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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to worry about seeing older and older children in buggies?

281 replies

mariebl · 05/09/2011 22:16

In the last couple of years I've really started to notice many more children in buggies, some of them must be almost school age.
I also very often see them looking unhappy and bored and trying to get out and being told off for being "naughty".

I'm beginning to think it must be my age as not too many years back there didn't really seem to BE any buggies for older children, babies went in prams, when they started toddling they had reins and when they got tired people picked them up and carried them for a bit.

I appreciate that there are children with conditions where having that transport is helpful and necessary but I also believe that having older and older children in buggies is a recent trend which is in danger of becoming the norm. We are also told we have a child obesity crisis and are told that children do not get enough exercise.
Am I being judgemental to say is this kind of trend a part of it?

OP posts:
NonnoMum · 05/09/2011 23:02

I have sometimes seen older children, say 17 or 18, being taken around in large, metallic and glass-looking engine-driven buggies and dropped off at nightclubs and similar establishments.

TheSecondComing · 05/09/2011 23:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PotPourri · 05/09/2011 23:09

well prams in the 80s had toddler seats - well, ours did.

I use a buggy board and have alot of children so have always had to move the little one out to make way for the baby - and therefore avoided the massive-child-in-buggy-phenomenon. However when my 1 year old (and last) is 2, I'm not sure I'll be able to get him out the buggy as there will be no buggy board as no baby - and too many small children for me to be carrying alot too. Yes, I have a judgy moment when I see a child the size of my 6 year old in a buggy, as I pass with 3 smaller children walking around town - but hey, if it works for you, why not

Fo0ffyShmoofer · 05/09/2011 23:09

Yabu.
Fuck all to do with you.

Don't worry

don't wonder.
Don't concern yourself.

lazylula · 05/09/2011 23:13

There is 3 years 9 months between me and my brother, my mum talks of him sitting in the pram with me and on a seat on the pram (sivercross), this was in the late 70's so not a new thing at all. Ds2 still goes in a buggy, but I chose to walk almost everywhere despite having a car. Maybe we should drive more and walk less, as that seems to have less critiscism than a bigger child in a buggy!

maypole1 · 05/09/2011 23:16

Well I am going going shopping on Saturday with to of my mates who have a 3 and a 4 year old both of who will be buggies and in full time school

I just think its a little bit lazy really but to be honest just really in line with todays parenting

What worse is my 6 year old has to use a wheelchair and can't walk what she wouldn't give to take one step and all the while these parents who have children who are fit and well staro their able bodied children into prams

HerRoyalNotness · 05/09/2011 23:23

nickschick what symptoms did your DS have for CFS if you don't mind me asking? I'm a bit concerned about DS (4yo). He seems to be tired all the time. Only able to walk or scooter for about 1/2 mile before he is too tired and wants a lift. Always seems cold, even in height of summer (35c) outside and he'll be inside asking for a blanket. After a 2 hour playgroup (inside) he'll fall asleep on the way home. A friend is going to ask her doctor boss about it for me, I feel like there is something not quite right.

Katy1368 · 05/09/2011 23:26

My daughter is 3.5 and still occasionally uses her buggy - mainly on trips into london using the tube or longer distances. She loves her buggy and regards it as a home away from home, if she gets upset or is tired she climbs in to get some personal space. I see nothing wrong with this and will let her give up her buggy when she is ready.

So YABU.

Whatmeworry · 05/09/2011 23:31

Well, as buggies get bigger and more expensive it makes sense to recoup the cost by putting bigger and bigger kids in them.

I think too many people watched Wall-E. Feet are so passe now.... :o

maypole1 · 05/09/2011 23:32

When shes 10 she will still be being wheeled around lol

We have children in Prams well past their years and fat people in scooters
Both just a little bit lazy

And the worse thing its people like you who take up the wheel hair space with your big kid in a baby's pram

How many times have I been passed by a bus because it already had a buggy on it only to see a massive almost 5 year old either running inning up and down the isle with the buggy upright in wheelchair space or hanging out of their baby's pram

Whatmeworry · 05/09/2011 23:32

(Wondering when the first power assisted buggies will appear on the yummy mummy high street nearest us....)

maypole1 · 05/09/2011 23:33

Lazy parenting if they manage to go to school for neigh on 10 hours with out a pram they can get on the bus to the shop with out one

MillyR · 05/09/2011 23:33

Why shouldn't a 3 year old be in a buggy? They can't walk as far as an adult can. Why should an adult not be able to walk for miles simply because they have a young child?

