Oh the Places You'll Go!

Now that I have two kids I find I am always off to some place for a little bit of family fun. Sometimes, this fun is made better with babywearing! Here are a few places we have been that have been cooler with our carriers.

The zoo

Sure, they say it’s made for kids, but what kids can see anything at the zoo from their height or by sitting in a stroller. There are great big walls, which thankfully keep us separated from the animals, but keep my kids from seeing anything. Even my oldest needs a higher vantage point. Plus, it can get a little crazy when everyone is crowding around one spot to see the baby gorilla playing with her big brother. These are times when we need our babies up high and safe with us. I also really enjoy having a child on my hip or back so we can talk about what we see. I can never hear them when they are talking to me from a stroller, but we have great interactions when we are close together.  I will admit that I sometimes bring a stroller to carry all our “stuff” (lunches, diaper bag, jackets, etc.), but the kids stay up high with us!

A Museum 

Much like the zoo, there is a lot to see that is often too high up for little people to see. Also, my little people get frightened by some of the sounds in the museum, so it is nice to be close to mom. For those of you who live in DC, you know how crowded museums can get around here. It can be impossible to maneuver a stroller and I worry about little people getting lost in the shuffle. Lastly, if you are at a nice museum that might not want sticky fingers touching their precious items, a child in a carrier will be kept away from the expensive items, but still get a great learning experience.

Why, on a tank of course!

How can you get a stroller on a tank? Or a helicopter? If you’re heading to the air show, a baby carrier is the way to go. We were up and down and on and off airplane after helicopter after humvee….well…you get the picture. It was the perfect time for a carrier. Some added pluses were that I happened to wear a fleece pouch on a freezing day when we were not dressed appropriately. At least my daughter was snuggly in her pouch. Also, a lot of children were afraid during the very loud air show, but I was able to cuddle my daughter close and even hold my hands over her ears and she was very content.

The Amusement Park

Whether it’s a little local fair or a great big trip to Disney, a carrier is a very useful item. Kids want to see it all, but may not be ready to try everything, and they may peter out after a few rides. Personally, I found my kids were getting down and getting back up to be with me a lot, so I tried to choose a carrier that I use quickly and comfortably. And don’t forget that amusement parks can be full of surprises. The one day we did bring a stroller my daughter won a 4 foot tall stuffed gorilla, which we had to put in the stroller, so you never know when you might need a carrier!

Music class

We never missed a beat after my son was born thanks to babywearing. He loved music class, after hearing it every week from the womb, so at just a few weeks old we were there dancing and singing away. With him in the baby carrier, my daughter barely noticed that her brother was there, stealing away her much wanted attention from mommy, and he slept the entire class thanks to the dancing, singing, and familiar sounds. So don’t miss anything because you have a new baby, just grab a carrier an off you go.

 

Last, but not least, church

Church, what? I thought this was a fun list? Well, mostly it is, but we still have to go to church each week, especially now that we are grownups setting a good example for our kids and so on and so forth. So, each week we trek off to church and hope not to be “that Mom” with the screaming kid (Don’t worry, I’ve been her quite a few times!).  You certainly won’t be strolling your child at church, so it’s either carry in the big bucket for the baby, hang on tight to the toddler, or grab a carrier. Church is a great time to snuggle, sing together, and learn patience. Plus, the kids really cannot see anything from behind all those legs. At the very least, I am able to go up and get communion with a strong hand on one child and another strapped to me.

Obviously, these are just a few places out there waiting to be conquered by babywearers. So head off to the rodeo, the Star Trek convention, the Renaissance Fair or to some Hot Air Ballooning. Just be sure to send us a picture when you return. 

Posted by Carolyn