Roll with it

Stroller. Carseat. Backpack.Child.

I've said time and time again, that the biggest challenge for me, living in China, is not having a car of our own. Not that I would want to drive here--like, ev-er. I love my life too much to get behind the wheel and tackle Chinese drivers. It's like bumper cars. Each man for himself. Stop signs are just suggestions.

We have been  militant  vigilant about using a carseat for our son, even though the norm here is anything but. It took some creative thinking the first time I had to wheel Sal, his stroller and carseat down to meet our driver. I've tried many configurations, from carrying the carseat while pushing the stroller with Sal in it, to carrying Sal with the seat on the stroller.

A few weeks ago, my driver took the seat out of the car for me with Sal still buckled in and set it on the stroller cross bar. Not the safest, but genius for getting him upstairs with all his paraphenalia and my shopping bags. It's our new method of transportation for the walk from the car to the elevator.

I'm starting to think I should design a snap and go type stroller frame for urbanites. I can not be the ONLY carseat toting parent in the world, living in a city that uses modes of transportation other than my own car. I know the Orbit system exists, but honestly, $1000 plus for a stroller? No thanks. Combi also makes a smaller convertible seat with a 35lb limit which fits in their flash frame, but I want to design something more universal. With tires. And a cup holder. And a sunshade.

Until then, balancing Sal and his seat on my ramshackled chinese stroller will have to suffice.