My 3 year od son refuses to walk anywhere

[tiredandgrumpy]

Help! He used to be really good and walked into town etc. Now he insists on sitting in the pushchair. I've just returned from one such trip when I made him walk back home - a trip he'd often do even before he was 2. He's just screamed all the way home and worked himself up into a hysteria.

I try not to rise to it - I stopped at one point and gave him a cuddle to show him I loved him. I repeatedly told him how lovely it was to hold his hand (it is) and how grown up he was becoming. I try so hard not to get cross with him, but to simply ignore his difficult behaviour.

There must be an element of sibling rivalry here as I have a 9 month old dd who of course has to sit in the pushchair. There is room for him, too, but I'm just concerned that ds is getting lazy.

Is this just a phase, or should I be concerned? [and yes, I know that many people canot get their toddlers into the pushchair and can't control them either, so maybe I should be grateful!]

I had a similar problem with my 2 yr old daughter only she wants to be carried when we're out and about. I just give her the choice of going in the buggy or walking. (she usually wants to walk) I find that if I give her choices where both replies suit me then it does the trick, she feels like she's got a bit of control so we're both happy
also regarding the comments on baby like behaviour, she often does this when we're with my 9 month old nephew (eating messily, wanting to be sppon fed, babbling & crawling)I think I would agree that this is the age when other children seem more of a threat. she's fine with her other cousin (3 mnths old) and helps to feed her and cover her up etc.
Maybe get her checked out if oyu're worried but I think it's probably just a phase.

I haven't read all this but my ds is much the same as you describe yours. I walk them to school,occasionally if he's super tired I put him under the buggy for a few mins then he walks again, but usually, I just cheer him on 'look we're nearly half way' etc or we play games 'who can see the cat sat in the window' type games or count the front doors etc. We play tag and chase each other too, I involve the baby in this too, I say 'oh who's going to win? look she's winning you'll have to be quick!' I let him win of course and my dd happily sleep through the race! my friends say I should get him a buggy board but I don't want him to be reliant on it. Over the last few weeks he walks all the way to school happily and doesn't whinge at all. I pick him up after nursery as I think that would be pushing him but it gets better, just keep chipping away at it. Always give him lots of praise too I tend to say ' oh what a big strong boy you are, you've walked all the way to school, hasn't it been a nice walk?' good luck and sorry if I've repeated anything!

My ds (age: 2.6; size: 3.6) walked for two miles round a nature reserve yesterday, no problem. Last weekend, we went for a much shorter walk around our village and he wanted carrying constantly. I figure he's still little, and like all toddlers/pre-schoolers, he can get really tired. And even though his language is great, he probably couldn't articulate the groggy beginnings of a cold/bug/ache.

So when he does want a carry, if dp and I are both with him, we take it in turns to hold him, shoulder-ride, piggy-back - whatever. And last week when it was just me and my back was feeling it, we compromised. Even ds has cracked the pros of compromise, and now asks, "How about a compromise?" when I say no . So I carry him for 10/20/30 paces, and then he walks for the same. Seems to work.

Since you can't carry and push a buggy, I'd say pop your ds in with his sister and let him snuggle up, or get a buggy board. If your ds is lively and energetic in other situations, I shouldn't think it's anything to worry about.

(Final thought: has he recently dropped his nap, or started/increased pre-school? If so, he's probably understandably pooped.)

Since yesterday I reward my ds with a sticker if he walks. Once he has 10 stickers he gets a little present, ie a magazine from Saynsbury. It seems to work so far, he walked for 1 hour today, last week he was "tired" after 5 minutes. Don't forget to praise of course.

My Ds2 is 3and a half and would still choose to go in his pushchair!
Just last week I have put the pushchair right away where it cannot be seen. He is now reluctantly walking to school, but my arm aches by the time we get home as I've basically pulled him there and back.

Mine is not sibling rivallry as I have no DC3, but if you do obviously you cannot get rid of the pushchair.

I'd go with just letting him ride on the buggy board, at least you get places quiker, is why I let DS2 ride in the pushchair for so long.

Different issue but my Ds2 also still insists on sleeping in his cot, at 3 and a half!

T&G have you thought about a scooter/little bike my DS 2.9 mostly goes on his bike besde the pram (no good for busy shops but works on school run)

I sympathise with you all!!! My daughter was a nightmare to get out of the buggy, and we really only cracked it when she started school. I think she would still go in it if she could (if she could just find ONE classmate that still used a buggy....!) She will walk now, but she prefers to get a ride if possible. I was a toughie though!

I'm reading this with interest as ds is 3 in February and there is no way he could manage to walk most of the time. But... it is getting a bit of a struggle for me to push ds on a buggyboard and dd (almost 17 months) up hills now! He is pretty well behaved when he is walking or riding his scooter or bike but just gets tired really quickly. I don't think I will be too worried until he's getting closer to 4 although might be encouraging some more walking well before then as dd is getting so heavy now. Btw in my experience carrying dd in the backpack doesn't help as ds just goes 'but I want to go in the backapack' (wail wail) closely followed by 'I want to go on your shoulders' (wail wail) - so not much of a solution.....