Am I Too Paranoid?

mommmyz

Last summer when we took DS to the zoo I was kind of shocked that you just leave your stroller outside, go in the buildings, come out, and WOW! it's still there! I'm still kind of in awe that strollers don't just disappear...

I thought about this a lot this winter on snow days when we visited the Fair Oaks Mall/Tysons Corner play spaces, and again today when we were there.  Leaving the stroller there doesn't really bother me, since you're right there, but I'm kind of shocked how many people leave their bags in their strollers, shopping bags and diaper bags.

Does anybody else worry about this or am I just being paranoid? Obviously at the zoo I don't leave anything in/under the stroller, but in a small environment like the mall play spaces do you leave your bags?  Maybe it's because my wallet/keys/phone are in the diaper bag, but I don't see anybody else carrying a clutch/wristlet or anything that looks like a wallet in these play spaces.

Am I just really paranoid?

SoonToBeMrsDTS

I am with you! I always take my purse ( no more diapers in our house right now!) but I do leave my bags. I always have then attached to my Mommy Hook so it would be a little bit of a commotion to steal them, although I guess they could reach into the bags. I try to sit near my stroller so I can keep an eye on it. I think if I had a nicer stroller maybe I'd be more worried at the zoo. I don't think anyone would take my Joovy sit n stand when it's out next to a Phil and Ted  

hollace

I don't think you're too paranoid, I'd say the others are way too trusting, especially in such a public area.  

smacb

I'm with you.  I don't carry a diaper bag anymore, but when I did I always carried a separate purse that I never put down.  I see purses abandoned all over play areas and parks.  I'd never do that.  The strollers I don't worry as much about.  I don't think there's much of a market for used strollers.

Artslvr

Not paranoid - cautious.  Like you, I'm cautious about this kind of thing all the time.  I'll leave my stroller, but not with anything in it.  At the Fair Oaks play area I leave my stroller sitting there but take all my bags and put them with me on the bench.  I don't even leave my kids' shoes in the stroller.  I'm one of those people who always thinks there are a million people out to steal my stuff... except my stroller - like pp said nobody's going to target my middle-of-the-road gear when it's sitting next to $500 stuff. 

WinesNot Whines

I wouldn't leave my bags either. I'd even be paranoid about leaving my BOB stroller somewhere out of sight.

RomeRomance06

My friend works at the zoo and she said stollers do get stolen there more often than you would think. Usually it's the more expensive ones. I was just at the zoo this past weekend with my in-laws who were visiting and I was a paranoid about that. Since DD is so little I just let DH go in the buildings with them and I stayed outside with DD and the stroller. I'm not sure what I'll do when she gets bigger and will be going in the buildings with us.

MrsPhilDunphy

The Zoo does bother me because it's completely out of eyesight. Luckily, the one time I took C, there were nicer strollers already parked outside when we parked ours! We have a City Mini - so kind of middle of the road, but I love it soooo much that I would be extremely upset if it were taken.

kbalb

I don't leave anything valuable, but I make sure that I leave something in the stroller.  Even if it's just the (cheap) diaper bag with snacks, diapers, and wipes in it, mostly because my trusting self doesn't want anyone to take my stroller "by mistake." 

We actually did take someone else's green city mini one time (when I did take almost everything with us).  Luckily, we noticed it right away when I saw a blanket in the basket a few feet later.