To go for a walk with no buggy??

[JoandMax]

I have just been for a walk with DS1, 3.3 yrs, and DS2, 19 months and received a mouthful from two sets of people about the fact I have no buggy and am just holding their hands.

DS1 is very sensible on pavements and by roads (thanks to pre-school and their road awareness week!) and DS2 is happy to toddle holding my hand, he stops to look at leaves/Walls etc but isn't a bolter so our walks are fairly calm.

We go along one main road (for approx 80m) and cross at the pedestrian crossing (I pick DS2 up to cross) and the rest quiet residential streets and parks.

I have been told I am 'irresponsible', 'an accident waiting to happen' and 'selfish'.........

So, let me know what you think, honest answers!

"vegetables AND fruit"...Picasso faints away.

Have you considered parenting classes?

I know, they would be livid to see them eating carrots AND broccoli for tea! Admittedly with some bribery on DS1s part

YANBU - I've had the comments, though it's usually something like "oh, s/he's going to get so tired, being made to walk around like that" as if I'm some horrible monster for walking with them when they hate being carried by me or anything else.

Gosh people are nosey. YADNBU.

YANBU of course.

but is it possible that you, DS1 and DS3, all holding hands, were forming a very slow moving and completely impassable blockage of the entire pavement? So that no-one could get past.... ?

If not, then YA definitely NBU. If so... YA still NBU but please do scoot over if someone is trying to get past.

ignore them! i took my 3 month dd to the shop this morning in her baby carrier, with a blanket round her too and an old man said 'don't you go dropping her!"

Hi Jo- that is ridiculous very rude and YANU at all. I put my 2 yr old in a buggy the other day and a passer by said 'he's a bit big isn't he!' People are rude aren't they?

Also, I had my 2 little boys at a road crossing the other day coming back from school and had a scary experience. On the road there are green areas where it is meant to be the right of way both of pedestrians and traffic, (it is supposed to be a traffic calming measure based on a European model but round here the traffic all seem to just take advantage of it) Anyway I was there waiting to cross, it was raining which always makes the traffic bad, and no-one would let us cross. Then a van sped up and braked severely as we were crossing and the driver started glaring at us!

IMO car drivers can be a nightmare, they are the ones who need to take more care

I wouldn't bat an eyelid and my ds was in the buggy until he was over 4yrs old (as DD will be).

If more then one stranger commented on the way you were supervising your children, then I wonder if they had a point?

It's very possible to get one random judgey stranger, but to get two or three commenting is unlikely unless there was a real reason for them to comment.

oops, should say DS2 not DS3

Amazing isn't it? No doubt if they had been in a buggy then different people would have moaned about that. I just don't get why people have to be so nosy about what other people do with their kids, it's none of their business FFS [as long as abuse or neglect isn't involved].

YANBU, I once got the same comment in the street when DS was 12/13 months ish. He was very energetic and a walk made him sleep better - which of course was better for Me.

I found not having the pushchair for a short walk - therefore a purposeful walk not an errand - easier and safer as I had both hands free for him and could carry him if he got tired. never used a wriststrap attached to buggy for DS when running errands, oh no not me, I was great with controlling both!

YANBU. I'd've smiled and said hello if I'd seen you & DC admiring the leaves.

I hoiked my judgy pants up good and proper earlier though when I heard a mum telling her toddler he couldn't walk as she hadn't bought his shoes out. WTF? Your child can walk but you don't put shoes on him & just keep him in the buggy all day?