Hiking with baby and toddler

[Dreamingsleeper]

We’ve been invited to participate in a hiking ‘challenge’ for my DH’s mum’s 65th birthday. It’s a mountain she’s always wanted to climb and they’re making a weekend of it. However she’s shown us the route and it’s about 9 miles with lots of ups and downs and she estimates it’ll take 5 hours. Pre-children, my husband and I would’ve found this absolutely fine but I’m thinking that this is way too far for a 10 month old and a 2 year old. I’d have to wear the baby in a sling and I already struggle to carry him for long periods because he’s a big boy (in the loveliest way!). My toddler would walk for maybe 30 minutes before tiring and want to be carried in a backpack before complaining that she was uncomfortable for the next 4 hours. Then factoring in that we’d have to carry enough food / water for 4 people for 5 hours and no toilet for potty-training toddler…I’m just thinking it’s not doable? My DH is keen to give it a go but I have visions of being stranded on a mountain with baby and toddler in simultaneous meltdown with no food and water whilst putting on a brave face for the in-laws. Am I being too negative?!

Would it be unreasonable to chicken out and take the kids for a short walk and hot chocolate instead?! I don’t want to disappoint the family but I’m already breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought of it.

You couldn't pay me enough in the world to give that a go!!

Oh fuck no, happy birthday to your MIL and all but nope nope nope.

Just to add - my MIL is lovely and would totally understand but I was wondering whether I was being a wimp…?!

Of course yanbu! This Is the worst idea in the world and I can’t believe it’s been suggested and have have actually considered it.

The worst idea I've heard in ages. Either leave the kids with someone else or try and meet them for the final mile/half mile

It takes us about nine hours to do the 100-yard walk to the park because the toddler needs to look at a stick or lie down on the pavement or talk to a cat. You’ll be up there for days. You’ll have to eat the sling and poo on rocks. You’ll be on the news.

I'd have loved that and I have twins. We did have 2 very good backpack carriers tho and they were comfortable to carry until they were 3.5 years old.

What mountain? I wouldn't do Ben Nevis or anything too exposed.

You would be absolutely insane to attempt that.

I sincerely doubt your family are expecting you to!

We're keen walkers but I'd say no on account of the toddler. Mine could manage around 2hrs in a back carrier before being getting cold and bored, and all the others we used to walk with were similar. They were all well used to being carried and fairly hardy to the weather but after 2hrs it was just too much. Surely no one really expects the children to attend?

I love fell walking. This idea is fucking nuts though!

Christ on a bike no chance. I liked hiking, pre kids, I happily did short (an hour) flat-ish walks with kids in a variety of front carrier, back carrier etc up to about age 4. Now they are too big to carry they moan and walk but not v far (age 8 and 5).

But this suggestion would get a hell no from me.

We’ve been invited to participate in a hiking ‘challenge’ for my DH’s mum’s 65th birthday.

Dear God. You lost me at the first sentence….and that’s before you mentioned the small children. Let them get on with it….

I wouldn’t consider this. Nope. Not a chance. Not even with one child let alone two.
Stay at the bottom and wave them off? Meet them at the end and cheer them at the finish?

I hike all the time with 1 year old. Up mountains, in snow, etc.
I wouldn’t do this. Way too long.

Is there not another route you can do together a different day that’s 1 hr max each way with a nice cafe/ pub/ restaurant in the middle to eat at and play area for kids.

Also just to say mine loved being in the back pack for hours as well. We'd regularly do 8ish miles most weekends and longer ones when away.

@burritofan

It takes us about nine hours to do the 100-yard walk to the park because the toddler needs to look at a stick or lie down on the pavement or talk to a cat. You’ll be up there for days. You’ll have to eat the sling and poo on rocks. You’ll be on the news.

Wise words.

Oh hell no!! I have kids of similar ages and the thought of it is bringing me out in a cold sweat. It would be fun for absolutely none of you.

We did a 10 km hike in the mountains in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago, DH carried 3.5 year old 12.5 kg DS in the Deuter backpack the whole way. I carried a backpack with change of clothes for DS and wet weather gear and other essentials for all of us. We’re pretty fit and hike regularly and we were definitely ready for a beer and a rest at the end. If you don’t do this regularly and your children aren’t used to being in a back pack particularly for long periods, I really would forget it.

YANBU and I am a hill walker. Let your husband go alone.

No way. If it's a proper hill walk, that will take adults 5 hours, you'd need to about double it with the kids.

It's fine to do shorter, non-challenging walks / hills but even your use of the word 'challenge' makes it clear it's not this.

I think small DC can cope with hill walks, with carriers obv, but you need to allow loads of dawdling time, IMO. That's not what this walk is about.

I think DH should go & you hang out with the kids. There'll be a time when you'll be easily able to do these walks again together, just not this one!

@burritofan this is totally my toddler too. We can’t walk down the street without her stopping to pick up gravel / pine cones / dead leaves and hoarding them in her pockets - we’d never make it off the mountain

There is a risk to carrying tots and babies in backpacks if you trip and fall.

I was always in awe of parents striding along with kids in those backpack things (as I was red face and puffing up hill with day sack )

@burritofan

It takes us about nine hours to do the 100-yard walk to the park because the toddler needs to look at a stick or lie down on the pavement or talk to a cat. You’ll be up there for days. You’ll have to eat the sling and poo on rocks. You’ll be on the news.

Brilliant 🤣🤣🤣