To collect Reception age DS from school in a buggy?

[CoffeeMum]

Theoretical question for now, as DS won't start Reception until September, but i'm just wondering...

I also have a DD, two years younger than DS, so she'll be in a buggy on the school run. I'd planned to pop her in the single buggy, with DS on foot [school is 15 minutes away from home]. We do also have a double buggy, which I was on the verge of getting rid of, but now I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to take the double buggy on the school run in the autumn. Sometimes it'll be raining, and we'll want to get home asap, rather than at child-pace , but mostly, because I think alot of the time during the first term, he's going to be shattered from starting school. On those days, i'd just pop him in the buggy.

However, would it be completely laughable to even think about putting a school age child in a buggy, no matter what [SN aside, obviously]? Do any of you put a Reception age child in a buggy, or know people who do? Is it very rare to do so?

Thanks for you thoughts all

This slightly reminds me of when my DD was in reception. Her teacher popped out to chat to me at home time. I didn't want to fob her off - but I could hear DS2 starting to grizzle in the background. I slipped a bottle of milk out of my bag and handed it to DD (for her to feed her brother while I finished speaking to the teacher).

The look of on the teachers face for the brief minute that she thought the milk bottle was for the 5 year old was priceless!

I take DS to school in a (SN) buggy some days and we do get looks. There will be looks, you just might not see them.

I would spend the months before he starts school getting him used to a full day - take him out in the afternoon, get him worn out on a daily basis.

Curry - probably because their parents are worried they will be mocked. Walk, or be forever laughed at, my son!

Everlong - yes indeed. When prodded a little ds2 can now walk to or from school, sometimes hitching a piggy back some of the way. I wouldn't make him do bothways in one day yet. Won't be long now, I'm sure...he's not weird or strangely underdeveloped and I don't coddle him (perish the thought). He's just growing up in his own sweet time and I don't have a problem with that.

It's not like it hurts anyone.

'I would spend the months before he starts school getting him used to a full day - take him out in the afternoon, get him worn out on a daily basis.'

Why?! Do they not start young enough with the tiredness?

I'd rather ease my child into it at a pace he can sustain than try and bootcamp him into being ready for something he, erm, isn't ready for yet

Sorry you get looks Voidka. That's unfair. I think I refuse to notice any we might get. But then loads of us parents still use a buggy or car for our reception children. So it isn't that odd round here.

Everlong, I think I've already said. It's about half an hour, or forty mins if we are slow, up hill all the way, very long slow hill with narrow pavements and heavy traffic all along it.

1.4 miles.

It's a morning at kindergarten that is exhausting for my son. The 15 minute walk home is neither here nor there. In fact it is a nice chance to wind down and tell me about his day.

I think children are often capable of more than some parents give them credit for.
The mother on my road was convinced her ds couldnt walk the 15 mins to and from school, but her did it, has always done it and has NEVER cried about it. It could have been a very different story if the buggy had been taken and she'd continued to underestimate him.

It.'s a short walk after a fun filled, busy day at school - perfectly obtainable for most children don't you think?!

Last week my 4 yo ds ran a mile for sport relief. Her practically sprinted the whole mile, and sped up at the end- his young grandparents and big sister could't keep up! It.'s amazing what children can do if you let them try!

'I think children are often capable of more than some parents give them credit for.
The mother on my road was convinced her ds couldnt walk the 15 mins to and from school, but her did it, has always done it and has NEVER cried about it. It could have been a very different story if the buggy had been taken and she'd continued to underestimate him. '

I take your point. Seriously, though, what was the worst that could have happened?

I agree Everlong, a lot is about context...a long walk after a long day someone isn't yet USED to, is different to a long walk out of the blue without 6 hours of school beforehand.

Ds will be five in June. I'm sure his walking will continue to improve gradually as it is doing currently. Gently, gently...petit á petit.

The worst that could happen is she forever underestimates his abilities or delays him doing things that he is ready for. They are quite a timid family, who sometimes lack confidence. I think that by being confident in your child's abilities, showing them that yo think they are capable is really important.

