How do I encourage my 3 yr old to give up the pushchair?

[NottsMum]

My DD is VERY attached to her pushchair and 9 times out of 10 prefers to ride than walk. The problem is that DD2is due end of August and of course she'll need the pushchair then. I want to encourage DD1 to walk over the next 3 months - any tips for this? But I realise there will be occasions after DD2 is born when DD1 will be needing / throwing tantrums if she can't go in it. I can't really see how she's going to suddenly stop wanting her pushchair altogether and I'm really not sure what to do. I've read the various threads about twin / tandem pushchairs and the main issue for me is that DD1 is no lightweight so either type will be a nightmare to push (esp. the tandem type), I don't want a buggy board because of it causing bad posture and as I chipped a vertebrae skiing 4 years ago I don't want to aggravate it (though I've been lucky enough for it to have healed 100% and only on the odd occasion it has given me backache). I also saw someone with a baby and 3yr oldish boy with a buggy board on a M&P pushchair like mine and it looked a nightmare. She looked knackered and her posture was terrible! So, has anyone got any ideas of what I should do?

TIA

BTW, I should add that I LOVE the E3 but DH has put his foot down about getting one. He reasonably (sigh) reckons that DD2 will not get much use out of it but I'm convinced we'll need something for a while as there will be times when DD2 will be too tired to walk.

Can you put it away over the summer 'because it's summer and we don't use them in the summer'? I got my dd1 walking everywhere when she was just over 2, because I was pregnant again, so it can be done. Probably better to have the no-pushchair strops now rather than after baby arrives!

Try going out for short walks without it- either to a favoured destination, or dd might like wandering with no particular destination just exploring along the way (when I've done this with ds1 he's often surprised me with how far he's walked!) You might then get pestered to be 'carried' though, especially on the way home. When that happens to me, sometimes I jsut explain that I can't carry him, sometimes I try singing a 'marching' song or counting steps, sometimes we play chasing games, or I invent something interesting he might see further up the path - anything just to distract him into moving a bit further under his own steam! Ds1 is two and a half btw, but we've been in the habit of walking to and from the park (maybe 10 minutes walk each way) since I was heavily pg with ds2 (who is now 6 months).
I've found it too difficult to persuade him to walk against his will when we have the buggy with us, so think the only solution is maybe to put it away for a while.

Also, will you be using the same puschair for dd2? If so that's another argument for putting it away now so that dd1 doesn't feel the baby has taken 'her' pushchair!
imo a three year old could be doing quite a lot of walking if they are used to it - depends if you tend to do a lot of long walks or shopping trips with the buggy (but that might change anyway with dd2s arrival).

Dino, I do think small kids can walk a bit further than we sometimes assume. DD1 had to learn to walk back from her childminder with me (I couldn't drive at the time, and I still don't have the car during the week). It's near on half a mile. And in fact over last summer she walked there, and back, every day.

I sound like a real athlete vile bullying mum, I'm honestly not.

Another tactic - hurrah, constructive advice, remembered something! - is a doll's buggy for her to push while walking beside you.

DD is 3y3m and it is only recently that she's been reliable about going without her buggy. Could you start by "forgetting" the buggy on trips to the shops and then move on from there?

I needed my Dd2 to start walking when i was expecting Ds. She was 2 1/2 so i just started by letting her walk to the shops or to pick her sister up from school. Once she had been doing this for a month or so i chucked her buggy out. I told her it was broken, and she accepted that.
It's harder in winter or especially when it's raining.

MI's idea is brilliant

Well, it does rather depend on your individual three year old. My son is truly incapable of walking long distances yet (three in sept) he is hopelessly unathletic, genuinely incapable of running like other kids (I am staggered when I meet kids his age who run, kick balls etc) can't manage steps, and just sits down on the ground when he can't go on - not in a defiant way at all. I am resigned to keeping a pushchair for a good while longer. I agree with having a sling for the baby for the first few months and at least a buggy board for emergencies. You don't have to use it all the time but there will probably be times when you really need it.

We pretty much gave up our buggy when dd was about 2.5. Basically she always wanted to walk if we were in Town and so we let her! Over time she walked more and more. Although we do resort to shoudlers and carrying occassionally. Last time we really used a buggy was in November when she was about 2 yrs 9 months and we took it on holiday and walked everywhere. I do find if the buggy is avavilable they will choose to be in it, if it isn't they can't I am a cruel mother who ends up carrying dd a lot She is now 3 1/4 and we are about to go on holiday and I asked dh if we should take the buggy, he said no. SO there we are.

Seriously unless your DD is really unalthetic do try her wn baby bauggy and shorter walks, 'forget' the buggy in town or when going to a park. You'll be suprised

My dd (3.3) would be more than willing to give up the pushchair, as she loves to walk. The problem is that it takes her AGES to get anywhere because she's easily distracted and wants to stop and explore. I love her curiosity and she is a good girl (doesn't run off), but her dawdling drives me mad if we've got any sort of schedule to keep. I try to tell myself that she's only doing the things that come naturally to a child, but must admit I dread to think what life will be like when she's out of the pushchair entirely, and we can't simply MOVE when we need to! Also must confess that we walk alot as it is one of my main methods of exercise, so selfishly a snail's pace isn't doing me any good, even if we've got the time to meander!

