To bring a pushchair for a 5 yo on holiday?

[Fancycrab]

I’m going on holiday with my 5 and a half year old soon. It’s just the two of us, it’s going to be 30+ degrees most days, and some days are going to involve a lot of walking, sometimes in busy, crowded cities. I know this is going to trigger a LOT of whining, crying and constant requests to be carried. And generally make her tired and grumpy. The places we’ll be walking are places I know she’ll love but she’ll hate all the walking in the heat. I still have her old Yoyo buggy, it’s super light and compact. Would I BU to bring it? She’s tall for her age and weighs around 21kg, would it be hard work pushing her? Would she even still fit? (I haven’t tried yet as the buggy’s at my mum’s and I can’t get it back till the day before we go). Any advice much appreciated!

A sense of shame, if nothing else..

Test it out at home? Take her to town on the bus?

I was going to say this. We had a strap for my sons scooter, I used to pull him when he got tired. He wouldn't have got in a pushchair again once he stopped using it regularly.

When my DCs were young - 12, 10 and 5 1/2 we took a trip to London. Took a Maclaren umbrella fold buggy for the youngest. Good job we did; otherwise, we would have never got to see anything and would have had constant moaning about how far it was and how her feet hurt. Got her into London Zoo free because she was small and they thought she was under 5! I'd say not too old for a buggy if it makes your life easier and the child is fine with it and fits in it.

Personally not sure what's with all the buggies, healthy children walk and run. Our youngest twins 3 and then a 4 and 5 and up all walk and run about with us all day. At 5 there not babies anymore not need day naps etc so no reason they can't trot about. We've just got back from Malta had a lovely fortnight

I just really hope you have posted and got input from lots of responders all who will explain why you are not being treated with the care you deserve.

We used buggies at that age for holidays.

I would happily take one for my 5 year old I mean she’s 4 currently but if I went on holiday next year I’d happily take one to make my life and her life easier. She went in one at 3 years old.

I wouldnt for mine of the same age but depends on a few things - 1) would they go in it? Mine would throw a fit about it being for babies and I’d have a moaning kid still walking and be pushing a buggy. 2) as others have said, where are you going? Buggy’s with cobbles and hills are hard. Add a kid at top weight and 30 degree heat and you may kill yourself! If it’s that sort of situation I’d personally accept I have to do a bit less walking and see less for the overall happiness of the holiday. I’d also recommend a foldable booster seat and uber where needed!

Personally I wouldn’t want to be pushing a buggy with a 21kg child plus bags, water bottles etc. in 30+ degrees.

I think you’d be better trying to adapt the itinerary tbh. I took mine away solo at that age but I stuck to all inclusive resorts with pools, slides and a beach so that there was minimal walking and none of the stress of managing a tired hot whiny child whilst trying to find the right direction/bus/money in an unfamiliar place. Yes, it’s not the most exciting holiday in the world but he found loads of other kids to play with and I at least got to relax a bit! Save the more adventurous stuff for when they’re old enough to enjoy it with you.

Do it but I would look at getting a second hand city mini jogger.. it is one hand fold so easy to fold when out and about .. and a lot of space for that age.

Yoyo for a 5 1/2 yo is madness. Sorry.
It won't fit and it will be hard work to handle on uneven streets.

What about public transportation?

Bring or hire one it’s hot little ones aren’t used to it, I hired one one hubby thought my just turned 3 yearold wouldn’t need one even though I wanted one for my son and it was very much needed. They are little they got hot and fall asleep it’s much needed personally for them x

If I told my 5 year old DS, who weighs less than your DD, to get in a buggy he’d burst out laughing and assume I was playing a joke on him.

It’s a ridiculous suggestion and if I saw a child that size in one I’d assume it was due to disability.

If a 5 year old has mobility issues you need an urgent appointment with a specialist not a buggy.

Why not. When we went to Disney when kids were young we used the villa’s pushchair for then 6yr old. When you’re on your own too harder to carry them and belongings. Heat makes a difference too, and can stay out a bit later.

We are just back from holiday with DD almost 5 and we rented one. It was the best decision we made! Shes tall too and fitted perfectly.

The height will be fine as she can stick her feet on the bottom bit so they don’t drag. And pushing may be slightly hard work but I manage with a child the same weight. You’ll know already that a Yoyo isn’t great ‘off road’ so as long as you’re okay with that, go for it!

Good lord. This is why we have an obesity crisis in children.

Children can walk. They should be fit and active at primary age. I might not expect them to scale Ben Nevis but I would anticipate they could potter around on holiday

If it's 30 degrees then no one is comfortably going on a hike so it's self limiting to a level that a child can walk. Sadly I'm assuming most of these push chair using children are simply not used to going for a walk..

Edited to add I attached the wrong quote

DD was in her Out n About pushchair until she was 5, in similar situations. It was easy to push and move about.

Went to Disney and took a buggy for my three year old- which was the right call as he napped in it a lot. However he is about 19kg . That and the bags on the pram etc just left me with a really bad back from pushing it round !!

How much walking do you normally do OP? This post shows it's about what children are used to - I'm not being snarky but I wouldn't consider 10,000 steps a big walking day at all as I know my children do that on normal school days. Sometimes they scoot/cycle but they've been perfectly able to walk it since 4. But children are very different in their walking abilities, as any school trip will show you.

Just taken our bugaboo butterfly to Portugal with our 4.5 year old. Only used it for the airports as they were middle of the night flights so he slept. He looked massive in it and he’s very much “average joe” for size.

This exactly.

There would be no ways my 5 year old would have even contemplated this.

But I also feel the same about 4 year old children who are still in nappies.

I honestly think parents try to keep children as babies far too much these days. But i suppose t is easier to just go along with what you have done for the last 4/5 years than enforce change.

I am from another country, if I saw a child this age in a pram or indeed in a nappy, I was just automatically assume it was due to a disability.

Where are you going? If its a Southern European city with cobbled streets/lots of steps/not a lot of lifts for the Metro it will honestly be more of a hindrance than a help.

Also you may find people are constantly asking you why she is in the buggy and she might get embarrassed.

she kept having to sit in the base of the pushchair because her feet were hurting her.

What's with the number of children who complain about their feet hurting? Aren't they wearing suitable, properly fitted shoes?

Wouldn't have thought being in the buggy would be much fun for the child. In a crowded street she'll see a lot of people's legs and not much else. She won't be able to move about freely to look in shop windows or whatever. She'll have her back to op so it won't be easy to have a conversation.