I think the idea of a few practise walks to and from school is a good one. You may find that your son isn't as tired as you think. Also, you will probably end up walking part of the way home with other families and the children will want to play. Taking a drink and a snack to school is a good idea though as DD's problem after school was hunger not tiredness.

Hello again! Really didn't expect this thread to turn into such a massive one [naive of me, i'm sure ] but I just wanted to clarify a few things...

I would never have planned to TAKE DS in the buggy to Reception, no matter what the weather. I would expect him to walk or scooter.

I would expect 95% of the time that he would walk or scooter home too, regardless of weather.

He is excellent on the scooter - used to travelling long distances. We'll be making good use of the scooter on the school run, trust me!

What i'm talking about, is the maybe 5% of times that I pick him up, during the first term or so, when he's clearly shattered [and I HAVE heard that Reception does exhaust some children to some degree or another, so I feel it's sensible to plan for that] When even a snack and drink don't perk him up. When he's so knackered that he's in meltdown tantrum mode in the playground AND it's perhaps rainy, even a bit snowy or icy. When we perhaps have a visitor due at home that we have to get back for. When we perhaps have to pick up a couple of essential items on the way home. When i'm picking him up because he's ill perhaps. When DD is poorly and I want to keep the school run as short as possible for her sake.

Basically, as i'd have the buggy ANYWAY for DD, it's about keeping the bottom seat of the P&T as an OPTION for DS on those RARE nightmare afternoons when everyone JUST WANTS TO GET HOME!

I'm absolutely 100% not suggesting a situation where I get him in the buggy as a matter of course. He is a great walker and will do great long distances. He is slim and fit. He is great on his scooter. But if it's cold and wet and he's sobbing in the playground, would the world really end if he jumped into the buggy - that would be there anyway?

And for all of you suggesting buggy boards - well, the child is still not walking home, so what's the actual difference? Only that I will get a bad back pushing a buggy + board, but I won't get a bad back pushing the double buggy.

Anyway, it's a long way off, so plenty of time to think it over, but I just wanted to address some of the points that have come up.

Thanks for all your replies

Make him walk

Oh I'm glad you're still reading it OP. I hope some of it has helped. These threads always kick off.

Isloving...yes, that's possible but I doubt it would be caused by her allowing her child to go in the buggy. Perhaps it is more the family's attitude in general that worries you. It would be part of a much broader picture in that case, no?

I agree it is important to have confidence in them but also to listen to them and to notice their cues and if they are sobbing, exhausted or very grumpy then it is probably pertinent to establish a cause and work to minimise the impact of that.

Anyway...it's all relative. I think I've said enough now and we are going out, sans buggy, to walk into town.

DD had a girl in her class that went everywhere in a buggy. The children thought it was odd and didn't understand why her parents were treating her like a baby all the time. My dd often asked me why X couldn't walk home as she was able to run around the playground without a problem. DD said, that she wouldn't want to do that as she would feel like a baby.

CoffeeMum just keep the buggy for those rare occasions you mentioned.

I used to have a bike trailer that converted into a buggy and it came in very handy in those situations. It also had a cool factor for my son amongst his friends :)

Just to clarify again - i'm not talking about taking DS TO reception in the buggy - ever. I'm also not talking about taking him 'everywhere in a buggy'. I do agree with both your points AfricanExport and Everlong, but your examples are very, very different to the occasional scenario that i'm painting.

Coffee, those are exactly the situations that my DS went in the double. It happened perhaps 3 or 4 times - mainly on Thursday nights as those seemed worse than Fridays. I absolutely don't regret it and don't feel that he has suffered because of it.

Coffeemum your plans for the use of the double buggy sound very sensible to me.

If he's a good walker and excellent on the scooter, it's hard to imagine that a short walk or scoot home after a day at school is going to be beyond him.

He's not going down the mines.

A 15 minute walk is barely a walk. It's a stroll.

A fit and healthy 4 year old should barely notice it.

Flightty You really don't need to justify your own choices about using the buggy. I'm sure you have done what's right for your family. But this is a thread asking for opinions and so I posted mine - I wouldn't use a buggy.