To Stroll or Not to Stroll, that is the question?

Tommy and I took a journey to Boston today with the stroller. I contemplated not taking the stroller, but at the last minute I decided to lug the thing along for the ride. Here is a pro and con of strolling that I hope will help me (and you) with any future to stroll or not to stroll questions:

7:45 a.m:

Navigating down the front steps with going out bag (mommy bag), sippy cup, stroller folded up, oh and Tommy. CON: Stroller pinches my right finger and I have a purple bruise.

8:15 a.m:

Park the car and arrive at the commuter rail station. PRO: Nice to have Tommy buckled up and safe in the stroller as we make our way to the outside platform.

8:29 a.m:

Have to rely on the kindness of strangers to help lift the stroller onto the choo choo. PRO: There are nice people out there (good reminder).

9:00 a.m:

Make my way through North Station to the Green Line….elevators where are you? CON: Poorly marked where to go with a stroller or if you are disabled and use a wheelchair

Green to Red Line, could have just gone up the stairs and taken a left- instead well here’s the CON: With a stroller you have to go up, down and all around to go from the Green to Red line

9:50 a.m:

We made it to South Station! Meeting Heather at the station was tough, the elevator brought us outside CON: It took longer to get from North to South station than it took to get from Salem to Boston (holy cow).

10:00 a.m:

Ditched the stroller at the Children’s Museum stroller parking and enjoyed the day CON: No room to stroll in the Children’s Museum on a Free DAY! PRO: Children’s Museum and Free Day even better!

12:00 p.m:

The thought of strolling through the subways makes me crazy, and if it takes an hour we are going to miss our train…so I decide to take a cab. PRO: Cab driver picks up the stroller and puts it in the trunk, he also takes it out for me!

12:30 p.m:

We make the train without any drama, stroll right onto the train, no stairs to maneuver. PRO: Easy, we even have time to get some doughnut holes.

1:00 p.m:
Stairs to get down from the train in Salem…once again kindness of a stranger PRO: A teenage girl helps us (I guess their not all bad after all!)

1:10 p.m:
Back at home, stroller stays in the trunk PRO: Stroller stays in the trunk.

Time to tally- PRO: 6 CON: 5 A pretty close call for the question to stroll or not to stroll.

What do you think, do you forgo the stroller or are you always strolling along?

Susan, Ryan, Pete and Chester

Baby Hiking Backpack! We have one you can borrow next time. Super comfy, super compact, no lugging a stroller on/off the train and no problem with stairs. Plus, it folds out into a stand so you can put it on the floor and contain the kid for a bit too.

Sadly, they don't make a double baby backpack, so now that there are two, I'm stuck with a stroller more often. I hate strollers.

PS North Station to South Station is less than a mile, you're better off walking down Congress street to the museum rather than fighting with the Green/Red connections.
Laurie

Good advice Sue!!! Thanks
Amy

Ooh, we're totally pro-stroller over here, but only because two year old twins have a tendency to run into the street, into masses of people, and in opposite directions… I haven't had the courage to even think about taking them into the city yet!
maryanne @ mama smiles

I love your tally!

I go both ways on this. Stairs are tough with a stroller!

Do you have an ergo baby carrier? It's my favorite non-stroller option – my kids have ridden in it up to age three in the back carry.

In the airport, I always bring a stroller – so that I can keep track of my kids, and to hold our carry-ons if they decide to walk!
becgylese

oh this cracked me up. i was very anti-stroller, it drove me crazy for some reason. i used the carrier and then just let her walk and carried her when she got tired. that added up to a LOT of carrying her everywhere though! be careful that you use proper pick up technique or you will hurt your back. it's a personality thing…and the child too. ceci wasn't too bad in the running all over the place department.
Danny

We ditched the stroller as soon as possible! I felt it was very important for the kids to walk places they wanted to go… It may be a bit easier in CA where everything is car accessible but for the most part I felt if they wanted to go somewhere they have to walk =)

Plus it just makes sense that our arms hang down at the perfect place to hold a little one's hand =)
Laurie

Love the comments and suggestions…. I think next time I will try the carrier and pack less stuff to carry, honestly we don't need that much now a days.

Thanks everyone!