The Coveting Mother

WARNING***** If you are a boy-or are not interested in the stroller life of NYC-please disregard this post


So before we moved to New York, we were lucky enough to have parents (in-laws) who would bring us up here for a couple days to look around and get acquainted. When I was here I noticed that majority of the mothers here were pushing a stroller called the Maclaren. So after some really hard thinking (I mean....cause this was going to be a splurge), Steven and I did some swapping at Babys R Us and got ourselves a Maclaren. I mean....this was going to be my major form of transportation around the city-and this is a stroller that is light (made of aluminum) and could be popped down with one hand and thrown on your back with a strap. It is like an umbrella stroller on steroids. So I was happy with our choice. Little did I know that strollers here are more than just strollers-they are a status symbol. Whether it's the mother or the nanny....it says something about you. I mean...no one has cars here-so their money goes into the stroller. What I thought was a splurge is on the middle end of the lower class strollers in the city. Sit back and enjoy this stroller tutorial while you learn a bit about what makes the big apple such a crazy place.

So-everyone here has a Maclaren. I even once saw a homeless guy pushing one! When I moved here I was convinced that they had a monopoly on the NY market. But little did I know...
This stroller is made in England-and has an overall Epinions rating of 4.5 to 5 stars. These strollers range in price from $100-$400 (the $400 dollar ones are usually double strollers and have spiffy features). This stroller says to the guy on the street, "I fit in but I'm not anything special." Overall, it's a best buy for your money if you want to fit in in New York. It goes anywhere and is incredibly practical.

Then there is the Stokke. This thing is crazy looking! I first saw one in FAO Swartz and I thought the woman was crazy. Check it out.

This stroller comes in two major price ranges: with the bassinet etc. it is $1000, and without, it is a steal at $799. It is supposed to be easy to maneuver, gives the kid the feeling of being up with the action, and has a shock absorber between the wheels! It is made in Scandinavia, and one person on epinons gave it a raving 5 stars. This stroller says, "I have money and I'm okay spending it (or I use a credit card)."

Then there is the Bugaboo (oh yea...just like Destiny's Child-get excited!)

The bugaboo has a range in price from $529-$899 (I saw one on epinions for $2000 but I don't think that's typical). It is characterized by its small wheels in the front and larger wheels in the back. The handle can switch directions so that you can push with small wheels forward for your everyday stroll and then move to large wheels forward for your off-roading days! It is an all terrain stroller that gets anywhere from 3 to 5 stars depending on it's model. This stroller says, "Just like a Land Rover, I want to look like I go off-road, and I am willing to pay a lot of money for that look, but everyone knows I live in the city and shop at Whole Foods."

And then the one that I personally want when I have another kid: the Phil and Ted. I actually found out that you can get it for one child, and then buy a kit to turn it into a two seater. Man, I missed out :(

The Phil and Teds is made in Germany and is a double decker kids stroller. It is more of a set price between $399 and $499. (There is no way that I'm ever getting that. It definitely does not fit in our new budget.) It receives anywhere from 3 to 5 stars on epinions and is a big hit here for people who have more than one kid. This stroller says, "I'm trying to jog, but I have way too many kids."
(But I often see the double Maclaren as well-and I hear you can snap 2 Maclarens together to make a double-so that is probably what we'll end up doing. Sorry Phil or Ted-we have a budget to work with!)

I just thought you might like to see what I pass daily on the sidewalk and in the park. It is absolutely crazy how much money people will put into their stroller. And I can assure you that we traded another stroller in for our Maclaren and didn't pay the maximum!