Other than the fact my mom had eleven children, I don’t remember her taking up an inordinate amount of space with her kids when she took us places. I mean when she was out with us, we were required to stay close, and not wander or get in adults way. Mark and I have been taking a lot of city buses here in Chicago. Sunday we took the number twenty two, Clark Street bus, down to the Chicago History Museum. At around Irving Park the bus stopped, and the doors opened. A few people got on, but the doors didn‘t close, and the bus didn‘t resume it‘s route. Instead there was a commotion, and after a few moments a gigantic baby stroller was thrust onto the bus. Behind the stroller was a young woman, pushing and shoving the thing with all it’s cargo, and a child in it. After she finally got onboard, and turned towards the seats, another stroller gets pushed up onto the bus, again laden with all sorts of paraphernalia, and a child. These strollers were massive, and filled the entire aisle, blocking all access to the other riders. Even with the cripple seats folded up they barely fit.
Okay, I get it. You have achieved the pinnacle of human existence. You’ve reproduced. You’ve made a baby, and you feel it is your right to impose that child and all it’s needs upon society in general. You take the kid on airplanes, out for dinner at nice restaurants, and anywhere else you liked to go before the kid was born. As a courtesy to others could you please get yourself a smaller stroller? Could you please get one that isn’t the same width as a Ford pickup truck?
Don’t get me wrong, I like kids. I was one once, but my mom and dad never dragged us onto an airplane, or into restaurants. If my dad couldn’t drive right up to the place and order food from the car, or watch a movie from the car, we didn’t go out. If you must take the kids out, here is a little tip. Fold up strollers. They still make them, and they fold up just like an umbrella. When the bus comes you just pull the kid out, fold it up, and climb on board.
Having children impacts the earth. The more people there are the more pollution is created. This is one reason why I never had children....to reduced the acceleration of man's global footprint. But of course we need people to reproduce so that their offspring can pay taxes to support us when we get older.
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea--don't take them out...just fold up the stroller with them in it...please.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am glad that my parents impacted the earth by having me! And I love having my own 2 kids, just what we could afford to raise. As for my folks, they followed their religious laws and used Vatican Roulette for birth control (see how well THAT works!). I have to say I loved growing up in a large loud family and wish I could have done the same for my kids! We always had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and clothes on our backs... provided by my Dad's hard labor.
ReplyDeleteOne big problem today is the all-about-me attitude among so many people. Of course they still make the "Umbroller" stroller but those "babes" probably had to have the biggest, best, most expensive strollers so everyone could see how special they are! And why didn't the busdriver tell them NO??
I loved my "unbrella" stroller when my kids were little. It was easy to fold up and take with and the kids loved riding in it. Too bad now-a-days moms think the bigger the stoller, the better.
ReplyDeleteI HATE those giant strollers!
ReplyDeleteumbrella strollers are not very comfortable and there's no place to carry all the essentials that come with toting kids around.
ReplyDeleteGary... of course it's not very comfortable. You are a six foot tall, two hundred pound man.
ReplyDelete