Would you take a stroller abroad for a newly turned five year old

[Lauren9912]

Would you take a stroller abroad for a just turned 5 year old? We don’t use one at home, but she does usually nap on abroad holidays still from being non stop.

I think this is the best answer op.

I'm not sure I'd have managed to push a five year old for very long; I remember even a three year old starting to feel like quite a load!

But if it works for you, just do it. It's your holiday. It isn't like dc will still be in the stroller at 18 if you allow it this holiday. People get a bit overly wound up about when dc should stop doing things imo.

😬i'm afraid I cannot abide dc on scooters. Greatest menace to mankind ever!

No.

We took two buggies when we went to Disneyland last year. One, the proper one, was for DS at 18 months. The other was for DD2 who was 5yrs 2m at the time. There is so much walking at Disneyland and she really struggles when she’s tired. It was also November and freakishly cold when we went so we could wrap her up warm. We knew if we only brought one, there was a risk she’d need to use the buggy and someone would have to carry DS. She never napped in it but she liked to pull the sun visor down to get away from being overwhelmed.

We’re about to start the process for investigating a neurodivergence assessment for DD2. At the same age, DD1 would have coped with walking perfectly well with only a bit of carrying at the end of the day.

What type of holiday are you planning OP?
City? Beach? Resort?

Don't worry about it being too heavy to push. If your buggy is a decent one, it is will be constructed to a high enough quality that will be fine to push with a heavier load/height.

I'm quite short and there is absolutely no way I'd carry any child over three years of age anywhere other than a chair!

Just take it. My kid is autistic so we still use ours a bit at 4 and that’s made me realise it’s just a social norm, one that seems to be a bit more flexible in London because lots of people don’t have cars, so you do see older kids in buggies a bit more.

I remember when my baby was small judging another mum for having an older boy in a pram. I look back on it now with embarrassment!

Lots of people use those little carts now for their kids at festivals and things like that - kids can’t always be on their feet all day and do get tired.

Liberate yourself from what other people think and do what is right for your family!

No. But we always have a rental car so DD would nap on the way back when we did an outing (I often nap in the car as well, DH is known for having sleeping passengers).

We never did hotel holidays at that age so the "staying up late in the bar/entertainment" was never a topic. We either went out for dinner or cooked and played a game and when DD was tired she would be off to bed.

Only if they are disabled. It is seriously weird otherwise.

We went on a long holiday for a month when our daughter turned 4. We made sure she had been trained prior to the holiday to be able to walk a few miles with ease as the location we were going was not suitable for buggies and we didn't want her on our shoulders all the time.

The last time she was in a pram of any sort was at 2y 8m after we had been walking in the Lake District the days before and she was tired.

Nowadays she can walk 4-5 miles at ease at 4.5y but it has to start somewhere.

No. We have taken a fold up scooter in the suitcase a few times! But only when we knew the location was suitable

I can't think of anything worse than pushing a five year old in the heat, potentially on cobbles, or having to park the pram in the museum, lug it on the plane etc.

Maybe slow things down if she needs to nap.

Doesn't it have a weight limit?

No

No
on holidays now with a 5 year old. Sometimes he naps at the beach or has an early night. Too heavy to push around.

We do theme parks a lot and a cheap stroller is amazing for my 4yo, also just for storing stuff in. They are long days with lots of walking and standing and the stroller just makes things much easier for us all. She hasn’t used one at home since she was 2, but holidays are a different beast! It’s not even about fitness, both my kids do a lot of walking, we go hiking etc. It’s just a different environment.

Do what makes your life easier!

I took one to Disneyland Paris with a four year old (it was a godsend) and her older brother (7) also wanted a go when he got tired. We saw multiple families there with double buggies with older kids in.

We went to Florida at the end of reception for one of mine, and a cheap buggy from Walmart was a life saver. There’s no way he would have made it around the parks in that heat if he was walking. Do whatever you need to do to enjoy the holiday.

We always took a stroller when our children were 4/5 on holiday. It saved a lot of faff when out on long days out/ evening meals etc . They are all fully functioning active adults now !

I’m guessing you’d have to pay ££ for a sturdy one for them to fit in. No you’ll start a rod for your own back as they’ll want to continue using it at home instead of walking

It wouldn’t cost me anything she’s a dot, my problem is she is so active she sometimes is asleep by 6:30pm and we want to still enjoy our evenings out or she will sleep after training in the day and I don’t want to be stuck in a room with her. It would mainly be for if she was sleeping she could sleep in it rather than be held.

I agree. I hate the word stroller too.

OP could be American

I would for DD. She is the youngest child and needs her sleep a bit more than the others. It means she can nap or go to sleep earlier in the evening than the others without needing to go back to the hotel room. Take it and if you don’t use it leave for someone else.

No. Why would you? My eldest is hypermobile and tires easily but hasn’t used a stroller since they were 3.

Hello @Lauren9912 someone else asked the same question recently, here's their thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5559719-to-bring-a-pushchair-for-a-5-yo-on-holiday?

Maybe if you share where you are going and what sort of plans you have, someone else will have been and can advise whether it's stroller friendly? Personally I would not take a stroller and would plan afternoon siesta time into your days if you want to keep DC up late for dinner with you in the evening. If you don't want to stay in the room you could put her on a sun lounger in the shade to nap under a towel while you sunbathe!