Jane Merela: the stroller must make life easier, not more complicated
Jane Merela is a bright and inspiring content creator and mother of six, whose daily life is full of challenges and moments of joy. Her honest and lively approach to parenting will be a revelation to many families, especially those with more than a few children. Jane shares what she does on social media as well as on her blog, offering support, motivation and practical advice to other parents.
In addition to being a mother of a large family, Jane is also an active content creator who knows how to talk honestly and humorously about her own experiences – whether it’s organising family life, the joys and sorrows of raising children or even choosing the right stroller. Our Hummy team had the pleasure of chatting to her and hearing how Leclercbaby and ABC Design strollers have helped make her everyday life easier.
1. Talk a little about your family – what’s life like with six children?
Wow, life with six children is certainly varied – full of different emotions. It certainly isn’t boring and never will be, and there are many challenges. In short, it’s not easy, but one adapts to everything, and I like the company here, and by and large I love being a mother of a big family.
2. What have been the biggest challenges for you as a mother of a large family?
I’m thinking about this question and I can’t really put my finger on it – there are different challenges I face on different days, but in general I guess I would say that parenting is the hardest. And even though my children are from the same family, they are all completely different children and I have to switch very often to be on the same level with the child in question.
3. Why did you choose Leclercbaby and ABC Design strollers? What do you like most about them?
ABC Design stroller was offered to me to try – a great nostalgia came over me when I heard that ABC strollers are still in use on our planet. I had a stroller from the same brand with my first child and it’s still mind-boggling the progress ABC Design has made since then. Of course, what I like most about my own stroller is the look – stylish, minimalist, beautiful colour. It’s always the first thing you notice. And, of course, the user-friendliness – nice suspension, big carrycot, even bigger seat, big wheels, big luggage basket. These are all very useful details in a stroller. I’m quite often approached, for example at playgrounds, and asked which stroller my baby is using – they praise it for looking so stylish and for looking nice to use. I have to agree!
What I like about the Leclercbaby stroller is how easy it is to assemble and disassemble. Plus, it’s mega sturdy, which makes it so easy to put in the car and take everywhere. My 3 year old, meanwhile, always wants to be in the pushchair, especially when we go on a long trip and this pushchair is such a good compact to carry around.
4.How have these strollers helped you in your daily life?
Well, in short – it’s been a great help, because who cares to carry children in their arms. We like to go for a lot of walks in the countryside with the family and then it’s good to put both strollers in the car, one for the baby and the pushchair for the older child. When the latter doesn’t want to/can’t walk anymore, it’s good to take it out of the car and put it into use. We do a lot of walking every day and the strollers are always a great help in this respect. The baby loves to sleep outside more and the pram gets more use there too.
5. Which features do you consider most important in a stroller or pushchair?
Ease of use and appearance. The stroller could be minimalist and stylish – colourful patterns are not my thing. The stroller and the pushchair should have a good suspension so that the child is not disturbed. Definitely have safety straps and be as easy as possible to attach – the yellow Influencer Air pushchair has this as a big plus. Easy to assemble, put in and take out of the car. The seat section of the pushchair could be longer – which is what the ABC Design stroller offers me. Even my 6 year old daughter has sat in it for a joke and it hasn’t been cramped or uncomfortable for her.
6. Do you have any tips for other large families when choosing a stroller?
I think as a large family, you might want to look at how compact the stroller is when placed in the car. How easy is it to fold up? Does it take a lot of thought and jerking around to get it out of the car? We all want our children to sleep as long as possible, don’t we? When you drive the stroller, does it rattle a lot? Or does it go quietly and smoothly? These are questions you can put in your head and keep in mind when choosing a stroller for your child.
7. What is your favourite outing or hike with the whole family?
This summer’s favourite, using both the ABC Design strollers and the Leclercbaby pushchair, was a trip to Latvia. We went to AB Park and the Riga Zoo, and just wandered around the capital. It was a really nice mini trip.
8. How did your children react to the strollers and do they have any preferences?
My kids really like both strollers. The older ones are happy to drive the younger ones and they are quite impressed with the way the yellow Influencer Air stroller goes together and how easy it is to open and you can carry it on your finger like a shopping bag. 😀
9. How do you manage the logistics of moving several children and a stroller at the same time?
Luckily, I have a big car and can fit everything nicely. There’s no particular brain teasing about it – ABC Design and Leclercbaby have made my life easier with their strollers themselves, as they go together really nicely.
10. What are your favourite accessories or accessories that make using the strollers easier?
Hubby likes the cup holder. For me, I like these classic aids – wind protection, rain cover, mosquito net, large shopping basket, push handle adjustability, many air vents, large sun canopy.
11. Have you received any interest or questions about these stroller on the street? What have other parents asked?
Somewhere in the reply I mentioned that people have asked at the playgrounds, specifically about ABC, what stroller it is and where to get it. I’ve been able to do some live advertising then!
12. Do you have any fun or memorable moments you would like to share about using the stroller?
It’s a bit of fun every time we use our yellow Influencer Air stroller – suddenly you accidentally press the button and oops, the stroller collapses, baby inside. That can’t happen, of course, but it’s already an inside joke with my husband.
13. How do you find time for yourself and for holidays, taking into account the needs of a large family?
It depends on what a holiday and time to yourself is for someone – for me, for example, I can get my cup full with the kids. I don’t need to go away from them to get time to myself or to rest. And the kids 24/7 here don’t make me mad either! Now school and kindergarten started and the baby is at home with me, but I have a quiet period from 7am until about 4pm – plenty of time to do my own thing and enjoy the peace.
14. What is your greatest source of joy and satisfaction as a mother?
The greatest joy is that children are healthy and happy. We all have our bad days, but by and large I can see from a distance that they are happy and great kids and that is the best “reward” I can get as a parent for a job well done. Satisfaction – that I really am a good mother. I don’t pretend or pretend to be someone I’m not. I have evolved a lot over the years and today I can wholeheartedly praise myself as a mother and say that I can do it.
15. What would you like to say to other parents who are still looking for a stroller?
If you’re looking for a pram or stroller – be sure to check out the Hummy e-shpop or better yet, go to the store, there are nice people there who will show you around the strollers and tell you things you might not even think of. The lovely people behind the brand will find you what you’re looking for!
