Sidewalk Parents

One of the things I love about living in this city is that I get to interact with so many different people every day, right in my own neighborhood. Running errands or heading to the park with a baby as cute as this one usually garners me plenty of smiles and well wishes. —

But recently Sam has been going through an “I-hate-my-stroller” phase, along with an “I’m-ambivalent-about-my-baby-carrier” phase. If I take him out in the stroller, he screams the entire time. If I take him out in the carrier, he looks around happily for a few minutes, goes to sleep for a few more minutes, and then, without warning, wakes up very angry.

(Side note: Before Sam was born, I used to see moms carrying their children in their arms as they pushed an empty stroller or their Ergo fell down past their knees, and I would think, “Why is she doing that?” Well, now I know.)

And as if dealing with a screaming baby in public isn’t stressful enough, I’ve found that well-meaning passersby love to tell me exactly what the matter is. To date, the staggering insight of these “sidewalk parents” has yielded such gems as:

“He’s getting too warm.”

“The wind is blowing on him.”

“The construction work is too loud.”

“He needs a hat.”

“He’s hungry.”

“He’s hungry.”

“I think he’s hungry.”

“Do you have a bottle with you? He’s obviously hungry.”

And my personal favorite: “He’s thirsty. Buy him some water.”

Don’t get me wrong. As a brand-new mom, I know I have a lot to learn, and I welcome suggestions from those with more experience. But last I checked, the American Academy of Pediatrics did not recommend Poland Spring water for three-month-olds.

So if you see me picking up my dry cleaning or waiting in line at Dunkin Donuts or taking a leisurely stroll to the park as my adorable baby screams like he’s been grounded for life, please don’t tell me what’s wrong with him. Instead just pretend it isn’t happening. At least that’s what I’m doing.