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Original poster

taming 2 year olds walking when out and about - help please!

9 replies

mumsgonemad123 · 08/12/2011 22:32

i have twin boys who are coming up 2 and a half, they have been walking since 11 months old. We are well passed the age of the buggy now really, i can count on one hand the number of times i have used the buggy in the last three months. They just want to walk walk walk everywhere, but i have zero control over them sometimes. They just wont walk steadily alongside me and hold my hands. one runs ahead, one lags behind, they will zig zag all over the place and are generally a bit wild. They hate reins and reins are not easy to manage with two anyway.

Yet i see other toddlers similar age who are way more calm and steady and will happily hold hands and walk alongside. Of course these are single children and not twins!! Someone remarked to me the other day about how they 'trained' their toddler when he first started walking. With twins that early toddler stage, around 12 to 18 months is soooo different and so hard, you basically cant go anywhere busy with them on your own so am wondering the situation i now find myself in is because i have missed the boat a year ago as they didnt get the experience of walking around in certain environments. Even with my hubbie with me its still such hard work. We went to look at tellys in currys today as we are wanting a new one for xmas, we only wanted 5 minutes in the store for a quick look and it was a bloody nightmare, they were just wild, its quite embarrassing to have zero control over yr children!!!

What i really want to know is an idea of when toddlers start to settle down a bit and stop running away lol! i cant believe they seem to have no stranger anxiety or fear of getting lost or separated from us. they would just be away and be gone given half the chance!!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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PosiesOfPoinsettia · 08/12/2011 22:41

Reigns or wrist bands. I have a run off child, he's now three but we worked on boundaries and instruction. Stop at the gate, up to the red car when he's on his scooter, if he didn't do it he would have to walk and hold my hand, if he wouldn't hold my hand I would hold his wrist.

AngelsfromtherealmsofgloryDog · 08/12/2011 22:55

I think lots of it is personality rather than training. My almost-two-year-old gets upset and worried as soon as I let go of his hadn. He's had bad separation anxiety though since about 7 m.o.

My friends with 2.5 year old hooligans twin boys use reins and a double pushchair with success.

hardboiledpossum · 09/12/2011 15:03

Make them hold you hand. If you're on the way to the park and they refuse then just go right back home. If you ask them to stop running and they don't listen then they have to hold your hand for two minutes, carry on doing this until they learn.

MrsDobalina · 09/12/2011 20:07

Um I actually think its deeply impressive you have all but ditched the buggy.. I still take a buggy option for the 2.6yr old as he's a chaotic bolter and I can't IMAGINE having 2 of him at once! (Weirdly, he rather likes being in the pushchair and often chooses it over walking, maybe it's a comfort thing?)

NotJustForClassic · 09/12/2011 20:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mumsgonemad123 · 12/12/2011 23:14

thanks everyone for yr replys. have got little life backpacks already! i think they look great but they are not a good fit on my boys and irritate their necks

OP posts:
Soccermom2 · 12/12/2011 23:42

I feel you pain and embarrassment. I have boys 11 months apart (oldest is 2.11, youngest 2 next week). Luckily ds2 doesnt mind the buggy too much so will bring a single one a lot of the time. I bought wrist straps for each of them. they are easier to manage then normal reigns and boys have more freedom with them. If they are both walking they either have to wear them or they have to hold hands with eachother (they cant run fast when holding hands). If one makes a break for it he is on strap for a few minutes, when he can walk nicely beside me he is allowed free!

It is a whole different ball game having two toddlers so ignore the stares (wish i could take my own advice)

Some days i just die of embarrassment in the local shops, were like a travelling circus.

Im having awful trouble getting them to listen to me lately, not just out walking but at home too Sad

Firawla · 12/12/2011 23:52

If they don't walk nicely I would make them go in the buggy or reins, they are old enough to understand that choice of either walk nicely or buggy/reins, so use it as a deterrant that if they really dont want the buggy or reins, then they need to walk properly? Or if they keep running off and dont listen then you have to grip their hand tightly and hold on to them. I have to do this from time to time with my 3 yr old if he gets silly when walking. Okay they wont like it, but they do need to learn to walk safely, for their own sakes.
It may be just the easy way out but i think i would be just keeping them in the buggy if they are not walking properly and are not under control.
I don't have twins but I have a nearly 2 yrs and a 3 yr old, and I dont really let the 2 yr old walk as it would be difficult with both of them walking as the 2 yr old doesnt have the common sense to walk properly, so until he does he will have to stay in the buggy

MrsJangleBalls · 13/12/2011 00:05

My 2yo dd was a bit of a bolter and even now still likes to be independent but she is suddenly going through a phase of wanting to hold my hand all the time.

Hang in there. It will pass. But if you're really worried chuck them in the buggy. Who will care?

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