the stroller on and off the train by myself.

I get super thrilled when things are accommodating to strollers, while still recognizing that it is way easier to babywear.

So that’s my wishy washy stroller manifesto.

Anyways, our son is only a few months old and we don’t have a stroller either. Actually, here in Japan, the vast majority of people don’t, they are just too awkward on public transportation.

I love the fact that most babies are worn here, or if they are able to they are walking. The only difference, once kids are of walking age here, they usually are also carrying their own little backpack for toys, drinks and snacks that they need or want. Sure does free up moms hands!

I would say that my son was more cooperative about walking safely by age 3, but I don’t know if it was an age thing or whether the constant reminders and teaching about the dangers of the street finally started to sink in.

We just continued to insist that he had to hold our hand. If he refused, I would take him aside away from the street and explain again why he had to hold my hand. If he still refused, I probably would have carried him across the street and then explained it again.

There are a lot of things where I let my kids take the lead and empower them to make their own decisions, but things related to safety, like sitting in your car seat in the car, using a helmet on a bike, being careful crossing the street (holding hands and/or looking both ways depending on age), wearing a lifejacket in a boat, etc. are non-negotiable. I have a very no-nonsense attitude when it comes to those things.

There have been tantrums, but I just chalk that up to part of the learning process. I’d rather deal with a tantrum here and there and have him walk than put him in the stroller indefinetly and put off having the road safety messages sink in.