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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

How much do you let your 14mo walk when out-and-about? (As opposed to keeping him/her in buggy)

14 replies

BotBotticelli · 10/02/2014 20:16

DS is 14mo. He started walking a couple of months ago. Now he HATES going in his buggy and wants to walk everywhere.

However, he walks really slowly and is completely uncontrollable on foot....he just toddles off away from me/the buggy in the middle of the shopping centre and doesn't seem to understand or chooses not to when I say he has to hold my hand or the buggy.

Should I just give up with this walking-when-out thing until he's a bit older and can better understand that he has to stay close to me? (obviously i will still let him out to walk around the park/safe places, but it's in the streets and at the shops I am worried about).

When does it get easier/more practical for your LOs to walk alongside you when you're out?? It is just v stressful at the moment! (as is the screaming tantrum we have when we put him in the buggy, and the endless grizzling/straining to escape that he does when in the buggy).

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MegBusset · 10/02/2014 20:18

Reins are your friend :)

GingerDoodle · 10/02/2014 20:30

My DD is 17 months and walks fairly confidently but tbh last weekend was the first time I (and DH) took her out on foot for a trip to the local shop. She's pretty good at holding my hand when outside but the vast majority of time she's still in the buggy.

Original poster

BotBotticelli · 10/02/2014 20:36

Hmmm, I have got some reins...but when we tried to use them in the shopping mall a few weeks ago he just kept sitting down in the middle of the floor and howling

Maybe I will follow your lead gingerdoodle and persevere with the buggy for the time being.

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Judyandherdreamofhorses · 10/02/2014 20:40

It's awful, isn't it? Mine is 19 months now but has been a buggy hater since he started walking a few months ago. He has a cute backpack with a 'lead' attached, which is helpful, but he still wants to go wherever he fancied, obviously.

I've decided to go for the pushchair if I need to for my stress levels (DD school pick up, for example) and otherwise let him walk as much as possible.

DD was the same. I envy parents with sweet, quiet children in pushchairs...

cheerypip · 10/02/2014 20:45

I had exactly this problem a couple of months ago.

We got my then 14 month old (now 16 months old) one of those Little Life rucksacks with a lead attachment for Christmas - less restrictive than reins - he loves it - and loves being allowed to walk.

The "lead" bit has a loop that you can just put over your wrist, and then hold his/her hand as normal.

Now I don't take the buggy with me at all - we live in the countryside so drive into town (not sure if this would work if we had to walk a long way to get into town).

LittleMilla · 10/02/2014 20:47

My ds1 will be 3 in May. Since he could walk (12 months ish) we've allowed him to do so as much as possible. He's a fairly cautious lad by nature but all of my friends say how brilliant at walking he is - really is his special trick. Can take on a 2/3 mile family walk now .

He knows to wait by the curbside and won't step in the road until I'm holding his hand. To the point that I've crossed before and looked back to see him waiting for me on the other side if the road!

Really worth trying to train them early on if it's safe to do so. I'm really pleased that my little one is generally more 'streetwise' than his friends that weren't allowed to walk so much. To reiterate though, he was pretty easy to train as he's never been much of a bolter...!

naty1 · 11/02/2014 22:54

I let mine walk quite a lot.
They are a bit uncontrollable in shops.
Mine will sit down if has been walking a while and tired.
I have then had to carry back :( too heavy.
Definitely reins.

Fairylea · 11/02/2014 22:58

Ds is 19 months and started walking at about 15 months. He wants to walk all the time,non stop and will moan constantly if he has to go in the buggy even if you can tell he is exhausted and is literally falling over himself!

We find reins really good. The ones that have a secure plastic clip at the back are the best as opposed to a wrist strap or velcro attachment as they're very secure so when he falls over I can just pull him up without hurting him and if I'm quick enough I can actually prevent him falling at all.

I let him walk as much as he likes. I'm lucky in that I'm now a sahm so we are never in a rush to get anywhere really (as opposed to when I went back to work when dd was little and had nursery and work to rush to)! We usually poddle along looking at leaves and sticks. Sigh. Takes about 20 hours to get anywhere. .....

slightlyconfused85 · 12/02/2014 18:28

I have a 15 month old buggy hater. She's a good walker but gets tired easily. I think I'll have to get reins as she always runs off.

GalensOyster · 12/02/2014 18:34

I had this problem with DS. I tried to put him in his buggy but he would always managed to squirm around and grab the wheels to stop. I feared he would end up with far fewer fingers than a child ought to have and instead worked on patience. Mine. He then got steadier and sturdier and started running everywhere. I tried reins - disaster - but a harness back pack thingie with a handle to grab him by worked like a dream.

HelenHen · 14/02/2014 09:05

HelenHen · 14/02/2014 09:13

It depenDS on the kid. Ds was always a bolter so reins were our only option. Got a little life backpack too when he was about 17 months. First time we took him out he spun around in circles, screamed, fell over and generally had a horrible time! I gave up on it for a couple of weeks then tried again and it was completely different... He loved it and had a ball. Now he's 19 months and I try to get him out on it for at least half hour a day weather permitting... He absolutely loves it, I would highly recommend them. It gives him a little bit of freedom and mostly he just walks by my side anyway and never tries to get away.

HelenHen · 14/02/2014 09:15

Until he gets used to it I'd highly recommend taking him to quiet places. First time I felt utterly ashamed and embarrassed and a terrible mother. Now I'm ms cool, calm, collected and thoroughly in control of my beautiful little Angel

notso · 14/02/2014 09:28

DD was always brilliant at walking and we stopped the buggy altogether at about 20 months.

DS1 was a good but slooooowwww walker, he still is very daydreamy at 9. I had to have the buggy for speed.

DS2 is three and has walked well from about 15 months, there is only 16 months between him and DS3 he often toddled alongside the pram.
He is a bolter and a tantrummer so I like to have the buggy board or double on a long journey or if time is of the essence. He does however have the ability to walk miles, we went on a 5 mile walk he walked all the way and DN 5 went in his buggy!

DS3 22 months is a bit of a plodder and liable to just plop down and refuse to move I do't know if it is because he gets less chance to walk because of DS2 though.

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