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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To still use buggy for 3 year old DD?

334 replies

pennypineapple · 23/07/2019 19:58

DD goes to nursery four days per week. She turned 3 in April.

We recently bought her a scooter, which she loves. But at the end of the day at pick up she often says she is too tired to ride it and we have tears and tantrums and her demanding to be carried all the way home.(Due to our working patterns, 90% of the time DH does drop off and I do pick up so it's me who gets the pleasure of this).

The walk home from nursery is just under half a mile and there is no way I can carry DD, my work bag and the scooter so the journey home is torturous.(Just to add to the fun I'm also pregnant!)

I think we should reintroduce the buggy. DH is adamant that DD is too old and points out that very few of her peers use a buggy now, they all walk or use scooters (and he is right).

I honestly don't know if I am being unreasonable or not to think that it's ok to keep using the buggy for a while longer. Is she too old? AIBU?

OP posts:
Dontforgetyourbrolly · 23/07/2019 20:28

I wish my ds would have tolerated it , he was a buggy refuser from age 2. It would have made my life so much easier especially in bad weather!
As someone else said you can introduce a buggy board when the baby comes. Or maybe put one on now and put your shopping/ work bag in the buggy ???

lljkk · 23/07/2019 20:28

All of mine were still in buggy until at least 4.5yo.
I don't accept any of the anti-buggy arguments up to that age (at least that age).

Anyone who criticises can offer to accompany your DD to places instead of you or just do one. If they don't have something helpful to say or do or think they should keep their opinions to self.

BroomstickOfLove · 23/07/2019 20:30

I don't have a car, and the pushchair still got occasional use when the children were ill/tired/travelling a long way/under time pressure until they were 5 or so. It's a lot less lazy than driving.

melissasummerfield · 23/07/2019 20:30

In the minority but I wouldn't use a buggy for a 3yo, what will you do when she is 5 and doesn't want to walk?

isadoradancing123 · 23/07/2019 20:32

If she is tired and it makes life easier why not use it, she wont be in it forever

MustardScreams · 23/07/2019 20:36

4 year olds in buggies?! No wonder there’s an obesity epidemic.

I think 3 is fine especially after nursery when they’re knackered. Just as long as it doesn’t become a crutch. Dd is 2.6 and I’m slowly weaning her off the buggy. It’s a mile walk to nursery but we have excellent public transport, so we walk there and bus home.

Cantbebotheredtogotobed · 23/07/2019 20:38

Sounds fine to me. DD (now 3) was a hardcore buggy refuser from 17 months (which is why my back is fucked). However, most of her friends still use the buggy occasionally on long days out or if their mums need to dash to pick up older siblings from school.

My mother is ridiculously judgemental about kids over two using buggies. She's also judgemental about kids over two being carried, and she insisted that DD needed a bike with pedals (which she still can't pedal very far) because she was too grown-up for a balance bike. It's easy for her to judge because, if she's out with DD, she just takes her everywhere in the car. Not so easy for those of us who have to take public transport some or most of the time.

katienana · 23/07/2019 20:44

My ds is 3 and I still use ours sometimes if he's not feeling well or he is especially tired. My dh asked if we could get rid of it, we don't use it if he's around because ds will go up on his shoulders. I said when he doesn't want to go on your shoulders anymore, we can get rid! I don't have that option so the buggy will stay a bit longer.

helpimgoingcrazyhere · 23/07/2019 20:44

Ah, they can be shattered after nursery, so I don’t think its an issue. Especially with the heat and you being pregnant.
We take the balance bike when we walk with the buggy as back up. My 3 year old can do 1-2 miles on the bike but if we are walking to/from a playdate and its 3-6 miles round trip on foot, it’s a long walk for little legs! If he gets tired, he takes a break.
Lots of people would drive that half mile. I don’t think its too different to putting them in a car seat.

Gustavo1 · 23/07/2019 20:46

I think it’s fine, if you need it. My son had a buggy board for the walk home from nursery. It was about a mile so quite a way after playing from 9-1.
Never mind about obesity epidemics and lazy kids blah blah blah. You are talking about an exceptional circumstance. Not daily use. Whatever makes it a bit easier!

Mesmeri · 23/07/2019 21:04

I think if your child doesn't mind using it, it's fine.

Mine all refused to go in the buggy after about 2 years, we used balance bikes but I always carried a scarf so I could tow them if they were tired/near heavy traffic/going uphill (mainly whilst pushing baby in buggy with the other hand).

