3 year old too old for pushchair?

[ItsaStupidSillyThing]

Hi, I have a child who is over 3, she is a confident walker and sturdy so I rarely use the pushchair. We walk everyday to nursery just the two of us, but after nursery she gets tired. I also have my slightly older dc and together we all have to cross some very busy dangerous roads without crossings on the way back. I find it easier to put my tired 3 year old in the pushchair so I can hold my other child's hand and pushchair handle as we go across the busy roads. Most of the parents at the school bring a car, or they have a younger child, so their 3 year old stands on a buggy board.
AIBU to use the pushchair just for the way home? I have encountered some eye rolls and stares from other parents, teachers, sly comments etc.
I would also love recommendations on an alternative to the pushchair. I don't know if a trike with seatbelt/bars would be too young? I want something where dd can have a rest but also pedal or scoot (and most importantly safe for main road where I could push her across while keeping older dc safe at the same time!

My 3yo is still in a buggy on the school run. She will walk short distances E.g. the 10 minute walk to her swimming lesson and back but the school run is too much for her. It's a 1.5 mile round trip, uphill one way and she'd half to do it twice a day, plus whatever walking we've done during the day to various places. I sometimes let her walk home from school as we're not on a time deadline and to help her build stamina, but she's small for her age so I don't have the time to let her walk (it doubles the time it takes!) when I'm rushing to get there for drop off/pick up.
Baby #3 arrives in summer so she'll be onto a buggy board by then, but if she wasn't I'd be encouraging her to walk more of it during the summer months when it's not so cold and wet, so I have more patience for her snails pace 😅

Surprised you’ve encountered so much hostility towards it to be honest, pretty normal at my kid’s nursery to be using a buggy at 3. It’s in a city though and very few people pick up by car - maybe that affects attitudes. Ignore anyone who is judging you and then only walking as far as their parked car!

'I have a 4yo and a 6yo. Both have been on balance bikes / scooters since the age of 2. Their nursery was 1.5 miles away. Yes, there were roads on that 1.5 mile stretch - not sure how you’d qualify dangerous, we’re in a city so not motorways but also not just suburban quiet streets.'

The roads in question are next to a busy roundabout on the edge of a motorway. Cars come from different directions, have form not to indicate, change lane last minute, use wrong lane etc. It is an absolute nightmare. Dd has only just started nursery in January so gets tired in afternoon meaning she would happily walk some if way then need carried. I want to use something with a push handle that is safe. Atm it's the pushchair. Others that do cross with young dc (older than dd) carry scooters while holding child's hand. This won't work for me with two.

I still use my buggy for the 3yo, my 4yo has sen and frankly i cant carry them both! I find the 4yo standing on the buggy board helps avoid sensory overload, my 3yo isnt keen on sitting in the buggy but she's a bit of a runner and i need to keep my sanity!

Lots of people drive to our school but unlike everyone else i dont park on the road outside creating chaos but a car park some distance away!

Eh? I use the pushchair for my over 3 year old loads. Are you sure you’re not over worrying? Why on earth should it matter? You’ve just explained why you do it.

@ItsaStupidSillyThing

use the buggy!! Ignore any eye rolls. It's MUCH safer, especially when your older one (with autism) needs careful supervision too!! if your eldest runs off, has a meltdown, anything, the youngest is safely strapped in the buggy, one less worry

Plus you can make it cosy on these cold nights.

I have an 8-year-old and a dog and have managed to keep the 3 alive so far! We live in a rural village so she rides on the pavement and at times on the road next to me, and on cycle paths. There are no crossings/traffic lights.

I’m not buggy-bashing - but it works for us and may do for you. My girls are both “good” and don’t dash off in a suicidal manner, so you’d need to consider that. I’m just delighted to be getting the space back that the massive off-road buggy takes up in the porch.

I used our pushchair until DS was 4 and it broke. Luckily around the same time as his birthday when he got a scooter I could pull him on. He'll be 5 soon as I pull him to and from school (just over 1 mile both ways).

It is a 3style scooter from Amazon. It folds up and it really easy to pull a child on! Not overly heavy either so if you have to bring it home, it isn't a big deal.

Absolutely perfect for crossing a dangerous road!

I used a pushchair for DD until she was 4. (We had a tandem pushchair so DS - then 1- was also in it) Sometimes time limitations or her just being tired meant it was easier.

