Have you watched Modern Family? If so did you see the episode when they attend a Gymberee class? Or have you ever just attended a Gymberee class yourself?
If you have, and especially if you are in the Bay Area, you are familiar with the crazily competitive parents out there, proudly trotting beside their 10 month olds who can walk, talk and make homemade bread simultaneously.
It is because of these parents we have avoided classes such as Gymberee. However, we eventually concluded that this may be a selfish reason deny our daughter the opportunity to play with fun gym equipment and interact with other little babies. We are now official Gymberee members.
Where does the Jolly Walker fit in? I hate to think we are becoming competitively crazed Bay Area parents, but we did realize that of all the class, our kiddo was one of the few not yet walking. Now granted she is on the young side at only 11 months. And it is honestly easier for me if she isn’t walking. But perhaps we were holding her back to make things easier for ourselves; or perhaps we got a small bite by the competitive bug and wanted to see our little one toddling around the room as well.
Whatever the reason, we received the Jolly Walker as a gift from her grandparents for her first birthday, ensuring us this was the toy they used to get their youngest, a late walker, to finally walk. The walker was assembled, and the baby was stuck on the back of it, and she immediately started walking along behind her little “shopping cart” as if she had been doing it every day of her young life!
What is great about this particular walker is you can adjust the friction applied to the wheels, therefore slowing down or speeding up the rate at which the cart can role. We have her at a “tortoise” pace right now, but I am afraid it won’t be long until our goal of her walking is met. Just yesterday she stood on her own for the first time.
Therefore, I have to rate our experience with this walker as outstanding. It worked as advertised, and quickly, and it doesn’t “scoot” out from under her by going too fast. Just be prepared to have your infant toddle her way into toddlerhood before your very eyes…