Here is another story from my mother, Dorothy Howard Adler.
She was such a little girl – a baby, really. At 10 months she began walking, and at one and a half she was talking in sentences. There was no need for a walker or stroller, as they were sometimes called. No, she didn’t need it, but having seen one, this little miss wanted a walker.
One day Mother took Baby to the doctor for a routine checkup. Sister went, too, and saw another walker. There were tears of such unhappiness that Mother went to a store and bought a little red wagon. Ah, wheels. Ah, happiness.
Now Sister had a new toy with wheels. Mother put her in it and pulled the wagon down the sidewalk to the car. If you think this made Sister forget about a walker, you are wrong. Every time she saw one, she wanted it. Finally, Mother suggested to Daddy that they buy a used walker.
Their house was small, there were no sidewalks, the child could already walk, money was scarce, walkers then were bulky and unwieldy. Oh, all sorts of good reasons not to buy one. Well, Daddy did some looking around, but this was before the flea market era and places where one can find almost anything. Daddy did not find a suitable walker and that should have ended the story.
One day Daddy had an errand in Monroe. Stucky’s had a blue and white walker. Daddy and Stucky’s soon struck a deal and Sister became owner of a new walker. Did she use it? Not much. There was no space. It was more of a bother than help to take it in the car if they were going shopping. Baby Brother used it a little but not much. He also walked at 10 months and didn’t want to be bothered by a walker.
Eventually it was sold to the neighbor. The red wagon was used by both children. They didn’t even have to take turns because Grandpa Howard’s neighbor gave them a little blue wagon. Mother wouldn’t be surprised that both of them remembered the wagons, but she would be surprised if either remembered the walker.
Sister and Baby Brother soon outgrew those names. Baby Sister joined the family. She had a new walker before she was big enough to ask for one. Did she use it? The house had expanded so it could be use some, but there were no sidewalks. It folded rather neatly but Mother found it a nuisance to take in the car. Besides, Baby Sister walked at nine months.
But to answer your question: Yes, she did use it a lot – as long as she played with dolls. She probably had a barrel of fun with it.
Ah, wheels!