I'm OK with anyone judging me for it

Keep on doing what you're doing. My friend used to put her three year old in a pushchair and scurry down to pick up his five year old brother from school. He was a slowcoach and his little legs got tired plus there was a busy road so it was safer for my friend to have him strapped in and hold his brother tightly by the hand. The only problem was that he'd drag his feet on the ground and scuff his shoes to buggery.

She said people did give her looks but I bet they didn't do it more than once. She's fierce. Be more her and do what you and your little girl like.

BTW he's about 35 now and a father himself and you'd never know he was in a pushchair at three. I think it was about four to be honest.

We used a buggy for waaaaay longer as once out of the buggy we needed a wheelchair.

people do judge, we got a lot of comments, although my dd was tiny looking so not til she was quite a lot older. She was 7 when we had to give it up as she didn’t fit.

we were very restricted after that as she doesn’t like the way people treat her when she’s out in her wheelchair so long days out etc were off the cards.

all you can do is train yourself (and your kids) not to give a fuck what ignorant strangers think

The people who judge are often the car users.
Not an issue at all.

A balan e bike isn't safe across busy roads tho. Whilst your child might scoot calmly at your side, most 3 yos have an impulsive streak and it wouldn't take much for them to just stop as you're crossing the road, to vere off course, etc. We only have a mile so mine can def walk it, but there's one big roads full of lorries, one with the ambulance station and fire station at the end and a very big junction joining those roads with the one to the McDonald's. If one pelts and one stops, I'd be fucked. Until I can trust they won't, they're in the buggy whilst I've got two 3 yos on my own

OP didn’t say the child never walks, but that they are tired after a day in nursery. With the child in a buggy they all get home safely and quickly. Plenty of time for building up stamina on other occasions.

Plenty of time for building up stamina on other occasions.

Well quite! You don’t see teenagers in buggies just because they’ve failed to build up stamina when they were 3 years old!

Why do you care what anyone else thinks? Do what suits you.

I’m really surprised so many people manage to get rid of the buggy so soon.
I was still using the double every day this summer and the eldest is year one! He does have additional needs.
My two and half year old is still in the buggy because with the eldest’s issues I can’t cope with two of out at once!
If we are going on a very long walk or there’s likely to be overload my eldest I get the double back out and if people criticise they can try it for a bit and see if they can cope!

Keep using the buggy, it’s cost effective because you’ve already got it and much greener

I used buggy until dd started school. I don't drive and it would have been very difficult without it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 3 year old using a pushchair. Do what works for your and your family and ignore the looks.

'A balan e bike isn't safe across busy roads tho. Whilst your child might scoot calmly at your side, most 3 yos have an impulsive streak and it wouldn't take much for them to just stop as you're crossing the road, to vere off course, etc. We only have a mile so mine can def walk it, but there's one big roads full of lorries, one with the ambulance station and fire station at the end and a very big junction joining those roads with the one to the McDonald's. If one pelts and one stops, I'd be fucked. Until I can trust they won't, they're in the buggy whilst I've got two 3 yos on my own'

@SleepingStandingUp this is exactly my issue, I couldn't risk my 3 year old being left free in scooter, balance bike etc, she is a rascal and stubborn despite understanding danger and no etc. If you even stand too close to the edge to cross a car could clip you, really dangerous. She would have to be strapped in trike with handle or similar. I'll just keep pushchair I think until she is abit older and faster across the road. My 5 year old is very sensible with roads and with everything but a slow walker and has autism (meaning if his shoe is bothering him or similar he can randomly just stop) so this doesn't help matters, I couldn't let him loose either and have his hand. The road is when we are almost home toi so it is on the later part of the journey from school, and when dd is at her tiredest.

What about a trike that you can push?

Use the pram as needed; that is what they are for.

Mum used the pram with my brother and me as needed as she did not drive and needed to walk us; brother in the silvercross pram and me aged 3 perched on top was much easier for her. I used to sit on the ground and say " I can't walk" Also brother was a bolter once he was on his feet so having him strapped in the stroller was for the best.

OP just put her in the pushchair and ignore other people. I’ve had a six year old, in school uniform, in my pushchair for perfectly good reasons and I could not give less of a monkeys what people think about it. Your top priority is to keep your kids safe, you’re doing that, so carry on.

No nor me...