When dd was born ds (2 and a bit) was quite a good walker but used to get bored if it was shopping trips (a typical male). Before we got a buggy board (which I love, even if it makes me walk with my a** sticking out) I used to take a sling under the pushchair so if it was desperate, I could swap them over. It didn't take long for ds to realise that the buggy was for the baby and that no way was he going to ride in it anymore - even though sometimes I was desperate for him to go in so we could get home faster

I agree about the meandering, Earlybird (and also I do totally take the point that it depends on the child!) - but there is also a flip side - walking along with a three year old can be really good FUN. They're mad as snakes, of course, but utterly delightful as they tell you about whatever bizarre thing is currently occupying their gnat-like attention.

motherinferior - you're right. Part of the fun of a child is to get into their world, instead of expecting them to conform to an adult agenda. Sometimes I simply need to remind myself that it doesn't matter if some things don't get done, or must wait because we were too busy enjoying the here and now. Really need to force myself to live in the moment, rather than thinking productivity/accomplishment is the measure of a successful day. Thanks for making me stop and think about that.

I was interested to see this message because I am struggling with a similar problem with my ds2 who will be 3 in August. I suspect he might have dyspraxia and he definitely has lowish muscle tone and often gives up walking after very short distances. He sounds similar to Aloha's ds as he can't manage steps, kicking and runs in a very babyish way. Fortunately I am not expecting another baby but I am wondering if I ought to be trying to make him walk to improve his strength etc or if he genuinely finds it very tiring and it is cruel to make him. The flip side is that after all this time relying on a basic umbrella pushchair on the basis that he would be out of it soon, I am now resigned to the fact that this is unlikely and considering getting a three wheeler.

I have been looking on ebay and there a lot of pushchairs including double buggies and that might be a good place to try and get something cheap - then if you don't use it much you don't need to feel guilty about having spent a fortune.

Thanks to all of you for your helpful suggestions. Had a bit of a mad afternoon and this is the first chance I've had to sit and check the thread. DH and I have read all these on the laptop whilst having dinner!

MotherInferior - top suggestion about taking her out with her pushchair. Will definitely encourage that one.

I can't see that I can put the pushchair away over the summer as then I'll be stuck unless I use the car most of the time. Our favourite park is about a 2.5 mile walk each way - I can't really see her wanting to trek that distance

Dino - you're right about not ruling out using a BB altogether. I know someone whose got one so I'll ask to borrow it for a weekend. I do have a baby sling but if I let DD1 continue to use the pushchair whilst DD2 is in the sling, there will be uproar if I tell her DD2 needs the pushchair more (DD1 really sees the pushchair as hers - which to be fair it has been for the last 3 years) BTW, what are "NT children"?

Crunchie - yes I think forgetting to take the pushchair on some outings is the way to go. I'll just start doing it when DH is with us at the weekends as I'm not up to carrying an extra 2.5 stone around!

Earlybird - agree completely. I am very impatient when she dawdles! So giving up the pushchair for her is not something I'm looking forward to! But of course you are so right MI, just not sure that's how I'll see it on every trip out when DD1 is here

We've got a similar problem with dd who's 3, and sometimes I will let her take her own small dolly pushchair with her as she likes to push it and she talks to teh dolly, etc just like I do.
(I always take her won buggy as well as a back up, as I'm not prepared to carry dd, doll, and puschair with me on teh way back), but this has increased the length she will walk by a considerable amount!

I willd efinitely get a BB for when no2 is due though as I'm not holding any hopes for her to give up the buggy altogether in 5 months time!

sorry I didn't realise motherinferior had already sugegsted that!

A buggy board is a nightmare for posture unless you have long handles on your pushchair. Maybe it's just a problem if you're tall/have long legs. I did use mine but it was hard on my back. Much easier to stand DS2 on the back of the shopping basket with his head through the handles!

My ds is 4 and he is still in his buggy now and again, but he is the size of a two year old. But he starts school in september so i will have to bin it i think. Must to his dispair!!

I'm bound to contribute to this debate on my fave subject; Nottsmum, glad you're not really thinking of double for 3yo+; good suggestions here esp dolls pushchair. Do try out a buggyboard, I don't find it a problem at all but then I do have short legs (and it is harder in heels I will admit). FWIW I have found as others say that the child will take what's offered. When the buggyboard is there DD (3 in June) will use it, but when it's not she manages. In Jan/Feb this yr the buggy had a long-term puncture (don't ask) and we had to revert to the baby's pram with no board, she had to walk to playschool, school etc, sometimes 15-20 min walks and she was OK. Moaned a bit but she could do it with encouragement (elliott, good ideas). So just try it now! I have a 22mo gap this time so did use sling for several months but DD was OK about giving up buggy, despite my worst fears. Motherinferior, great post about gnat-like attention! How true and worth remembering.

I'm surprised when you say that your children will take what's on offer, if I go out without the buggy I can bet that after 5 minutes I am asked to carry dd, and even if I leave her in the middle of the road (which I cna only do in certain places as you can imagine) she will just refuse, or she will cry so much that people cna hear from a mile away!!

I don't usually enforce it too much as I don't like it, and I think it's my fault for not taking the buggy with us in the end. I'll be curious to see how she behaves once the baby comes, but I will probably take the safer route of the buggy board!!