AIBU to ask - how do you lug stuff about after DC have outgrown a buggy?

[AndAnotherUsername]

Younger DC has just outgrown the buggy and we are struggling to come to terms with the practicalities of lugging stuff around!

Can no longer easily go to the shop after kids’ pickups, as then would have to carry heavy shopping as well as nursery bag+school bag+lunch bag and hold kids‘ hands.

It’s a pain to carry the football with us so they can no longer have a quick kickabout through park on way home.

No longer take them out with scooters as no longer have the buggy to plop them on top of once abandoned.

If going out and it’s warm but it’s going to rain later, do you carry 4 coats with you in a massive bag?

Bottle of water, spare clothes in case of accidents, pottete, football boots if going to football class, snacks, picnic blanket if going for walk at the weekend, allergy meds... all these add up in weight to carry.

I miss the buggy so much! I loved being able to bring everything we might need comfortably, and go out walking locally for a few hours incorporating multiple locations and activities.

Did you find your lifestyle changed a lot post-buggy? Am I missing any obvious solutions?

YABU - This is a non-issue
YANBU - I feel your pain

@AndAnotherUsername

I guess rucksacks will be the solution, and we will probably make more, separate, specific trips out, e.g. go out to play football, then back home, go straight to shops and back etc.

We have got more into bulk shopping with lockdown anyway but are not organised enough to not need the shop most days

Can you do home delivery of groceries? There is a small delivery fee but it takes the stress out of managing (multiple?) shopping trips with kids.

Shopping trollies and wheeled crates (often called teacher or car crates) are your way forward - once you've strolled home with 40kg of stuff in one for the first time, you'll wonder why you didn't do it years ago.

Why are you carrying kids bags and lunch boxes?
They should be carrying their own stuff.

I’ve discovered a whole set of wheelie things I didn’t know existed like the festival carts and teacher crates. Not found a perfect one for wheeling about town though.

It’s not an impossible hurdle to carry everything (shared between us all) but still does seem an inconvenience.

For big trips in winter I agree (but more likely to take a buggy, even if just to cart stuff round) but generally, I've not used a pram even with 2 under 2 - usually one or both are in a sling. We take the minimum, often don't take spare outfits etc, stuff packed in really well, and they have their own little backpacks.

Get your child a backpack, problem solved. One for you, one for each child, and you can transport a lot!

ITA with pp - a rucksack for me and DH, and a rucksack, they could choose for all their own stuff! I also bought them waterproofs that folded into their own integral bumbag!