The laziness element is adults who never walk further than a 3 year old can manage so don't need a buggy for their child.

MrBloomsNursery · 05/09/2011 23:34

DD is nearly 4. We take the buggy on long day trips. Everyday journeys no pushchair.

borderslass · 05/09/2011 23:34

DD2 walked everywhere from a year old DS who is 15 months older didn't he fell over all the time has ASD LD's and was huge however when DD2 hit 3 she started getting severe growing pains so needed a buggy to get around in. YABU it's not all down to lazy parenting.

WoofToYouTooLady · 05/09/2011 23:37

I am always amazed at how one could just KNOW a child's age from LOOKING at them, astonishing power doncha think?

simpson · 05/09/2011 23:37

DD (3.7) still occasionally uses her buggy as I don't drive and would not expect he to walk the distances I do.

Most of the time she uses her scooter or walks but there are days when we have to go back and fro from our local school to drop DS off, then pick DD up from nursery/playgroup, then back again to pick DS up and drop/pick him up again from footie and tbh its too much for her so sue me we use the buggy sometimes Grin

simpson · 05/09/2011 23:38

oops her

maypole1 · 05/09/2011 23:39

What the fuck and you talking about I see people get out of a car put up a buggy then go into tesco walk round then put the child back in the car

People pick up their child who has been buggy free for the whole day know less up from school then walk 3 doors down to their house I have seen this

Lazy lazy lazy it got so bad at out primary they have banned prams many of the parents live a stones throw they also they put in the news letter sadly those children who still use prams will not be able to go on the school trip as we are going to the sea side and we will spend the whole day walking in the town amazing how many of these children who could possibly walk more than 4 minutes maganed to walk round for a whole day

Lazy lazy lazy

maypole1 · 05/09/2011 23:40

WoofToYouTooLady usually they have a book bag and a school uniform yuk

weegiemum · 05/09/2011 23:42

My dd2 was in a buggy untili the end of Primary 2 (yr1) due to a hip condition.

I know the OP isn't talking about this situation, but your average granny-in-the-street is (and yes it was always older women who commented).

I've told this story before but I always feel its worth telling again. All walking down the street (with dd1 and ds, both older) and dd2 in Major buggy. An older (maybe 70?) woman at the crossing said "arent you too big to be in a buggy now dear you should be walking". My dd2 went into her speil "Well I have Perthes disease and I'm not allowed to walk or run or ......." and the old bint walked away! So dd2 (5 at the time) waited till she was far enough away to shout and then shouted "Didn't you hear me? I'm disabled " and everyone looked round. Served the busybody right!

usualsuspect · 05/09/2011 23:42

I suppose yours walked everywhere from when they were 6 months old maypole

HeifferunderConstruction · 05/09/2011 23:43

Hmmm my son is 2 ...but looks about four due to his height that may be more the case OP??

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 05/09/2011 23:44

Now look, you need to play the game here, parents of children who can't walk because of medical conditions.... the OP needs to have a prod at bloated, McDonalds-fed children aged 3-6, who are stuffed into buggies so ill-fitting that they seem shrink-to-fit. I've never seen one but apparently I walk around with my eyes wide shut...

You are depriving the OP of her salivating and that's just mean.

madhattershouse · 05/09/2011 23:44

A woman who lives just a few houses down from me sometimes uses a buggy to get her dd to school, she was in year 1!!! On the other hand my ds was 18 months when I got the first "Isn't he a bit old to be in a buggy?" comment..no, he's just very tall! I hate seeing one lady at school, her dd is 4 and still goes to collect older kids in buggy with dummy firmly in mouth Shock