Mergath Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 And no, I'm not referring to an adult wearing a young child. I'm referring to the young child wearing the baby. :blink: I was at the grocery store today, and as I was cruising through the produce section I walked by a mom with a little girl that looked to be about four or five years old. This little girl was wearing a small infant in a ring sling. At first I thought it must have been a doll, but I paused and tried to discreetly look closer, and it was an actual baby that looked to be three or four months old. I don't know how the little girl was managing it, because the baby and sling were almost hanging below her waist. Is this common? Personally, I wanted to shake the woman and ask her if she was a moron, but I kept my mouth shut and went on my way. Would you have said something, or is letting a preschooler wear an infant no big deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 You see this quite a lot in much of the world. When my husband was working in Rwanda, he said it was as common as seeing the moms carry the babies, and often the babies were almost as big as the kids - usually their sisters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amydavis Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) :001_huh: I don't think I would have said anything...but I am sure I would have done the stare and tsk-tsk head-shake thing... I just don't understand what goes through people's minds sometimes. Bizarre. ETA: After seeing the pic that another poster added, I do admit that this is more common elsewhere. But, I still think, since the baby was hanging so low, that this was just a bad decision, and seemed to be poorly thought out. Edited July 21, 2012 by amydavis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I've seen it in other countries, though maybe not quite that young. It would make me double take here, I admit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Priscila Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) Yikes! I'm a huge proponent for babywearing, including siblings wearing/holding their baby siblings. But a 5 year old seems very young. My daughter is 3, and her neighborhood friends are 5, so I spend a good amount of time interacting with 5 year olds every day. I wouldn't give them a baby to wear. Nope. A sibling old enough to babysit, depending on maturity, seems more apropo to me. Anyway, it's possible that was just a small-for-her age child who was wearing the baby. Whatever the case, that mother must have had to have a lot of trust in her daughter's strength and ability to let her do that. Right? Edited July 21, 2012 by Priscila words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 You see this quite a lot in much of the world. When my husband was working in Rwanda, he said it was as common as seeing the moms carry the babies, and often the babies were almost as big as the kids - usually their sisters. I guess what made me look twice in this case was that the infant was so young and the girl doing the carrying was so tiny. I've seen older siblings hauling older infants around, but never such a young baby. I was terrified she was going to drop him/her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 Anyway, it's possible that was just a small-for-her age child who was wearing the baby. Whatever the case, that mother must have had to have a lot of trust in her daughter's strength and ability to let her do that. Right? I hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Priscila Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Great picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marychance Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I have to admit, my daughter who is 3 has asked to put her cousin in the moby and we've let her. It definitely not something I'd do unsupervised (and probably not in a public place lest a nosy nelly freak out on us) but we have done it in the living room while the adults look on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acablue Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I wouldn't have said anything, but it does seem kind of weird that the mother could have been carrying the baby, but wasn't. A 6 year old boy on my sons' baseball team has twin baby brothers who are 6 or 7 months old, along with a sister who's about 18 months. He always seems to be carrying one of the babies, and I've never worried that he's going to drop them or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornelia9805 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Maybe the child that was doing the carrying was older than you think? My middle DD was 7 when my DS was born and loved to hold him and still does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 My dd insisted on wearing her baby brother when she was 5, and did let her until she complained she was tired of carrying him. He was safer in the sling than in her arms, so I made her wear him instead of carrying him. He was fine, and she has fond memories of the experience. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I've let my (small for her age) DD wear DS around the house in our ABC. I won't let her do it in public because he weighs nearly half her body weight, I don't want either of them injured because of strain or overbalancing, and she'd be tired before it was long enough to be useful. She does carry him in arms occasionally, not for more than a minute or two before complaining he's too heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 My older kids have worn small babies at age 6, though I've been the one to tie the carrier on and get the baby situated (most of the time -- DD did put DS2 in a mei tai once, and she did a decent job; he was a few months old and did have good head control, though), so I know the baby is safe. It's been enormously helpful to me, so I could shower, for instance, and the older kids LOVED being able to care for the baby. We also have some great pics outside of both big kids, then 6 and 9, holding DS3 at a few days old. They were very careful. I probably would not have them wear the baby in public unless I desperately needed them to, not because I don't trust them, but because I would be afraid of someone else getting worked up. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 My dd insisted on wearing her baby brother when she was 5, and did let her until she complained she was tired of carrying him. He was safer in the sling than in her arms, so I made her wear him instead of carrying him. He was fine, and she has fond memories of the experience. :001_smile: Yes. My older dd wore her sister in a mei tai baby carrier when she was 4. She didn't do it all of the time, but she loved carrying her. I had been reluctant to allow it, but I researched other cultures to find comfort and guidance. I think it was a wonderful experience for both of them. Now - I'll be controversial.....I think they were both happier than if I had left the younger strapped into a carseat (ie. baby bucket) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalliemorgan Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Haha! The first thing that popped into my mind was of me carrying my little sister who was 7 years younger than myself. I was so proud of that kid. If I could have used a baby carrier, I would have! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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