My nephew on the other hand stayed firmly in his buggy til 5 and a half .... however, 4 years later, it makes absolutely no difference, they're all out running around/on skateboards etc.... like all these milestones it's so easy to get hung up on but really in the long term, it all pans out the same so better not to stress about it.

Tavannach · 23/07/2019 21:13

I think what's being missed out here is the habits that children acquire and the impact on children's health. If she has to walk home she'll learn how to do it and her overall health and attitude to exercise will be better because she'll be fitter.

The meltdowns will probably have as much to do with seeing you again at the end of a long day as anything to with the buggy.

DD had to walk with me from just over 2. I would just say I'd take her back inside if she wouldn't walk and hold my hand. I never had to carry out the threat. If she was really tired while we were out I would carry her but a health condition means I can't carry her for more than about 25 metres. That seemed to be enough for her to get a second wind/the reassurance she needed. We did walk slowly though to begin with. She's quicker now at 3, though still slower than I would be on my own, and can walk a fair distance without complaining.

chardonm · 23/07/2019 21:16

I would do it. What negative consequence could possibly come from using it fgs?!

Dandelion1993 · 23/07/2019 21:18

No way.

At three they're more than capable of walking. It may take a little longer after nursery but capable.

Jojobears · 23/07/2019 21:21

I use the buggy with DS when walking any distance. He’s almost 4.

Cantsleeppast3am · 23/07/2019 21:21

All these people who don't use for buggy's for 3 yo do you never venture far from home?? Seriously sometimes I cover miles, do all your toddlers happily keep up?!?

Jojobears · 23/07/2019 21:23

I’m genuinely curious as to how many
Who say 3 is too old for a buggy don’t drive.

Jojobears · 23/07/2019 21:25

And if you’re pregnant and in this heat, make life easy for yourself. You’re DH gets a day when he’s pregnant and walking home with a whiney toddler

hussandchips56 · 23/07/2019 21:26

Do what's easiest for you, my son was horrendous the term before starting school when I needed to pick DD up and used to play on it, kept wanting me to carry him so shoved him in a buggy, he still walked to school when he needed to. Was fit and active. My motto don't sweat the small stuff. It all works out in the end!

Fatted · 23/07/2019 21:26

Every child is different. My eldest abandoned the buggy and never looked back at 2.5 (to be fair his brother was in it by that time!). My youngest on the other hand is as stubborn as an old mountain goat and when he doesn't want to walk, there is no shifting him. He's 4!!

I know how knackered my DC are after a long day at school and the childminder while I'm at work. I'd say especially while you're pregnant, just let them go in buggy.

TripleTKA · 23/07/2019 21:27

what scooter does she have... if it’s a mini micro or similar style then get her to stand 2 feet on it and then you pull it along, as long as you’re not really tall they are usually about the right height to pull along without having to stoop.

If not i would just use the buggy, we still take ours on holiday or on long trips and occasionally after nursery

vasillisa · 23/07/2019 21:30

Use the buggy. I got flack from bus driver once when DS was about 3 or 4 . However, its not his call. No one knew then that I was ill and DS was mildly disabled. Even if neither of those was the case, would still use buggy if the child is tired out after nursery and has a walk to do. She will soon grow out of it and I'm sure she gets lots of exercise at other times. Make life easy for yourself, you have a lot on your plate.

JADS · 23/07/2019 21:30

Use the buggy! My ds was in one until he was nearly at primary school. Granted he has SEN, but I got a good deal of judgement from a friend whose children all walked every where from 18 months.

Difference was I walked everywhere and she drove the majority of the time Hmm

I got my come uppance with ds2 who was a buggy refuser from 16 months. We would walk everywhere sloooowly. I had to train him up with the scooter pretty quick. Fortunately he took to it, but I have found a lot of children hate the sensation at first and struggle with balance.

YANBU.

Doboopedoo · 23/07/2019 21:31

Have you got a trike you can push her on? We used to use that as DD loved the fact she was pedalling, absolutely nothing wrong with still using the buggy though!

Tavannach · 23/07/2019 21:33

@Cantsleeppast3am

About a mile before we stop for a coffee or a sit down/play in the park. We're in London so lots of buses, trains and tube for longer distances.
One of the reasons I wanted her to walk was the way the buggy spots on the buses are full round about school coming out time.
We don't drive because we don't have a car - no need in inner London.

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