Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Wearing a toddler

So apparently Blissdom 09 has inspired me to write more. Here’s the second post in a week. Be scared people something is very wrong with me here! :0)

There are times that I wonder feel bad about not being able to trust Butters when we go for walks in the afternoon. I love this time with him in the afternoon but lately his toddler instincts have been in overdrive and he wants to explore everything and anything around us. The most recent thing that worried me was his want to go and jump in the lake around our place. Trying to get his 32lb frame away from the shore was a challenge in itself and resulted in one massive temper tantrum and him running back in the general direction of the water after I had put him down to walk again.
Wearing Alvin in the front as I normally do.


So after our last walk that ended in me carrying him most of the way home I decided that for the next little while I am going to take him with me for a walk but put him in the mei tai carrier for the majority of the walk. I hate that I have to do it but at the same time it’s about the only way I can really control his 32 lb body when he gets like that. Granted he still loves the carrier and loves to be worn in public in general which I think is a good sign. He still comes up to me when I tie the waist straps and begs to be picked up and strapped in so I know he sees it as something very positive in general.

Hanging around in the backpack carry


So here’s my question to anyone that has worn a toddler, do you feel that its almost a form of gentle discipline when you put them in it when they don’t cooperate in public just to control them and avoid a temper tantrum? Do you carry them to avoid a tantrum from happening in the first place?

5 comments:

momranoutscreaming said...

I definitely have put my kids in the carrier to avoid a conflict. I never really thought of it as discipline so much as preventative measures. If they were going through a phase of being difficult we used the carrier more. I guess I have said "you didn't listen so now I have to carry you." I seemed to work too. Without too much resistance or repeated warnings. I love the carriers and still use them for my youngest (2 1/2) occasionally and she even brings them to me and asks for a ride
Kellie

Glenni Lorick said...

One of the beauties of wearing your toddler is that it gives you a fairly easy way of controlling him when you need to. It is loving, but it can also be firm.

ED said...

We left off carriers early and just used our arms because of the twin dynamics. If one child is truly misbehaving and the other is in a carrier, you just don't have the time to take the other child out and put the misbehaving one in - plus the one being removed from the carrier would probably throw a fit. With two of them, they don't get carried as much as they would like.

Fortunately, DH and I both are in decent shape and can each carry a toddler indefinitely if we really have to. We're more likely to discipline by setting a squirmy, shrieking child down, though.

We used Maya Wraps and I would absolutely use them again for twins (since I can then double-sling and wear them both), but would love to try an Ergo with a singleton someday.

And I love finally getting a chance to see what you look like! You are so pretty.

Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels said...

I don't carry Stella that much anymore - which sucks, because I love my BabyHawk!

She is just way too big. As a form of gentle discipline I don't think it would work for her, unless she is really tired and that's where the tantrum is coming from, in which case... I guess I should start using my BabyHawk again!!

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph said...

Sorry I'm late to the party here, but I do feel that way about my toddler. I wore him until he was almost 3 (and I was pregnant!) and might even still wear him now but I have Ivy to wear most of the time. There is something about that "compression" that makes THEM feel safe and secure so while you might feel like you are disciplining him, it's actually a loving response... so to speak. I am not sure if that makes sense!

I love the back carry, too. Mei tais are awesome for that.

Your ring sling is coming- I promise! As you can see I don't get out to the post office much!

Steph