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AIBU?

To have 3.5 year old ds in a buggy?

169 replies

MrsCobain · 28/04/2017 19:52

I meet up with this group of Mum's about once a week. I always take ds (who's almost 3 and a half) in his jogging buggy.

I do this partly because walking is the only exercise I get (I kind of walk-jog) and partly as my car is a bit of a gas guzzling monster and I only use it when I absolutely have to.

It's 2 miles each way so 4 in total. Ds actually walks a large part of it but is usually knackered on the way back as he's walked most of the way there and played like a nutter for a couple of hours. It's also nap time, he normally falls asleep on the way home. He spends probably about 50-70% of his waking hours outside on the go, he's really active.

Anyway, I thought I'd seen some raised eyebrows at me coming in with a buggy before but today one of them made a really snippy little comment "so ridiculous he's still in a stroller" and all of the others (bar one) all jumped in and agreed that their kids the same age were never allowed in them anymore and were all sneery about kids being babied these days.

Aibu in thinking a, it's fine for ds to do part of the journey in a buggy and b, it's a bit bloody rich considering they all drive anyway? SadAngry

OP posts:
Whynotnowbaby · 28/04/2017 19:56

Absolutely fine, he will build his stamina as he gets older but a four mile walk (there and back) at his age is hard work and sometimes you just need to get somewhere without it becoming a trial.

KindergartenKop · 28/04/2017 19:56

Most people who are snotty about pushchairs drive them 300yards to nursery.

Expatosaurus · 28/04/2017 19:57

Ignore, ignore, ignore!

Randomly refer it it as your car.

Ignore.

Tut about all these kids being driven everywhere these days.

Ignore and carry on as long as you need to. DD was 4.5 when I stopped regularly taking the buggy out. It is still in the cellar in case she's ill and I need to take her to the doctor or DS to an activity.

MrsCobain · 28/04/2017 19:59

He'll happily do a couple or more miles when we go for walks but then I have dh around to give him a piggy back when he flakes.

The time constraint is also another thing, we meet at 9, sometimes ds runs full pelt others he'll stop at every bloody leaf or puddle. I'd have to leave at 7.30 to make sure I got there on time.

OP posts:
TestingTestingWonTooFree · 28/04/2017 20:00

I gave up on pushchair use at about 2 because by then DD could outwalk me. I couldn't manage anything like 2 miles. Your solution seems perfect. They're dickheads.

darwinsbabe · 28/04/2017 20:00

I'd reply

"Stop being such cunts. I want to do a bit of exercise and it's unlikely a 3.5 year old will walk for 4 miles"

Why the fuck are people such absolute dicks

NuffSaidSam · 28/04/2017 20:00

It's fine if it work for you. They don't sound like very nice people you're meeting?!

Personally, I would get him a scooter and use that instead, but I got all of mine out of a buggy asap because I hated the faff of a buggy.

gamerwidow · 28/04/2017 20:00

Dd was in a buggy to and from her childminder until she was four. The journey is over a mile on foot up a steep hill and there was no way I was doing that in the morning with a reluctant child stop starting on the way. It would've taken me an hour to get there!

MrsCobain · 28/04/2017 20:01

Apart from one (the one that didn't comment) none of them ever walk anywhere or do any exercise. Which I don't judge or give a shit about until their snippy comments today now I feel judgy.

OP posts:
fakenamefornow · 28/04/2017 20:01

I'd make him walk. In fact I don't think I even had a push chair at that age.

MoreThanUs · 28/04/2017 20:01

Most people who are snotty about pushchairs drive them 300yards to nursery.

^This

Yika · 28/04/2017 20:02

Absolutely FINE. I used ours until 4 and only retired it then because my DD started school and I was afraid school friends would see her in it. She would have carried on for ages! Buggy was great for her and great for me. She's very athletic and active but never been a great walker. Even now she is 6 I pine for the buggy days when I could just walk fast in a forward direction. I love going for walks and doing my errands on foot. Just cannot do it with a bolter/dawdler/refusenik.

CassandraAusten · 28/04/2017 20:02

YANBU- you should have said "you can talk, seeing as you drive here!"

TheBakeryQueen · 28/04/2017 20:02

It is fine. You don't have to justify it, just ignore them. Plonkers.

LotisBlue · 28/04/2017 20:02

People who say their children walked everywhere from 18 months inevitably seem to drive everywhere. I live in a city with lots of hills and pretty much everyone has a buggy for their 3-4 year old.
Alternatively you can get them a scooter, but you'll end up pulling them up hills.

MoreThanUs · 28/04/2017 20:03

fake, you'd make a 3.5 year old walk a 4 mile round trip with the journey home falling during his nap time? Right oh.

MrsCobain · 28/04/2017 20:03

Darwin I did. In my head. Grin


Nuff where we live is really rural and it's mostly uneven dirt roads to get there or a scooter would be perfect.

OP posts:
TruckThisShit · 28/04/2017 20:05

My reception age DC goes to school and back in a buggy because we live a long way away. Once she stops wanting that and can walk a bit quicker I will stop. Anyone who judges can do one.
OPHave these people nothing more interesting to be mean about..?

MrsCobain · 28/04/2017 20:06

Oh not to drip feed but there are 2 killer hills that I can only just manage when he's in the buggy. I honestly don't think he could do them tired and i sure as shit couldn't carry him up them!

OP posts:
Expatosaurus · 28/04/2017 20:06

But scooters are only practical if you don't live on a steep hill.

It's all very well saying make him walk fake but if you're in town, having just done the weekly shop, with a child who suddenly decides to refuse to walk and sits down on the pavement, and you absolutely must get the bus at the station at x time so that you can pick up our other child from school, how do you get them to the bus?

TheMysteriousJackelope · 28/04/2017 20:06

It sounds like your DS is already walking several miles to get there and part of the way back so I don't see what their (or anyone else's) problem is.

My friend's DC were in a stroller until they were way past four. They were bolters and twins. Not only were they extremely fast, they would hide. We always had to meet at her house with a fenced back yard as going to a park was a nightmare. She'd round up one and then the other would be off. People judging others over the use of strollers need to remind themselves that there could be very good reasons for it.

Frazzled2207 · 28/04/2017 20:07

When my 3.9 ds goes to nursery- about 1.5 miles- he goes in the buggy. Yes he could walk but it would take far longer and my dh would end up late for work. Never occured to me that this was anything other than sensible.

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Moregilmoregirls · 28/04/2017 20:07

Yanbu My DS is the same age and does not go in a buggy for the simple reason I also have a 9 month old and did not want to buy a double buggy! Also we live in a small town and the shops/ park / his nursery less than a mile away. If we were going further we'd go in the car.

Mrsfrumble · 28/04/2017 20:08

How do the other mothers get to this meet up? How old are their children and how far do they have to travel? If all of their children are the same age or younger, and all walk the same distance or further, then they can judge. I bet at least some of them drive, but everyone knows that strapping your child into a buggy makes them obese, lazy and causes their legs to atrophy, while strapping them into a car seat to travel the same distance magically doesn't Hmm

MrsCobain · 28/04/2017 20:08

I'd have to get a cattle prod to make him walk. He's generally goes full tilt from waking to bedtime but when he's tired it hits him like a freight train and he turns in to whiny toddler soup.

OP posts:
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