Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

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

Flip

Original poster

strollers from school?

21 replies

Empress · 15/09/2002 19:33

What do people think about children using strollers? What age/ size do you/ did you stop?My daughter starts school (nursery school) next week, she's only just turned 4, & she's small for her age. The school is near our house(5mins walk for an adult)but still a long way for a tired 4 yr old after her first day at school, so i'll be taking her stroller to pick her up. will we look odd? I've told her it's just for the first week then we'll walk, i just thought it'd all be too much for her at first, she'll be so exhausted when I pick her up. (She's too heavy for me to carry)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SofiaAmes · 15/09/2002 20:10

Empress, who cares what anyone else thinks. If it works for you and your daughter then you are doing the right thing. Sounds like you have already thought about it carefully and made a reasonable and rational decision.

FrancesJ · 15/09/2002 20:25

There's a school just around the corner from our house too and I often see tired 4/5 year olds being taken home in their strollers after school. Can, with total honesty say I've never, ever thought it looked at all odd. So I wouldn't worry, I really wouldn't. Hope the first week of school goes well and that she has a lovely time

helenmc · 15/09/2002 21:10

I'm with SofiaAmes, my eldest dd used to fall asleep in the car on the way home when she first started (and it's only 5mins drive). And maybe take a little snack (biscuit/apple/bananas) to keep her going. Hope she enjoys school.

WideWebWitch · 15/09/2002 21:14

Empress, I think it's fine. I stopped using a buggy at about 3 I think BUT I drove to pre-school to pick ds up (I'm a lazy cow, he would probably have walked it ) and that was only 5-10 minutes walk for an adult too. So it's no different using a buggy. Hope it goes OK.

zebra · 15/09/2002 21:31

Empress: I used to think 4yo in stroller was too old... but motherhood has made me see the error of my prejudices... what I mean is, if it works, just do it. You know your child, and that the walk is too much for her.

one thought -- could you get a bike with a childseat on it? Then you could ride it to the school, and walk it home (if you don't fancy trying to ride with your DD's weight on the back).

Could save you feeling silly!

titchy · 16/09/2002 09:44

I also live 5 minutes from school, and although dd doesn't go there till next year I often see littleys coming back on bikes or scooters. Seems that however tired they are they just can't resist a scoot or bike ride!

KMG · 16/09/2002 11:00

You've got to do what's right for you. I believe passionately in children abandoning strollers early, and walking as much as possible. My son is nearly 3.5 and he walks to school and back twice a day - it's 0.7 of a mile, takes about 12 mins brisk walk for me on my own, but 20 - 30 minutes with the boys, depending what time of day it is, and how tired they are. (It takes a long time at 3.15 after a hard day's school, and a hard afernoon at nursery!) BUT I still took the buggy on Friday morning, when he was very tired, and needed a nap. I'd rather take a pushchair than take the car.

As children we used to walk 1.5 miles to school, in all weathers, and think nothing of it. Here we seem to be considered very unusual to walk even this small distance. But it means the boys get fresh air and exercise, every day, no matter what the weather is like. It is a big commitment to make - it takes a lot of time, especially when you've got to go at lunchtime as well. But it's a lifestyle choice. Walking together is a great time to chat about the experiences of the day, and really catch up without any distractions ... and they sleep better, of course!

SueDonim · 16/09/2002 12:17

My six year old would get in a buggy now, if she had the choice! If you think your DD needs a ride then let her have one. One thing to be aware of though, is that she might get teased if she is the only nursery using one. My DS loved his buggy and we thought he'd never give it up (although he was actually only 3 - it seemed like we'd been pushing a buugy forever, at the time) but he was teased by some other chldren and never got in it again.

Batters · 16/09/2002 12:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hilary · 16/09/2002 15:06

I'm with you, KMG, we used to walk over a mile to school and back every day in all weathers. Mum said we were nice when we got home but if we had had a lift in someone's car on an odd occasion, we were grumpy and crotchety when we got home because we hadn't had the walk to get it out of our systems.

If your dd is tired after her first few weeks though, I would take the buggy just for the way home. She needs a break, it's a lot for her to cope with especially in the early weeks, and she'll get tireder than usual.

Original poster

Empress · 16/09/2002 17:05

Thanks for all your comments, you've reassured me that i'm doing the right thing for the first week at least. we were out shopping today and I overheard dd telling the shop assistant 'i'm going to walk to school but Mum's picking me up with the stroller for the first week cos I'll be EXHAUSTED!'

OP posts:

Hilary · 16/09/2002 19:04

tigermoth · 16/09/2002 19:10

Empress I agree, just do what suits you. KMG please come round and tell my boys that mummy cannot go on giving them piggybacks. I am useless at this.

No one could look as ridiculous as I did a while back, giving my then six year old a piggyback up a steep hill while pushing my baby in his stroller.

helenmc · 16/09/2002 21:48

Tigermoth - I know that hill !! I had 2yr old twins and a 5yr old. Tried perching one of the dinkies on the handlebars whilst pushing the other 2.

KMG · 17/09/2002 18:28

Tigermoth, One good thing to come out of hideous pregnancy/birth back problems. My boys are close in age (22 months), and the eldest has always been big for his age. So from c.16 months he knew I couldn't carry him anywhere - it was difficult even to pick him up. So he just got used to it not being an option!

Original poster

Empress · 17/09/2002 20:37

Just thought I'd let you know that I'm SO GLAD I took the stroller to pick her up after her first day. She was absolutely exhausted, bless her, and collapsed gratefully into her stroller. she was fine, had a great first day, loves school, is looking forward to going back tomorrow - so proud of her!!

OP posts:

FrancesJ · 17/09/2002 21:55

Awww - I'm so glad she had a lovely first day

WideWebWitch · 17/09/2002 21:59

Great news!

Batters · 18/09/2002 09:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Empress · 18/09/2002 21:42

Thanks to all for those nice messages!

OP posts:

Bumblelion · 19/09/2002 14:43

Tigermoth, I have also done the piggy back thing with my 6 year old son on my back and the baby in her pram.

Also, earlier this year when ds had flu and was feeling really poorly, I had the problem of trying to get my elder daughter into school while my son was feeling so poorly he didn't even want to get dressed and was really not up to walking to school. Because of where I live, I could not actually park any closer to school than where I live so driving was not an option. I knew my son was so poorly as, no way, would he have been seen dead in his pyjamas if he had felt well enough to put day clothes on.

Anyway, on the way to school I had the baby in her pram and gave DS a piggy back. When I got home I felt so tired that when it was time to pick daughter up from school, I had son in his old pushchair (still in pyjamas) and carried baby in her car seat.

This was a lot easier than giving ds a piggy back but still hard work - trying to push a 5 year old in a buggy and carrying a car seat with a baby in it.

Oh well, things us mothers do for our children. If only they appreciated it!

Flip