Multiples & More - Help - now they all want to walk!

[Themagicnumber]

My boy/girl twins are 22mths and DS1 is 3.7. Just when I thought I had finally mastered the pram situation they decided to up the stakes and now they all want to walk at the same time. Everyone keeps staring and I hate having an audience every time I go out .

Taking turns in the Double Nipper usually causes screaming fits over who gets out first and it is the usual fight to get each of them into the pram. At the moment I tend to put twin 1 on a wrist strap attached to the pram, twin 2 holds my hand (more compliant) and DS1 walks or goes on his scooter. However, I can only risk going to quiet places and if something happened I wouldn't be in control.

Help - they don't want to stay in and the prospect of going out is not very appealing .

hiya

Have you thought of investing in a boogie board, thats what I had on my nipper.

One rides on the back, then reins on the other two.

Everyone gets a go eventually!!

You can get twin reins but I had two separate sets?

Nic

Thanks Nic. Probably sounds an obvious question, but did you hold both reins in one hand and then push with the other?

Was the nipper ok to push with a board on it?

All in till you get to a safe place to walk ie: park. Then run around as much as they like. Then back in buggy till home.

Thanks Swanriver. I went out today determined that they would stay in the pram until I decided it was safe for them to get out and run around. It really worked on the way there (partly because I used a different pram than normal - for novelty value!).

On the way home they were actually fighting over who went in the pram. They are so contrary...

I think underneath all this I am feeling guilty that the twins are not getting the same amount of 'freedom' their older brother had. You helped me to see that there is nothing wrong with expecting them to go in the pram from time to time.

Wonder what else I could do to keep it interesting for them in the pram?

Just a thought, but could you pretend it was a train...and talk about the journey to distract them? One is passenger and one the traindriver? Special songs for outings? I think I must have looked a complete nutter singing silly songs as I walked along, but still preferable to screaming..

It IS very stressful taking three out at once on foot, of that age. I think there were lots of biscuits and snacks involved.. not to say delays...I never expected any trip to be short. But I think the stress of thinking they are going to fall into road is worse really than getting them used to idea of sitting still for a little bit, [like you do in a car really] Whenever we were in a safe outdoor (quiet pavement even) place, I did let them out immediately, and they were less mollycoddled than other children of that age and quite brave - ie: soon climbing up slide on their own, hanging from bars, because it was impossible to stand watch over their every move in playground.

Mine aren't quite steady enough to be walking like this (they're nearly 15 months and ds3 only walked a couple of weeks ago) but I just feed them really to keep them happy in the pram. You could try those little cups they put their hands through (can't remember the name) filled with small bits of food like raisins. Takes longer to eat that way! I usually take out a couple of boots & toys with me too.

I have similar age gap, ds2 is just 3 last week. I do feel v.guilty about the lack of freedom the dt's get compared to their older brothers but nowt I can do about it really. I try to take them to activities where they can run free as much as possible but school run means they're stuck in buggy quite a lot. I"m kind of dreading when ds3 is walking really well and then they'll both want to walk, it's a long long way to the park!