Triple strolle When will militant mothers
Triple strolle When will militant mothers
A BUGGY manufacturer has issued product recalls for certain models following reports linking them to baby strangulation accidents in the US. What a horrible thought. By now you might have thought that pushchair manufacturers would, as a minimum, have ensured the safety of their strollers. Wrongly, I suppose, I had assumed that the vastly increased dimensions of the contemporary toddler buggy must be safety-driven. How else can you explain their tank-like proportions?When my children were small, like every other young mother, I had a buggy so light and flexible I could collapse it with one hand and sling it over my arm. For all I know, the flimsiness of these lightweight, compact prams did irreparable harm to the physical and mental wellbeing of my offspring. If they ever accuse me of doing them damage by being a useless parent, I will cite the negligence of buggy manufacturers in my defence. But as far as I can see, being pushed around in modestly-sized pushchairs left no lasting scars.Yet buggies, with their flapping rainproof covers, thick tyres and bed-on-wheels upholstery, have turned into the toddler equivalent of 4x4s. It'll be tinted glass next. Be ready to jump off the pavement when one of them hoves into sight. As for twin buggies, we're talking lane closures. Minutes tick away at the bus stop to allow for the slow, cumbersome business of admitting strollers the size of golf-course lawnmowers. Breathe in, or your ankles may be scythed by wheels and sharp metal. Watch out for those increasingly common stand-offs as resentful mothers huff and puff when asked to move for someone in a wheelchair, or a fragile senior citizen with a walking frame.Behind the wheel of the 4x4 buggy, you'll often meet a militant mummy, generally of the middle-class sort, powered by a righteous "child-friendly" ideology which holds that the world should be adjusted to accommodate Junior's needs. You get a flavour of their mindset in those smug car signs that read "Keep back! Baby on board" which imply that every non-infant human is a life less valuable. The panzer tank buggy is just a further expression of the same sentiments.Child-centric, middle-class militant mummies take the view that the world should be one big Early Learning Centre that is simultaneously a haven of safety for anyone below the age of two. When their world view collides with that of others - basically anyone not still in nappies - they become irate.Ask cafe proprietors how they feel about militant mummies and you may be some time. Having dropped the older kids off at school, these women descend as doors open, order a round of cappuccinos then become engrossed in chat for hours while listless toddlers crawl around exploring power points and swinging kitchen doors.One proprietor told me his cafe had been the subject of an internet boycott by parents. In order to avert an accident, and alert to the strong possibility of being sued for pain and suffering, he had asked a mother to stop letting her infant get under the feet of staff carrying hot drinks. This action was interpreted as child-unfriendly, shared via blogs and websites ... and business plummeted.It only takes one buggy these days to cause congestion, and designated buggy parks - or lack of them - also figure prominently in the militant mummy's manifesto, as do changing facilities. The owner of another tearoom - which is shoehorned into a small shop in a listed building with severe planning constraints - told me of soiled nappies dumped beside lavatories in an H-Block-style "dirty protest" against the lack of a changing space. He had to bite his lip when one militant mummy proceeded to change her child's nappy on top of a cafe table, then left the object in question as a political statement-cum-souvenir. To demur would have been to invite a tirade on the absence of a motorway service station-type baby changing facility.Brought-in food is another buggy-bear. Militant mummies are adamant that as Precious must have his/her own special food, it's fine to bring some along and then let it be massaged over everything in sight. For a cafe owner to remonstrate here could prove incendiary. This would be construed not only as child-unfriendly, but also as discrimination against vulnerable souls with eating difficulties. Ulcerative Colitis - Triphala for Ulcerative Colitis How to Make it Through Christmas With Your Cheating Husband Average Rent In Australia Prague Travel A Visit To An Authentic Czech Beer Hall Prague Travel A Walking Tour Through Historic Downtown Prague Hello from San Francisco Arrival and a tour of the Queen Anne Hotel One day trip to Petra from Dahab Egypt Fascinating Festivals And Events In The Maldives SEEKING ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES THROUGH MEDICAL TOURISM The Best Times to Take Ski Holidays Go For The Best Debit Cards In Australia How to Get Through the Holidays When Your Husband is Cheating How to Deal With Your Husband's Emotional Affair at Christmas