Too Big For A Baby Carrier? - Child Carrying #IBW2018

This guest blog was written by: Danelle Day, Kinderpack Community Member

Over a decade ago, my first son was rapidly outgrowing baby carriers available, at that same time, Kinderpacks were beginning to take shape one state over. He was an extremely sensitive child who loved to explore the world around us but always needed to be close to a parent to feel secure. We enjoyed having him up at eye level where we could easily talk quietly with him, and where he was engaged with conversations around us as an active participant, rather than a passive babe stuck in a stroller at our knees.

He was able to see, hear, touch, experience all that we were, and safely. Wearing him met his needs perfectly. However, as he soared "off the charts" in height and weight for his age, babywearing became increasingly impossible. The Preschool Kinderpack had yet to be born, and we regretfully had to give up babywearing entirely too early, with no affordable option for a child his size.

Several years later I befriended a family of avid hikers planning to adopt a child with special needs. I knew they would need a way to fully include her in their outdoor adventures. This sweet child, somewhat timid and fearful, came to live in her new home and find peace in the closeness and bonding that occurs being cozy in a pack next to a protective, loving adult. Her mom told me that she would ask for "up" each morning while they did farm chores and she was able to venture out to see her new world, safe and secure on her dad's back. If ONE simple Kinderpack could have this much positive impact on the life of a child, how much more good could I do sharing them further? It was a question that begged an active, involved response.

Since that time I've had another baby who rapidly grew "off the charts" like his brother, and we have been blessed to try out Kinderpack and happy to pass them onto new families in need. We've used them for everything from long day trips to the zoo, hikes in the mountains and along the beach, singing together with this sweet little voice in my ear, taking an older sibling to the dentist, scurrying through airport terminals when I must travel alone with two kids, and having him ride along for work projects when there's otherwise no good spot for a preschooler-year-old to hang out. As a homeschooling, active duty military family of 17 years, I'm frequently in a situation of balancing solo-parenting with striving to maintain "normal" life at home.

Childwearing calms tired little ones, and allows for bigger adventures and longer days with older kids.  It keeps everyone safe, decreases anxieties when Dad is deployed once again, increases the reconnection when he is home, and makes the errands, appointments, and work requirements of life in general more kid-friendly on a day to day basis. I cannot count the ways that our lives are better now because of easy access to preschool carriers.

Our daily IBW discount code for our Preschool Collection!

20KPPRESCHOOL

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