Before our first baby, I saw a Jeep stroller wagon during a grocery run. I remember thinking it was the most ridiculous thing. For one, there was no pull handle. They had push bars. Is it even a wagon if there isn’t a pull handle? Had these parents not heard of strollers? They come in every size imaginable. Especially the Zoe which, from what I’ve seen, you can add an infinite amount of seats to. I couldn’t figure out the draw to wagons or why you would need such a posh looking one when Step2 makes a perfectly good plastic one that every family owned in the 90s.
When the twins were born, I was accepted into a FB group specifically for Moms of Multiples or MoMs. They are a refuge of women who understand how hard being a mom and especially a MoM is. They also have amazing life hacks that are often mind blowing. In this group I was reintroduced to the idea of stroller wagons, specifically the Wonderfold. People swear about the amount of crap and kids you can shove in them.
I still wasn’t sold. We had what I thought to be the best of the best. A Baby Jogger City Select double stroller with a boogie board. I could fit everyone into it; both babies snuggled into the bassinet, Hayden in the second seat, and Annabelle on the boogie board. That worked until the babies got too plump to lay together. Once they both needed their own seats, Hayden was upgraded to the boogie board and Annabelle was forced to walk. This was not ideal because Hayden isn’t a “stay in one place” kind of kid.
When August was diagnosed with ONH, I was accepted in a FB group for Minnesota caregivers of special needs children. In this group I was re-introduced to the Wonderfold but with a twist. Suddenly these preposterously large wagons served utilitarian purposes that I hadn’t fully considered.
- Space. The Wonderfold W series has a cargo area underneath the seats that’s great for storage or acting as a rolling playpen with the seats removed.
- Seating options. The W4 Luxe has four seats all with a 45lb limit (90lb per bench).
- Dignity. In society’s eyes, strollers are for babies and at some point our kids deserve a space befitting their age and needs.
- Reprieve. Only a special needs caregiver can understand the toll a full day of appointments has. A space where your child can relax and have their safe space is imperative.
I could finally see the appeal. My chunky monkeys were outgrowing the stroller already at this point. We travel with a lot of snacks, clothes, blankets, toys etc when we have appointment days.
The best part about Wonderfold is their support for families with special needs. For families like ours, they offer a special needs discount called the Warrior Program. A medical professional (eg. doctor, therapist, etc) fills out a form that you submit it, and once it is approved you get 25% off everything Wonderfold. EVERYTHING. There are also companies that will work with insurance to cover it as a DME. One such company is BabiesOnBroadway, which is based right here in Minnesota. It is owned by an amazing woman and mother, Adelle Starin.
Most people in my life don’t get the wagon obsession. That’s okay, they don’t understand the peace it brings my family, especially August. People don’t understand, can’t understand, what I mean when I say he’s had a rough day. They aren’t living it. They cant process what makes his rough days any different than Aria’s, and honestly it can be hard to explain.
We got our first wagon one month ago. Before that everyday was a struggle. From the time August woke to the time he went to bed he wanted touched. While he preferred to be held by me all day long, he was amenable to daddy baby wearing him. Connor’s coworkers always get a kick out of little baby hands sticking out from behind while he takes meetings. If there was any small kink in the play of constantly being touched, he engaged in self harming behavior. That was heartbreaking to watch. When I think of the phrase “self-harm” I think disgruntled teenagers not sweet little toddlers.
Since getting our wagon, a W4 Luxe, August has dubbed it his safe space. We spent the first few days walking in circles through the house. Winnie, in her ever caring and August loving nature, walked at my side. August naps in it, snacks in it, and sometimes wants the canopy lowered simply to relax in it. The behaviors and clingy-ness have lessened. The inconsolable nap times where he simply screams for hours are no longer a problem. I don’t know what it is about this wagon that calms him but there was one problem.
We bought the wagon for our outdoor life. Farm chores, doctors appointments, family outings, etc. The idea of having an indoor/outdoor wagon nauseates me. I have too many kids to have an immaculate house but I do aim for sanitary at the very least. Something that would be hard to obtain if we were constantly introducing whatever the wagon drove through into our house and carpets. Our first appointment we needed the wagon with for was yesterday. Adelle with BoB made sure there was one waiting on our steps when we arrived home last night. The company paid to have it overnighted.
I can understand why on a surface level two wagons seems more than excessive, but no one other than myself and my husband can understand what they do for our family. I try my best not to judge other mothers. Being a mom is the hardest thing I believe I could do in this life. I’d like to think everyone has something bizarre their family does that others don’t quite get. Each of my children have taught me so much, the biggest thing August has taught me is that everything isn’t always as it seems and to give grace as often as you are able.
Wonderfold Discount Information