DS is 14mo. He started walking a couple of months ago. Now he HATES going in his buggy and wants to walk everywhere.
However, he walks really slowly and is completely uncontrollable on foot....he just toddles off away from me/the buggy in the middle of the shopping centre and doesn't seem to understand or chooses not to when I say he has to hold my hand or the buggy.
Should I just give up with this walking-when-out thing until he's a bit older and can better understand that he has to stay close to me? (obviously i will still let him out to walk around the park/safe places, but it's in the streets and at the shops I am worried about).
When does it get easier/more practical for your LOs to walk alongside you when you're out?? It is just v stressful at the moment! (as is the screaming tantrum we have when we put him in the buggy, and the endless grizzling/straining to escape that he does when in the buggy).
Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.
Behaviour/development
How much do you let your 14mo walk when out-and-about? (As opposed to keeping him/her in buggy)
BotBotticelli · 10/02/2014 20:16
Hmmm, I have got some reins...but when we tried to use them in the shopping mall a few weeks ago he just kept sitting down in the middle of the floor and howling 
Maybe I will follow your lead gingerdoodle and persevere with the buggy for the time being.
My ds1 will be 3 in May. Since he could walk (12 months ish) we've allowed him to do so as much as possible. He's a fairly cautious lad by nature but all of my friends say how brilliant at walking he is - really is his special trick. Can take on a 2/3 mile family walk now 
.
He knows to wait by the curbside and won't step in the road until I'm holding his hand. To the point that I've crossed before and looked back to see him waiting for me on the other side if the road!
Really worth trying to train them early on if it's safe to do so. I'm really pleased that my little one is generally more 'streetwise' than his friends that weren't allowed to walk so much. To reiterate though, he was pretty easy to train as he's never been much of a bolter...!
Until he gets used to it I'd highly recommend taking him to quiet places. First time I felt utterly ashamed and embarrassed and a terrible mother. Now I'm ms cool, calm, collected and thoroughly in control of my beautiful little Angel
DD was always brilliant at walking and we stopped the buggy altogether at about 20 months.
DS1 was a good but slooooowwww walker, he still is very daydreamy at 9. I had to have the buggy for speed.
DS2 is three and has walked well from about 15 months, there is only 16 months between him and DS3 he often toddled alongside the pram.
He is a bolter and a tantrummer so I like to have the buggy board or double on a long journey or if time is of the essence. He does however have the ability to walk miles, we went on a 5 mile walk he walked all the way and DN 5 went in his buggy!
DS3 22 months is a bit of a plodder and liable to just plop down and refuse to move I do't know if it is because he gets less chance to walk because of DS2 though.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.