Directional control of toddlers

[rattling]

I have 18 month old twins who walk fairly confidently now - already a bit vague about when they started, but around 14/15 months I think?

Anyway, we took them out for a walk for the first time yesterday and it didn't go very well.

Obviously they have been allowed to walk before - they charge about at home, playgroups, nursery and parks, but as it is rare to have both parents around at a sensible going out time usually one of us takes them there in the pram where we release them. Yesterday we took one each and tried to walk them out of the flat and down a very short quiet road to a path leading to the park. 45 minutes of cajoling, gentle leading and a bit of pulling and carrying got us just onto the path when it was really about time to come back for lunch.

Is this total lack of directional control usual at this age - or have we failed to train them by never taking them out like this? I didn't expect them to trot along at our heels - and I loved that they stopped to explore everything. I did think though that we could make slow progress in the general direction we wanted without constantly heading the opposite way or stropping over not being able to head into other peoples gardens or pull peeling paint off gates.

Advice please - how to make this easier, or when to expect it to get easier.

Have you tried reins?

Very normal IME.

We have reins, although that doesn't solve any sit-down protests. I usually take the double buggy or else we wouldn't get anywhere before midnight. Mine are 2 and almost 4 and bolters.

haha reins! excellent swings when you're 1. (sorry bitter experience)

Rattling if you are lucky it gets better when they hit 2. Some people manage the lovely serene family walks - we never did.

However although mine are a bit pram bound till they were near 3 for getting to places, with training they were all walking everywhere by 3 1/2. Since I dont have a car that does mean they walk everywhere. So it does get better.

It does stop the sit down protests with DD, she is as light as a feather so I pick her up and tuck her under my arm [hgrin].

She is 3.2 now though so usually I just put the reins in my bag and tell her she's going on them if she doesn't behave.

Perfectly normal though rattling. It's the first time, so why wouldn't they want to explore?

You could try wrist reins I found they worked better with my DS and my mum found twins on reins impossible whereas the wrist reins meant they were attached to her hand rather than having to cling on IYSWIM.

It is perfectly normal for them to be like this for a while, it is a pain but it's a whole new thing for them can you imagine the excitement? :)

It will get better and you will gradually get used to it too so everyone will cope better!

Completely normal for our household. You want them to walk in one direction, they go the other.... It carries on for months and months and months.

Another vote for wrist reins here...my twins are almost 2 and whilst it is still a bit hairy at times, it is a lot easier!

DD is the same age. Reins went very badly. She ran to the end of the length dived into the floor when she couldn't go any further, and had a massive tantrum.

Every time.

I think I am going back to the pushchair for a while TBH! Definately would not have the patience with two of them behaving like this. Very sympathetic! But no solutions sadly.

Yep, sounds pretty usual. I had twin reins for mine - they come with a belt and two attachemnts, so you don't have to hold anything with your hand to keep them both safe. Loved mine.

My dts are now 2y5m and are pretty good about going the right direction - had a stint of dt2 running off but kept explaining and then strapping her back in the buggy / putting her in the sling and she's got the hang again of waiting wehre I say or going the right way.

Hang on in there - I recommend some walks where you have no time limits and then others take a fall back position - so bring the buggy and then strap in if they won't go along with you after some warnings.

I'm glad to hear it gets better - DS is just 2 and still like this. DH left the buggy at nursery one Friday and it was a nightmare getting through the weekend without it. We're a 2 mile walk from town and there were so many times of sitting down, lying down, insisting on walking the other way, or just insisting that we carry him.

Reins are good for stopping him bolting, but he hates walking along with you holding on and short of physically dragging him along the ground they don't make him walk the right way.

I've been taking him out on short walks for 7-8 months now, so it's not even the novelty value!

Thanks so much for all the responses. Don't worry - I wasn't planning to dump the pram anytime soon, but I am surrounded by parks so it would be lovely to occasionally get out without it.

We do have reins, but can only see them as ever being a safety aid, rather than a directional one (did come in handy to stop them sitting down in puddles a couple of times - must buy some waterproof trousers).

I think we will make more effort to take them out when we have time - and my parents have them once a week, I'm sure they can take them round the block now and again. I like the idea it may start to get easier at about 2, that doesn't seem too far away.