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

Flighty we are going back a bit here but had to respond to your comments. No, as a teacher I do not respond to bullying like that. No one was being bullied. What a horrible thing to say.

The child I am talking about is a wonderful girl but was frequently wandering around the class asking for her dummy during school time and therefore when I saw her being swaddled by her parents with her dummy put in her mouth for the 5 minute journey up the road I thought to myself "I am going to have a quiet word with these parents to see if we can help their child to feel a bit more grown up". No one was laughing at the child or her parents and if they were of course I would have dealt with it.

Part of your job, if you work in early years is to help the children to feel a bit more independent and grown up. Parents frequently come and ask me about their children's sleeping problems, toiletting issues and behaviour issues at home. We talk about it and work together to help the child.

Cherries I'm sorry. I misperceived your post in the context of many others.

Pancake, that's undeserved kindness, you are lovely. Thankyou.

I'm interested to know how the girl's parents responded though. Were they ok about it or did they insist on continuing with what they were doing?

I wouldn't make a habit of picking him up in a buggy. He's ikely to get laughed at. You've got plenty of time to get him used to walking for that distance before he starts school. However I would be tempted to either hang on to the double buggy or invest in a buggy board in case there are occassions when he is feeling unwell. (I'm assuming that you don't drive for some reason)

I ditched the buggy when DD was 3, there is no way on earth she'd get in a buggy aged 5. Most kids don't want to be seen as 'babies' at this age, it's not just about being laughed at by others, it's about they way they feel and the fact they're growing up
Make them walk!

Ok flighty would just really hate to be thought of as some mean, interfering witchy teacher when I am the opposite. Appreciate your apologyx

Thankyou Cherries, that is really good of you. I am going a bit mental with the PMT this month I think. Which is no excuse. I'm sure you're absolutely lovely.

ICM poll finds that 69% of British people age 35-44 walk less than 1 hour/week. Far less than 10 minutes/day.

I have to applaud you for walking, people saying he should be walking - do they walk or drive!!

My dd is 4.5 and we have a 35 min walk to and from school, she is in buggy! On way home if i am not too tired will let her walk....but one day a lady did say to me " how old is your daughter" and looked shocked when i said age....

So I said - " I live a good 35 min walk away, and I never drive. Where do you live? "

She said " only 5 mins away by car"

" oh, so you drive then?"

"yes"

" oh, I said - well wheels are wheels arnt they! Whether child sat in buggy with wheels or in a car with wheels!"

People should be applauding you for walking, however child is getting to school, I know people who live within sight of my DD school and they drive!!!!!

Holy heck ragged I have mobility problems and I walk a lot longer than that a week. 15 minutes a day for physio, then 30 minutes minimum on the afternoon school run.

And YES! to "wheels are wheels" comment!

Ds is 2.6 and I feel self conscious having him in a buggy - but the walk into town involves too many busy roads so I get nervous as I also have dd in a sling. We're on our way to ditching it for him though.

Going back to the OP, a Reception child who is shattered after school won't necessarily need less physical exercise: that is a very grown-up way of thinking (I am tired so I will sit down and have a cup of tea). For a child who has spent a whole day at school I'd say he is more likely to be mentally shattered, so a walk with puddle splashing may actually be a rest for him.