When do you leave the stroller home and just tote the child? The answer to this question will vary from family to family. And like so many other milestones in baby's life (potty training, thumb sucking, blankie clutching), retiring the stroller permanently will no doubt have many trial runs before it takes.

Things to consider when deciding when to take the stroller and when to retire it permanently:

1. If your tot is still in diapers and you are still toting special foods, formula and sippy cups for her, you are not ready to retire the stroller permanently.

2. Your tot starts out very active but quickly fades and becomes clingly and whiny, you are not ready to retire the stroller.

3. You are attending a venue with a lot of people, like an airport or amusement park. Your peace of mind will increase if you have your toddler safely strapped in out of the zone of stray feet not used to tiny people in their path.

Some parents complain that they wind up pushing an empty stroller while carrying baby gear and a tot on their hip. I ask first why? And second, who is in charge? For starters, if you have elected to let your little one run free, why not load the gear into the stroller. And when he tires out, put him in the stroller. Hopefully, you trained your child long ago to expect to ride in a stroller outside the home versus you toting him everywhere. The great thing about kids is they catch on quick. You may meet major resistance the first few times he insists on being carried rather than rolled. Hold firm and soon your arms will be relieved.

Walking is a life long habit that it is never too early to foster. When walking is new, there is such a thrill as a parent to hold that tiny hand and ambulate into the world together. But tiny feet and legs tire fast. You should gradually reduce stroller time based on the trips that you take. You might be able to skip the stroller at the mall and survive. But you'd be nuts to try it at Disneyworld.

Finally, don't let others influence your decision to stroller or not. No one knows your child like you do. If you have to roll your first grader to survive a trip to the museum, then so be it. It is no one else's business. When you are ready to retire the stroller, start the child walking at all excursions. As they tire stroll them. Pretty soon you will see a pattern and how long your child can walk. Then you can start to wean them off the stroller.