To use a pram for DS (3.5)?

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We just moved to London, and DS is struggling on days out such as the Royal Parks and Castles, where the tube stations are often a good half mile or more away from where you want to be in the park, and a lot of the 'wandering around' element really takes it out of him. He was a late walker anyway, and we often end up carrying him towards the end of the day, which is fine but it's exhausting!

Yesterday we went to Hampton Court Palace, and by the time we'd walked to the station in town, walked to Hampton Court, been around the maze etc, he was exhausted poor thing! And there was so much more I wanted to show him. I'm wondering if this wouldn't be solved with a small foldaway buggy that we can use at either end of the journey for a more enjoyable day for him. We honestly do cover quite a bit of ground, and his little legs just aren't quite up to it. We're not thrashing it either; anyone who has visited London will realise how much ground you actually cover doing seemingly very little.

He does walk 20 mins through the park to nursery and back, is outside all day (it's a forest school) and he swims twice a week and plays football once a week; so he's pretty fit and healthy.

AIBU to get a pram or should I just make him walk and tough it out a bit?

Christ, are the kids I know weird, or are other people in imaginative about what kids can 'appreciate'? All two and three year olds I know love days out in London. Lots of the museums I know are brilliant for kids, NT properties etc usually have interesting things to do/talk about and you can create a day that's interesting for everyone with a very small amount of effort.

OP - Ham House and Polesden Lacey are great for kids. DS is 2.9 and we still use pushchair daily for nursery and definitely for big tiring days out. I imagine we'll still be using it for those purposes in a year's time.

**unimaginative, obviously.

Blimey my DD(8) would have trouble being interested in Hampton Court. I get away with a museum if there are lots of buttons to press. Methinks OP wants to visit the tourist haunts no matter what

Watching with interest

DS is 2.5 and I think verging on being a bit old for his stroller (plus he is very tall) and he doesn't really want to go in it anymore

But he is too little to do lots of walking and carrying him is exhausting

I dont think YABU at all to pop him in on for long walks. It sounds sensible

But I am interested in seeing what alternatives people suggest as he really hates it

He has a smart trike but it's a PITA to push and no good if we go anywhere by train / bus as it is big, bulky and doesn't fold

Get second hand maclaren not new cheapy, should be about same price or I see them on freecycle occasionally.

YY to buggy over long distances.

Catgirl, with a mei tei or similar you put the child on your back, so it's much easier to carry them than in your arms, or on your front or hips.

Aside from the practicalilty of dragging a buggy everywhere, ds too started to dislike being in it and I don't want the stress of carrying a scooter or bike around all the time - plus it would be a nightmare in shops or castles etc.

We had this problem with DS. We Live in a rural area, don't drive, buses expensive/unpredictable and going places would equate to 3 and 4 mile round trips never mind the end energetic event.

Got a little nipper 360 pushchair - absolute belter of a pram for older, heavier kids IMHO, like pushing a marshmellow . Quite expensive but sell on value is really good. Changed our lives, LOVED IT!

Yes there was the odd unsolicited opinion sharers (they can't help it, can they some people?) about Ds being too old for a pram. I usually found a "and how did YOU get here then?" would, in 99.9% of the cases be a car not walked, so hardly superior.

I have a cheap fold up pushchair. I got it for DS last year but he stopped using it. If you are West London you could have it?

I've got a Hauck Toro and am very pleased with it. Tested (for US market) up to 20kg so it should do us for some years to come if needed. Went to Paris recently with family and my (small for her age) 7yr old niece hopped into it when she got tired and I had DS sleeping on my back in his Ergo. The Ergo is brilliant though when you don't want to lug a buggy around, especially travelling in Central London.

Definitely get a lightweight secondhand umbrella stroller, but have you also tried him on a scooter? The mini micro is lightweight and great for getting around - dd can cover large distances at speed on hers. You can also hang it from the buggy handle if he wants to rest. Do exercise caution using it in busy touristy places though!

Change bags if the op doesn't want your buggy I would love it and am in west London. I have a 2 year old who is a good walker but my umbrella fold seems to fold on its own-with him in it.... Sorry for gate crashing post!

Off to google a mei tai

superram

OK if the OP doesn't want it, you're welcome to it. OP?

Oh I remember these days. I always wished I was good at making stuff; I had fantasies of a sort of shopping trolley for children - one of those pull along canvas things.

YANBU I used a (large 3 wheeler) buggy the other week as I had to take my 4.8 year old to London for 3 days and walk 3 miles each day, with a very short time frame too. No way he could have walked it happily.
He's very active and walks home from nursery every day.
Who cares what other people think .

My Ds was out his buggy then got really ill ended up in hospital and buggy was a lifeline for the month or so he took to recover..Although Once he had the novelty of walking loved been pushed round again had to prise him out again.

YANBU do what works for you.

My DS is only 2 but walks 2 miles each way to nursery in a foot of snow if necessary, twice a day.

If yours can't there's something wrong with him and you're putting him at risk of obesity.

Ok sorry that's made up, YA So NBU but someone always comes on these buggy threads with a crazy story of how far their dc walk and ignores the fact that life's too short to spend 45 minutes waiting for a tired, whinging 2 year old to walk half a mile down a main road.

Do what works for you and your family.

My post wasn't critical of the OP asking whether she should put her 3 and a half year old in a buggy to go round tourist attractions. It was more thinking that if he is so exhausted after such a trip, maybe another way of looking at it would be to wait until he can manage the walking and take him then.

It's not as if there is nothing of interest for children between soft play and stately homes.

please watch the video I posted, another option.

YANBU

Prams are great- some parents hurry to get their children out of them and I'm not sure why! Utilize them to the max- they free up tired children and tons of bags which need carrying. Enables you to visit different places and not be as restricted by tired children. Get an umberella fold McLarean type and enjoy yourselves!

I wish my three year old would go in a pram sometimes but he flatly refuses, last weekend he walked over five miles and was exhausted. A Micro scooter is a godsend in London at this age.

Thank you so much everyone!

change, please go ahead and give the pram to the other MNer who wanted it, my Dfriend just texted me and offered me her Qinny Zapp for this summer, which is pretty much all we needed it for anyway.

I'll continue taking my LO round all the attractions; but this time, from the comfort of his pushchair