Reception aged kids in pushchairs?

[RequestInUse]

Maybe I just have my judgy pants on, maybe they have a really long walk. But AIBU to think school aged children are generally too old for a pushchair?

Of course you don't use a buggy when hill climbing, it won't go iver the bloody bumps - or i would!

God, i miss my buggy - only stopped using it when i couldn't squash him in any more. No special needs here we just like an easy life, somewhere to hang the coats and bags and not to have to walk at a snail's pace.

Ancient infant teacher here. I wish the op could be a fly on the wall for a week in a reception class. She would soon see why a buggy/motorised buggy aka car
are quite a normal requirement for little ones. Especially by Friday and near the end of a half term.

Being in a pushchair doesn't cause obesity.

Noworktoday - roughly how many kids over the age of 4ish do you see in buggies, over a week?

Ds is actually underweight, so I guess he is ok to carry on using his buggy then!

I don't give a flying feck why a child is in a pushchair. Barring SN theyll be out of them soon enough.

I bet this thread wasn't started with goody intentions.

Err goady

likes cake

Fanjoforthemammaries I have to ask where the awesome nn came from

Because a pushchair is cheaper, healthier, more environmentally friendly and takes up less space than a car.

DD has an early September birthday. I used a pushchair when she was at preschool for three hours a day when it was necessary. If she was 11 days older, she'd have been at full time school at that age and no doubt needed a pushchair even more because it would have been a heck of a lot more tiring!

YABU

I get 'looks' all the time. We have a double buggy and a single. Usually ds2 is in the single and he starts school in September
Dd2 (6) goes in the buggy everyday to get home and sometimes ds1 (9) gets in if his legs hurt (he doesn't weigh much).
All of dcs have multiple health problems/disabilities. Tbh though, disapproving stares from strangers, although annoying I can deal with as yes, dcs 'look' really well despite being far from it.
MIL however, knowing full well what our dcs face had the following to say this weekend when we bumped into her and ds2 was having his nap "aren't you embarrassed pushing him round? He's going to school soon???!" And "I'd have to cover the buggy up-how embarrassing "

Yes she is a complete twat. Haven't seen her for ages. Then when we bump into her she doesn't ask how we are, how dcs are or seem pleased to actually see any of us. No, she just basically mocks her disabled grandchild....bitch.

Some need one for mobility reasons. Some are in them because it makes life easier and buggies these days are bigger and better than the red striped McClaren I used in 1984 which wouldn't have held a 5 year old. Plus, they start school so young these days too. I sometimes judge too, but soon forget about it.

No way all those you see in pushchair have health reasons for it ...!!

I've been trying to think how many children of school age I've seen in a pushchair in the last few weeks. I don't think I've seen even a handful. It's definitely unusual enough to make me think there must be a very good reason for it (e.g. health problem or exhausted child).

Children in cars, on the other hand.... if we're talking causes of obesity, that's a far more likely candidate.

Why was my last post deleted?

Because I asked Alexa why she was judging children in pushchairs but not children with dummies?

Seriously HQ?

Who cares. It's reception aged children not 16 year olds.

My reception age child wouldn't be seen dead in a pushchair so therefore I think any child I see in one (which is actually 1) must need it for a reason that is not public knowledge and therefore none of my beeswax

My DS has no medical issues, but when he starts reception in September he will only have been 4 for a couple of weeks. The school is just over a mile and a quarter from our house, we have no car, and there's no viable bus route. So we'll be walking there and back. DS is a good walker generally, but does complain of tired legs and slows to a snail's pace well before he gets to a mile. He might make it there in the morning okay, but at the end of a long, tiring day my only just 4 year old will really struggle to walk all the way home at first.

So yes, I imagine I'll have to take the buggy, just in case. Judge away. We don't use it much these days but it's necessary if we have to walk a long distance as no way can I carry him when he refuses to move through exhaustion (have back probs myself).

I haven't read the full thread. However my son is in a pushchair still. He has PDA (on the spectrum) and isn't safe to be by the road and the walk to school is a fair way. We don't have a car.

I always feel very, very judged as I push him to school - people look at him in his uniform and then look at me. I then feel very judged at the school gate. But I have to put his safety first.

You never know what's going on for someone else!

as above... before judging kids in pushchairs, start judging kids in cars.

Why do you think it's acceptable to seat kids in one but not the other exactly?

DS used the buggy sporadically at 4, mainly when tired as he was late stopping naps.

I ended up buying a cheap second hand tandam for a large scout camp as various people were going to be taking the DCs to the childcare tent halfway across a large estate. I'd always been find using a single and a carrier, but couldn't expect anyone else to manage that way. It was a long and busy week and some days he was just too tired to walk. He's a fit child and can do things like junior parkrun, but if he's hit sleepy mode it's just not worth the battle.

I got some looks late night Christmas shopping. He was in his school uniform. I couldn't keep DS2 in the pram, and DS1 out of it. DS2 had had the benefit of a good nap halfway through the day. DS1 was at the end of the school/ childcare day, at the end of term and was shattered. He was just short of turning 5.

His stamina has improved through the course of reception class.

In your own words perhaps because you had your goadypants on.

I used to slightly judge parents who still used push chairs/dummies past 4 years. My 3 ds walked everywhere from a really young age.
But then I had my dd, she has just turned 5 and if I'm walking a fair distance, she goes in a push chair or she'll happily walk knowing the push chair is there for back up.
She has autism and her physical development is delayed. I genuinely believe that sometimes she's just tired. I can't physically carry her continuously and I choose to pick my battles. If using a push chair occasionally makes life easier, then so be it!