so, getting too old for a buggy but reluctant to walk

[strangefruit]

I don't drive, ds is 2.9, we live in a small town, with no regular buses, but town is very spread out, we have a walk to school with dd, 12 mins there with him in buggy, he goes to a group that takes me 15 mins to walk very quickly to......then there are my nipping to the shops trips, about an hour or more, what am I going to do to persuade my ds to walk and quickly?

are there alternatives to a buggy, not very keen on pushing him on a trike, would it work?

the buggy is a 5 yr old wobbly mclaren volo

should i consider buying another buggy?

[Miaou]

Does he have to walk quickly? I remember when my dds were this age - they were great walkers but slooooow - so slow it did my head in at times! But I felt it was worth it for their health etc. I found if I went too fast for them they quickly got a stitch so it was counter-productive.

Can you take a little more time to walk with him - might that make him keener on walking? I sued to tell the dds stories as we went, so they weren't thinking about how far we were going.

It is such a frustrating stage, I remember it well (and am just starting to go through it again with ds who is 18m!) - but it's just that, a stage - and the more walking practise he has now, the quicker he will become

[Miaou]

*used, not sued

[Tommy]

I see lots of children being pushed on their trikes - wth a big handle thing that comes out of the back. I think they're fine for walking to school etc but not so good in shops and stuff I would guess.
Is your buggy giving up the ghost? Mine is the same age and it's doing OK - I'm assuming it will do the one who isn't even born yet!

[Aloha]

I'd buy a new cheap buggy for the sake of your sanity and your relationship with your ds. he's still very small. I did like a quote pointing out that some people who go on abotu buggies have their children in a big motorised pram most of the time, only it's called a car
You cannot 'nip' with a child of this age. Buy a cheapo buggy.

[Miaou]

lol at the car comment Aloha, so true! When I lived in Yorkshire I was known as "the woman who walks everywhere" because I used to walk to places even when it was raining (shock horror!!)

[Toothyboy]

I found if we had the buggy with us, ds1 would want to get in, if we didn't take it he could walk surprisingly far!

Could you start going for walks you know are quite short, without taking the buggy, getting progressively longer as he gets used to further distances?

I also find it helps to keep up a dialogue about things I can see up ahead to keep him moving, otherwise he tends to dawdle!

[strangefruit]

Tommy - I am a high mileage walker, said buggy is truly knackered on second set of wheels, which are nearly worn to the quick (whatever that is), I also wore out a three wheeler( well the frame snapped), which I loved, but they were old, I had dd, who will be 6 this year, in both and think I got my money's worth.

Miaou thanks, it is good to hear your experience, dd was walking everywhere at this age and well it was easier then because the town we lived in was smaller, so kinder on a toddler...
I will have no choice but to slow down, and leave home much earlier, but also worry about the general "up mummy please" requests I get, I really struggle to carry him


aloha, we are considering the cheapo option, saw a mention of mclaren volo's being £25 in asda... I think it is probably the most realistic option... quite fancy one of those motorised prams you mentioned, but that isn't exactly the cheapo option

[hairymclary]

have a look on ebay. you can pick second hand buggies up for a few quid. see if there are any near you, then you save on postage too

[Miaou]

It's worth asking on here if anyone has a secondhand one going begging

I got one from Argos for £25 for ds but we just keep it in the car for when we go to town (I live in the country and we have a three-wheeler job for round the village) - it's brilliant but I don't know how long it might do if it was really punished

[Bozza]

If you do decide to buy another buggy I would say spend the bare minimum on it because you probably won't get that much use out of it.

Personally I would decide on a certain journey that you make - maybe to school (if not too stressful) and decide that he does not go in the pushchair there. So every time you go to school you make him walk so that just becomes a fact of life. But you let him go in the pushchair into town etc. I did this with 2.8 yo DD (although I think school is nearer for us) and she has been walking there since last April every single time. But does go in the pushchair sometimes to other places.

[hairymclary]

what about this?

only £16 inc postage. atm ends in 10 min though

[LowFatMilkshake]

You sound like me with regards to not driving. I got my DD interested in walking to town as soon as possible by letting her walk next to the pushchair.

Then when she was used to the walk I got her a pram to push. Can you get seomthing for your DS to push - perhaps a blue buggy withi his teddy???

[hairymclary]

or this if it's near you lol

[strangefruit]

thank you hairy, will def consider the idea of ebay, though I have never bought anything from there

ds has just got up and bumped his head and is now having a meltdown, I tried to give him a cuddle, settle him, then sneak out of the room, he was so settled.....

[Sassafrass]

If you do want another buggy you could join your local freecycle group: uk.freecycle.org/

Chances are you can get one for free that someone else doesn't use anymore.

[strangefruit]

bumping this for more opinions.

I am now considering buying a bike buggy, I have posted a thread in products, I am afraid I can't do links, heading is "does anyone on mn have one of these"