Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask my 2yo to walk 4-5 miles a day?

205 replies

fannyanddick · 12/09/2017 16:13

She's 3 end of November. School run 1mile times 4 plus extra bits during the day. Eg another 0.2 to her nursery x2. Shopping etc. Not to mention running around at home, park, soft play etc. She does it fine but is slowing down on some legs and is definitely more tired for it. Should I use buggy for one leg or is she too old?

OP posts:
heresn0ddy · 14/09/2017 00:23

It sounds like great exercise for her, how lovely, plus much nicer than seeing kids age 3+ in a buggy! Maybe take a sling for if she does get knackered? A decent one that can fold up into your handbag.

Do you realise how daft that sounds?!

heresn0ddy · 14/09/2017 00:25

OP

YANBU

Age 3 is fine for a buggy, and not everyone has unlimited time to wait around for little legs.

KnowsStuff · 14/09/2017 06:14

Introducing exercise early is a good idea. You know best your child's limits.

NewDaddie · 14/09/2017 06:41

she was falling asleep whilst walking. Like closing eyes and steps going wobbly.

Am I the only one that thinks that sounds so cute. Lol the poor little trooper.

Purplealienpuke · 14/09/2017 06:46

Only you know your child. I don't see exercise as being a problem. I remember vividly my dd (a long time ago) holding her breath & passing out because she did not want to get in a buggy! So we walked everywhere through necessity!
If you're refuelling the little one then all good IMO 😊

Lovelymess · 14/09/2017 09:20

My little one is 3 and she does more then that in a day no bother. Though sometimes we take the buggy for me to load up stuff & sometimes she'll jump in on way back, do what makes your life easier

GoingRogue · 14/09/2017 10:04

Londoncheapo and heresn0ddy I'm so glad you agreed that the statement about a 3yo in a buggy Vs using a sling wasn't right either! Do you think it's a status/fitness/humble brag thing? Like it's so much more middle class and MN approved to use a sling than a buggy?! So annoying.

ElphabaTheGreen · 14/09/2017 10:11

No, goingrogue Confused

I find it infinitely easier using a sling than a buggy. It stays clipped around my waist with my hands completely free. DS2 gets tired, he goes on my back, my hands stay completely free. I'm utterly perplexed as to why the earlier comment was considered 'daft'. It makes perfect sense to me as it's what I do too.

It's a suggestion for the OP's, just as valid as all the others (and it transpires that the OP has a sling/carrier anyway for her toddler, so back in yer bloody rude box!)

GoingRogue · 14/09/2017 10:27

Eh? It wasn't even your comment being picked up on? Confused It was NotForSale's "much nicer than seeing kids age 3+ in a buggy!"

Why is it "nicer" to see a small child in a sling than a buggy? We all just do what we prefer.

lisahpost · 14/09/2017 10:45

Nothing wrong with it at all but if you wanted you could get her a little scooter or little bike for one of the journeys .
It's perfectly fine and healthy for then to be that active .
My kids walked that and at around four to five years they were mountain hiking . My kids were averageing nine mile odd hikes a couple times a week at around four to five years old without any issues . So yeah I think a three year old can do what you've mentioned .

lisahpost · 14/09/2017 10:49

On the sling anti buggy comment ....
A buggy at 3+ is totally fine if they are needing it . Some kids don't all so much as they just dawdle or don't like it . Even tho like I sad in my other comment my kids hiked at four for miles regularly One if them did not and even with the ones that could I'd use a buggy sometimes for convienience and to rest their little legs .

I'm not a fan of the judgy idea that a sling is somehow so much better than a buggy ... it's isn't and if it make Mum a hot sweaty irritated mess then it does more bad than good (me me and me I hated using it but felt I so had too to be a good mummy ) it's a form of transporting a child not a fricking belief sysytem ffs if the sling works for you great if the buggy works for you great who gives a crap

Mamabear4180 · 14/09/2017 10:54

My 2.8 year old weighs over 2.5 stone and wears age 4 clothes. There's no way I could carry her in a sling! I find it difficult enough with my petite 19lb 14 month old!

