Why do they hate the stroller so much? Looking back on the days it was just a 'luggage rack'

“We’re going a bit further today, so we’ll need the stroller.”
“But let’s bring the baby carrier too.”
“Well, they might want to walk, so I’ll put them in sneakers just in case…”

──That’s how it went,an outing prepared for every possibility.

But you know, it never goes that smoothly.
My child was a moody one.

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Hello.
I’m Odeko, a parent-child sleep coach.

【Sleep is life】
Nurse / Sleep expert / Mother of two.

Today,
I’m going to look back, with a little laugh,
at those days when my child wouldn’t ride in the stroller at all.

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The start is smooth—my child rides the stroller in a good mood

The start of the outing.
Good, good, they’re in a good mood today!
They got in the stroller without a fuss!

“Maybe we can make it to our destination smoothly like this♪”

──Or so I thought, for a brief moment.

“Walk!!”
they suddenly asserted.

Well, it’s a sign of growth, right? They want to walk on their own.
I watch them walk briskly, keeping a gentle eye on them.

However──

Five minutes later: “Tired… hold me.”

Here it comes (tears).

“But there’s the stroller! Get in!”
“No! Hold me!!”

At this moment,the stroller is completely ignored.

They won’t ride it.
They won’t walk.
But,they want to be held.

And around my waist, a baby carrier.
On my shoulder, a diaper bag.
In my hands, drinks and snacks.
In front of me, a stroller loaded with gear.

──I had become a mobile cargo cart.

And so, the stroller turned into a 'luggage rack'.

In the end,
the stroller became something that 'no one rode in' but 'worked harder than anyone'.

・Water bottle holder
・Snack bag holder
・Shopping bag holder
・Jacket holder
・And eventually, it even carried Mom's hopes (←?)

Yet I had to lift it over curbs,
fold it up on the train,
and be careful in narrow aisles.

……Wait, was this even necessary?
I can't count how many times I thought that (lol).

But looking back now, it was a 'sign of growth'.

Why did you hate the stroller so much?
Maybe 'walking on your own' or 'being held and pampered' felt better than 'sitting and moving'.

You wanted to stick to Mom in places that made you anxious.
But you also had the urge to walk on your own two feet.

That was likely an assertion of self caught between a wavering heart and body.

It feels nostalgic now.
Those days when I pushed the stroller, carried the child, and walked with sweat on my brow.

It was tough back then,
but perhaps that time is exactly why the moment you 'learned to walk' feels so deeply moving.

Finally

Even a perfectly good stroller can become a piece of furniture depending on the child's 'mood'.

But that, too, is all part of the path of growing up, step by step.

Back then, I used to grumble,
'Why did I even bring this along?'
but now I can say:

'That was just a unique scene of parent and child during that time.'

The stroller was a luggage rack,
and I was in charge of all the luggage plus the child.

──Those memories are treasures, too.