I live in NYC and often sling my very big 42lb almost 4 year old boy. Let me tell you, it makes my live much easier going up and down subway stairs (not too many elevators here), in and out of stores and keeps him close in a crowd of people. He loves it, I love it, it doesn’t hurt anyone, I’m not asking any one else to carry him, it is between my son and myself. I have no idea why anyone would have an adversion to my carrying my boy. I certainly don’t tell people they should get their 5 year old out of a stroller.

I say go Kate. Do what’s right for you and your son.

I forgot about her being jewish… so now I totally get the hair thing… I really feel bad that I didn’t remember that her mom was half jewish and that Goldie raised her kids in that faith.

I hope that when he’s 3 they will at least shape it… not saying they can’t have it long, but just give it some boyish-ness.

As for the sling… I slung my daughter (my boys wouldn’t go for it… they preferred a stroller) because she got overstimulated very easily and she loved to be carried… hated the stroller so much at times I don’t know what I would have done without my Ellaroo Wrap.

Now, she was born in March of 04 and the past few months, slinging isn’t an option… she wants to WALK… but a wrap sling, as well as some ring slings, function as a great child leash as well.

Now, for us, since I have two older boys, I found it much easier to buy a harness and leash… it was more comfortable for her and kept her at closer range so I could make sure she walked right next to me and still talk to my boys and to her and carry on conversations.

She still rides in our Maclaren Triumph stroller sometimes, especially if she gets tired, but anymore, it is rarely used, and when used, usually just subsists as a diaper caddy.

I can’t imagine Ryder would want to hold mom’s hand (most toddlers resist it) and so a sling is the next-best, followed by a leash, to make sure he stays close and to teach him to stay close.

I know I was super proud of my own daughter because, recently, she hasn’t needed the leash on our last few trips (normally she asks for it)

At the tender age of 27mo, on a quick errand, I asked her if she needed it, she shook her head. So I told her okay… but she’d have to stay right by mommy’s leg (I do use the term heel sometimes, since she knows what it means… we have a dog) or she’d have to hold my hand, otherwise, we’d go right back and get the leash.

She said okay… I big gull (big girl)… and she did fine… got in the cart with no complaint once we were inside and everything… and stayed right by my side walking back out of the store again later.

Now, neither of my boys wanted to walk at that age, let alone could do it that well… my daughter is the exception.

I think that Kate is doing the right thing carrying him.

And he’s only 2… he’s still a baby.

l: saying that a child looks too heavy to be carried like that does not imply anything about society. And I don’t appreciate having words put into my mouth by people. If you’re going to criticize someone’s post then the least you could do was stick to what they actually said, and not what you want to imply they said.

And even if there are people on this board who have a problem with the sling, that’s their right to feel that way.

too big, too heavy, should be walking…

Those were exactly some of the first posts made after a pic of a gorgeous mom slinging her toddler. You (general you) can backtrack and get into semantics and claim you only meant too heavy, not too old, etc… but those sentiments are common and indeed do speak volumes about our society’s pushing of independence on young babies and toddlers. And if one truly thinks he is too heavy then I can assure you that that’s inaccurate.

Heh heh… okay, reading all these posts has inspired me to dig out the sling I bought when my daughter was a newborn and give it a try now that she’s 15 months old! I never could figure out how to use it properly when she was tiny so I ended up using a Baby Bjorn, which I loved, and later a Playtex Hip Hammock, which I wasn’t crazy about. Anyway, now the sling is great and she loves being in it – I’m glad I’ll finally get some use out it.

I’m all for babywearing – as long as mom and child are comfortable. And of course there’s a time and a place for walking, but in many public places it isn’t always safe or reasonable for a child to walk, so a sling or carrier is great for that.

I posted before but just wanted to add something else. My daughter was walking at 11 months old. Once she started walking she refused to go in the stroller, all she wanted to do was push it. So I was stuck going a snail pace because of this. Much easier to sling her where she’s safe and get what I needed done.

bree: There was only one comment on this board that said he should be walking, and person didn’t really specify why he should be walking. So I’m not sure why so many other people are getting so worked up over a few comments about him looking big. Only one person said it “should” be done a certain way. And that is her right to feel that way. We don’t all have to like every little thing that someone else does.

AnnaRose- While I understand that *you* may have meant big as in size, many people do not mean that when talking about kids that are too “big” to be doing something. They often mean old- as evidenced by the “if he’s old enough to walk’ comments.

As for too big, I was able to use a sling comfortably even up until my 7th month of pregnancy when my son was almost 4yo. A good sling can go a LONG way. Of course, it also means you have to learn to properly use it, I wonder that this exspensive sling store doesn’t teach their patrons better tips on using? Or maybe that shoulder type just doesn’t spread out enough and that’s why we see so many celebs w/ the shoulder bunched up on their necks?

Either way- I did not reference your post in particular, just the impression of many of the posts that came before me.

(this part is a general comment)
Both of my kids were walking before 11mos. Suddenly they should have either been put on the ground or in a stroller? Nope, I have studied the benefits of babywearing and decided that was what was for my family. I am one of those who choose to learn not only about the bonding benefits, but physical, developmental and even cultural benefits of choosing to wear my children.

It saddens me to see so many judgmental comments of “She should do it THIS way” whether it is about hair or carriers. There is no one answer to everyone’s situation. The world would be boring if we were all so cookie cutter.

christy: Once again, I did not say he should be pushed forward developmentally, or that he was behind developmentally. I was repsonding to another poster who was saying that becuase we made the comments about him being big that we were implying he should be pushed forward. If you’re going to attack my post the least you could do is read the posts all the way through.