SerfTerf · 14/09/2017 13:09

Sod carrying a rising three around in a sling for 4/5 miles per day Shock

Anatidae · 14/09/2017 13:14

man the opprobrium I've had for not using a sling.

Don't get me wrong, they're useful and they sure have their place, but the number of utterly shitty comments I've had because I dont use one is insane - is this the new bottle v breast or something? Like unless you physically carry the weight of your baby 24:7 you're not woman enough?

Slings are useful in some situations. Prams and buggies are useful in some situations. There was absolutely no fucking chance in hell I was going to carry my kid over sheet ice the year he was born (after falling and breaking something the year before even wearing mini crampons) and absolutely no fucking way I wanted to lug him about town and carry him and the shopping home, in -30 weather.

farfarawayfromhome · 14/09/2017 13:15

only on mumsnet do small toddlers climb mountains without so much as a hair rumpled out of place and with the greatest of ease!

coconuttella · 14/09/2017 13:17

My kids were averageing nine mile odd hikes a couple times a week at around four to five years old without any issues

Shock. We're pretty active, and know some very active people, but none where 4-5 year olds are averaging 9 miles twice per week! Amazed, but in a good way!

coconuttella · 14/09/2017 13:18

only on mumsnet do small toddlers climb mountains without so much as a hair rumpled out of place and with the greatest of ease!

My thoughts exactly!

SerfTerf · 14/09/2017 13:19

I feel as though someone's mad on this thread and I can't decide if it's me. When didn't the idea set in that preschoolers mustn't walk very much? Confused

GoingRogue · 14/09/2017 13:26

No idea SerfTerf. My 3.8yr old is healthy, average weight, very active. But trying to get him to walk the 5-10 min school run is like trying to have a sensible, intelligent discussion with Donald Trump.

shhhfastasleep · 14/09/2017 13:27

No one on here says preschool ers shouldn't walk. However many answer refer to posters' specific circumstances and don't apply to all. If it had been a flat rather than visciously undulating walk for us I would have had my dd walk with the odd carry. Also my health was and is a factor.
Buggy to school suited us. It may not suit others. Dd is now 10: fit active healthy. Turns out I didn't damage her by using a buggy cos it suited us best.

SerfTerf · 14/09/2017 13:32

Yes, fair enough if you've got one that isn't keen Going, but some people sound horrified with the idea in principle.

BillywigSting · 14/09/2017 13:46

My d s could happily walk 3/4 miles a day when he's was just turned 3. 5 would have been pushing it but he probably does that just in nursery now.

He was walking by 11 months and refused his buggy entirely by the time he was 1.5. (was a bloody nightmare tbh, not a stealth boast he'd still be in it occasionally now if I had my way).

So if she's happy to do it and can do it without a fuss I don't see a problem. A buggy for winter is probably a good idea though. Miles in the wind and rain with a dead slow and stop preschooler is miserable. bitter voice of experience

Booboo66 · 14/09/2017 13:53

We're pretty active, and know some very active people, but none where 4-5 year olds are averaging 9 miles twice per week! Amazed, but in a good way!

We do this several days a week, yesterday it was 17km. My youngest DD is now 4 but it's been this way for a while. Not hiking as such but just sheer necessity and the inability to afford a car.

lisahpost · 14/09/2017 14:16

Lol

Their hair was definitely messy after climbing mountains 😂 It's was muddy dirty and at times irritating but generally they managed it physically

All except one who hated walking and still does .... and yes Booboo66 same here it was also because I didn't have a car back then so we were already walking so far that mountains were just another days walking :)

coconuttella · 14/09/2017 16:40

We do this several days a week, yesterday it was 17km.

I'm intrigued to know why you need to walk so far regularly. Are you in the middle of nowhere? Fair play though... you must all be very fit!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.