This urban mom is very embarassaed to admit that . . .

[Anonymous]

I've not yet taken my 14 mo on the metro and I'm terrified to try it. I live on Capitol hill so I'm actually a "DC urban mom" - not one of those burbs moms that are on here. I'm petrified of being one of "those people" - slowing everyone down with my stroller, taking up the whole train, bumping into everyone with my diaper bag. Plus, I've never even noticed elevators before - I guess all the stations have them, but aren't they broken all the time? And do I need a ticket for a 14 month old? How do you get through the turnstile?

This is ridiculous. How do I not know this stuff????

[Anonymous]

If you are so "urban" I'm sure you're smart enough to just figure it out and just do it...

[Anonymous]

I'd help you out, but I'm in the burbs. We don't have them new-fangled railcars out here and those elevation machines.

[Anonymous]

You don't need to pay for kids under 5 (I forget if it is up to and including 5). Elevators are broken so often that there's a regular announcement about how if the elevators are broken, fold up your stroller and carry it and your child up the (probably also broken) escalator. Ride at non-rush-hour, but be prepared to wait.

On second thought, don't bother, riding Metro is a hassle at the best of times. If you don't need it to get where you're going, then don't bother. (and I don't mean that as in don't bother other people, I mean don't bother stressing yourself out about it)

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what it is about little ones that makes us so paralyzed of trying new things. I was like that for two months, couldn't bring myself to get baby out of house. Then I did, and it was great. DS loved, loved all the breeze and colors. Then I was totally anxious about trying the metro...

So here's my advice. Just do it. Your child is at an age when trains are exciting, so that will add to the fun. Do it during non rush hour on a weekday; less crowded and fewer chances of maintenance work. Go to wmata.com and look up the handicapped information about both stations. Because your stop is probably Cap Hill South, I'd try something fairly modest, like taking your child to Smithsonian and looking at castle and Hirshhorn and carousel, for your first outing.

GL! These things are harder on us than our kids...

[Anonymous]

Next time you ride Metro just take your head out of your ass and see what other moms are doing. Being the sophisticated urbanite that you are, I'm sure you can discern the city-folk from those country bumpkins.

[Anonymous]

Look for the wheelchair on the signs to help find the elevator...

[Anonymous]

What's up with all the hostility toward OP?

[Anonymous]

Wow! This disproves the other thread that claimed that smarter people live in DC than the burbs.

[Anonymous]

Do a dry run during a non rush hour time. You'll see how easy it really is. And if you encounter any minor troubles, you'll be better equipped during rush hour when people are as boorish and rude as many of the above posters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd help you out, but I'm in the burbs. We don't have them new-fangled railcars out here and those elevation machines.

Hahahahaha - Thanks for the laugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's up with all the hostility toward OP?

Did you read her post? Judgmental much?

[Anonymous]

I live two blocks away from the metro and have never taken my kids. Why bother? So I can pushed and robbed and searched, and then stand on the platform like a nimrod for a slow moving train to arrive at a station with no working elevators and escalators.

We get on the bus.

[Anonymous]

You don't need tickets for children 5 and under. If you're pushing a stroller, choose the handicapped turnstile because it's wider. While there are always some elevators out, most of them are usually working. Look for the wheelchair symbols on the station signs (walls or poles) to know which exits have the elevators.

Try it on a weekend some time when there are fewer people. You can do it.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Wow. I forgot that sarcasm doesn't come across in typed words. I was actually trying to make fun of myself, not others! Re-reading my post I can see how it came off the way it did, but I didn't mean it that way. Sorry!