Buggy shaming left us isolated

[Halloweenrainbow]

I'm a single parent to 4.5 year old with no car. We live on a new estate slightly outside of town with no direct bus route to shops, leisure centre etc and it's just too far for my daugter to walk there and back. We have a tricycle but she can't go far on it. There's nowhere to put her feet because she's too big for the toddler foot rest and she gets caught-up/hurt with her feet on the peddles with me pushing. She can ride a bike but only for about 100ft. I've given her a push along trolly to distract and motivate her but last time she gave up half way and I ended up carrying her plus trolly, shopping, and bag all the way home - I could hardly use my arms for two days after and swore never to risk that again! I've read previous posts and news articles on the issue that all seem to have a negative view of parents who still use a buggy for older kids. What's the alternative? When I out and about all I can hear in my head is "what a lazy mother", "no wonder kids are fat these days" to the extent that we don't go out much anymore.

Cycling and scooting along unsafe narrow roads with blind corners can be very dangerous. I only let my DS use his scooter in the park or on very quiet roads and never with shopping so I've always got a hand free to grab him or I can easily sprint after him. That's why it's not an everyday solution and I would never rely on it when I'm coming home absolutely exhausted from work. Stating the obvious, but you have to be constantly on high alert with "loose" children around roads.

Why? Maybe it's the only time they leave the house, maybe they spend the hour walking there and back looking about and enjoying nature

clearly they don't or this thread wouldn't exist

What about a bicycle for you with a bike trailer for you daughter?
But if not use the buggy. I had to use a push chair for my daughter until she was way passed 5 as she just couidnt manage the long walk home after a day at school. She wasn’t being lazy, she just couidn’t do it. X

I am always a bit amazed about this type of post and the my child climbed the Kilimanjaro on skipping on one foot with his eyes closed and a spoon holding an egg in his mouth, at six months. Just do what is right for you, who cares what a bunch of strangers think!

See this:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123888423826

We use it for our daughter and is great. We take it on holidays too and gets a lot of attention especially in the airports.

I used a buggy until dd was about to turn 5. We don't have a car and she hated walking.

We were in the same position OP. We percevered with a bike (initially balance bike) and it made a HUGE difference to how far we could travel. Good luck. It can be really hard work getting places otherwise.

Some children tire quicker than others, and only you know your child so ignore other people's comments unless they are helpful.

Just some ideas about your shopping, buy yourself a granny shopping trolley (they're not actually all old fashioned), and you can get a huge amount into them, if you get one with a good quality frame you might also be able to get a youngster on top! Otherwise use a back pack (ideally with a frame), to load up your shop, and walk with your little one, mine would walk miles if I talked all the way and we played games (I spy, counting white cars, hop, skip and jump, and sing) you will be surprised how different that walk is.

But why don't you pop a post on your local fb page, see if anyone could give you a lift? Or maybe shop on line and go for gradually longer walks?

Whatever you do though, you have my heartfelt support, you do what's best for you Pet!

You just do what works for you and to hell with everyone else. The buggy surely makes it easier to carry the shopping home, too, right?

I would take it gradually - push her into town in the buggy and then try to get her to walk home with the shopping in the buggy. As she gets older this will get easier and faster.

And what others have said - scooter for Christmas! You'll be back on here asking how to keep up with her!

A pram makes sense to me. Given where you have to go to get to the shops I think it would be dangerous if they were to use a scooter or anything similar. Think about traffic. What if you had your hands full and they went out into the road. I don't think it's fair to make a young child walk long distances when they aren't used to it. The distance is a lot to them Then on top of that they have to wander around the shops for however many hours it takes you to do the weekly shop. Can't it put a lot of pressure on their body? Screw what your neighbours think. I know it's easier said than done but surely your daughter is more important.