by Lindsay Horvath

Created on: April 17, 2009

When my young son first became mobile, I reveled in the freedom of not having to carry him or push him in his stroller. He could walk along side of me, holding onto my hand. Of course, we walked slower, but that was okay. I decided then and there that I was not going to confine my son to his stroller unnecessarily anymore. I wanted him to walk, explore his world, and exercise a bit of independence.

Fast forward about six months. Now, my son was a steady walker, a quick runner, and interesting in investigating EVERYTHING...from litter on the mall floor to cans on the bottom shelf of the grocery store to very expensive musical equipment in a guitar store. He no longer wanted to hold my hand, in fact, he would go limp and lay on the ground when I tried to walk along this way. As much as I wanted to teach him to walk along side of me, stay close, and yet still explore, I realized very quickly that his one and a half year old mind was just not ready for such structure. And so, my vote is for strollers-for several reasons.

One, strollers add a level of safety, which is important if your child is not old enough to respond to simple verbal requests such as "Stop!" "Come here!" or "No." In busy places, such as an airport or large shopping mall on the weekend, safety is essential. Even if your small toddler is a good listener, it only takes a second for him to disappear or dart into a busy parking lot. In a place where you may be distracted or otherwise engaged (such as checking in at the airport) having a stroller is essential.

A second reason, and one of the most important, is that putting your child in the stroller is respectful. While you may feel that your little one rearranging the bottom shelf of a display case shows creativity and independence, store retailers will probably not share that sentiment. It's disrespectful to allow a child to wander freely if he is too young to obey or understand why he cannot pull all the shoes off the wall display. In a restaurant or a doctor's office waiting room, other patrons may not appreciate your adorable child crawling under their table or chair. Keeping your toddler in a stroller while in public places of business is simply courteous and a sign of good parenting. You are also teaching your child that there are rules to be followed and a certain type of behavior to be adhered to in a public setting.

A final reason for choosing a stroller over walking is productivity. Any parent will be quick to say that life with a child or children

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