To feel a bit judged?

[BettySwollux]

DS2 is 22 months old. He is a 'runner'. I live in a smallish village where everybody knows each other's business.
If I go to the shop, I put DS in pushchair, as a) we would never get there, b)I have shopping to carry home, c) we are going somewhere else after, d) he is tired, e) he bloody legs it.
DH sometimes takes him for a stroll while I make tea/wash the floors etc (as do I when I have time) and we let him decide the route - within reason.

More often I am getting comments such as (directed to DS) "Ooh, you'll be too big for your pushchair soon, wont you?"
"Oh, I bet you'd rather walk wouldnt you?
"Daddy lets you walk doesnt he?"

DH took him to be weighed last week while I was on a course, lady () in shop said, "How lovely you have him out today, Betty never lets him out of the buggy"

DH gave her a look and said "how ridiculous, of course she does".

I have tried reins on him, which is ok as long as you want to walk round and round the mini bus parked up the street, but head somewhere he's not keen on and he sits down, same with hand holding, he wrenches hand from mine and takes off giggling.

I am so pissed off with it now, as I get it at least a few times a week.

I also have problems from SPD when I was pg, so seize up occasionally and cant run after him, and he is quite heavy to carry.

So........AIBU to have him in the buggy? Or is it none of their fecking business?

I cant believe I havent posted on here yet. How did that happen?

I keep my kids in buggies for as long as I can. I hate it when they get to big for me to physically push. Like when their feet drag along the ground because their legs are too long .

Despite this terrible parenting all of my kids are able to walk, jump and climb at an astonishing rate.

I am not very good at walking along the road with meandering toddlers (I do have the good grace to feel guilty about that), kids running about in supermarkets etc and I always seem to leave the house just in time so the poor little buggers would be dragged along till their arms were elongated.

My OH has mobility problems too. He finds the buggy useful as a steading aid.

I knew of a mum who made a brilliant device out of a 'rollater' mobility aid and a small garden chair. She could push her older child in safety and it helped her with her walking.

OMG a unanimous AIBU!!

Loving the dark callar comeback.

the 21 month old i childmind is a runner and i tried once to walk with her from the car to the door of DS's preschool. the walk would usually be 2 minutes. i know use the buggy again.

i don't have any advice about what to say to the busybodies that make their comments, but you have my understanding!

If they say 'arent you getting too big for that now?'
Reply with 'God, no, he's still a baby, he's not 2 yet!' and just look at them s if they are crazy

I'm surprised anyone would think 22 months is too old for a buggy! Its the norm as far as Im concerned

The thing that annoys me is people who don't know you are too quick to judge, a couple of years ago my friend bought a buggy for her 7 year old dd (shock horror), the reason being she was a few weeks away from having major heart surgery and was struggling to walk to the end of the street without getting very tired, naturally a buggy was the simplest option to save the poor child from having to drain her energy walking everywhere, unfortunately there were many comments received calling her daughter lazy "that child should be able to walk long distances by herself" type of thing. IMO people who see a 7 yr old in a buggy without realising that there must actually be a genuine reason are just ignorant and narrow minded.