Sylvie McCavanagh rides in her Bob stroller that costs $450. Her mom, Emily, says it was an investment. (Katherine Streeter for The Boston Globe) – Photo & Caption: boston.com
In today’s society, keeping up with the Joneses is no longer judged by the size of your house or the car you drive, it is decided by your baby gear. Stroller envy tops the list. Emily McCavanagh, a Boston mom featured in a recent Boston Globe article, even admits that although she was not a materialistic type before baby she has succumb to the parenthood peer pressure. In the article she says:
“I found myself checking out other women’s strollers the way I used to check out shoes. I started wondering what their strollers said about them.”
Like Emily, I wanted to be a mom not preoccupied with pretention as if I didn’t have enough to worry about with a new baby on the way. Who cared about stroller style this or that? I just needed a cup holder for my morning coffee. I was more concerned about how I would step into my Mom role. Slowly but surely I slid into a world where everything including bottle brands mattered. (“Oh your baby is bothered by reflux and gas. You must not use Dr. Brown’s bottles.”) Now, even though I have two kids, who have outgrown carriers, I find myself eyeing moms who have cuter carriers wrapped in stylish covers. Why would I be envious of something I can’t even use??? Am I really that shallow? I would like to think not, but now as a Tot Snob and Mom Snob, I discover the latest “it” products and want to have them all for two reasons: 1) the products are hot and 2) because I want people to look at me with envy and approach me asking, “Where did you get that?” Soon I’ll have to set some spending limits before my hubby grounds me from my credit card and threatens are kids will attend community college.
Read more of the entire article about Moms who admit exactly what we all are thinking here.
