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Original poster

2.5yo DD refuses to walk - am I expecting too much.

51 replies

CorpusCallosum · 04/08/2021 18:29

My 2.5yo DD really struggles to walk any kind of distance. Today we parked in town for a couple of errands and the promise of a balloon at the end - total about 1km. She had a massive meltdown about half way, I ended up sat on the pavement with her - obviously just picking her up and carrying her would have been giving in to the tantrum so I didn't know what else to do 😢

I used to just carry her but I'm pg with number 2 now and I just can't do it over any kind of distance. I started being firm about no carrying a few weeks ago and thought we would be past tantrums for a change of routine by now.

If I strap her in the pram all the time I think she's missing out on noticing/exploring things and I worry about her physical development if she's not walking enough.

Am I just expecting too much from her?

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Pissinthepottyplease · 04/08/2021 18:31

Get her a scooter.

Soontobe60 · 04/08/2021 18:31

Yes! You took her shopping, not very exciting for a toddler, walked a fair distance for a toddler then didn’t pick her up because you thought she was just having a tantrum. Poor child!

cashoncollection · 04/08/2021 18:33

Just put her in the pram

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user1493494961 · 04/08/2021 18:34

I would use a pushchair when shopping, you can get her walking in the park.

Viviennemary · 04/08/2021 18:36

I think thats quite far for a small child who doesn't like walking. I agree pushchair for shopping trips and exercise in the park.

BendingSpoons · 04/08/2021 18:41

My 2.5yo has a sit on scooter. He can sit on it and push it along with his feet or I can push the handle if he gets tired. It converts to a scooter later. When my eldest was 2.5, she walked places but not with my youngest, mainly as we actually need to get places on time now! I personally would have some sort of buggy/scooter/bike even if you start off walking, as it's not worth the hassle when she wants carrying! For shorter distances, just walking is great.

Original poster
CorpusCallosum · 04/08/2021 18:43

She has a scooter, I wouldn't trust her next to the road yet and I normally end up carrying that too!

She loves shopping! She chooses things, she likes to pass everything up at the self scan and she chooses something to hold on the way home. It's very cute & all more awkward trying to manoeuvre a pram and keep an eye on a loose toddler - if she's strapped in she misses out.

It's walking between shops that's the issue. From your responses though maybe I just am expecting too much 😔

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 04/08/2021 18:46

Pushchair. There's nothing wrong with it

purpleme12 · 04/08/2021 18:47

I always bought the pushchair however when my child wanted to walk I let her
When she didn't she went in the pushchair

RandomMess · 04/08/2021 18:47

Some DC detest walking, they just do.

Use the pushchair - why make life more difficult than it needs to be.

My eldest was like that, since pre-teens she has been majorly into sort 🤷🏽‍♀️

Youngest 3 all would walk or scoot miles daily without complaint.

RavenclawsRoar · 04/08/2021 18:50

My gosh yes. Ds was 2.5yo when ds2 was born and the double buggy was a must! I usually let him out for a bit to walk at some point during trips out, but he definitely didn't walk any great distance. They only have little legs! Take the buggy!

Wintercoffee · 04/08/2021 18:51

Any chance of putting her into a nursery? We take our little ones long 30 min+ walks no problem. They will always choose the easy option with mummy, it’s really difficult!

Original poster
CorpusCallosum · 04/08/2021 18:58

Ohhhh she's in nursery 2.5days a week! I don't know how much walking they make her do though. Although when just playing at home she never sits down - it's exhausting 😬

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Original poster
CorpusCallosum · 04/08/2021 19:00

@ everyone else. Yes, I think I just need to accept she's one of those that hates walking and get a double buggy 😔

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girlmom21 · 04/08/2021 19:00

My little one is 2 and a quarter and she easily walks these distances. It depends on the child but it's definitely not an unreasonable distance to expect them to walk.

Nextchapterofmybook · 04/08/2021 19:06

I’d take a pushchair

Needapoodle · 04/08/2021 19:09

Mine were out of the pushchair at that age. 1km isn't too far. I certainly wouldn't be buying a double buggy. When the baby comes get a buggy board for her.

lljkk · 04/08/2021 19:15

She has a scooter... I normally end up carrying that too!

yeah, that's what I'd expect.

How old is your littlest one?
I couldn't have coped without double buggy.

Abouttimemum · 04/08/2021 19:15

It depends on DS mood to be honest. He can walk for miles and other days he doesn’t seem interested. I rarely take the push chair and carry him when he gets tired, putting him down again after a few minutes, but if I was pregnant I’d take the pushchair for sure.

ShoesEverywhere · 04/08/2021 19:23

How about a (balance) bike? When mine was 2.5 she could easily cycle eight miles but would refuse point blank to walk into town which is a mile away!

Niki14 · 04/08/2021 19:25

At 2.5 I'd expect them to be able to walk more than 1km but the caveat is they have to want to. Mine can walk massive distances some days but others it's a huge battle to make them walk more than 10 steps in the right direction and that's just the 5 year old! If we want to go for a nice walk without tantrums or need to get walking faster we keep a pack of smarties, jelly babies, etc in the bag and they get one occasionally for good walking. The more we walk the better they are and the less bribing we need!

StateOfTheUterus · 04/08/2021 19:25

Buggy board?

BareGrylls · 04/08/2021 19:29

This takes me back. Two years between my two and I needed a double buggy.
Just get a folding pushchair and make life easier for yourself.

I had a friend who did competitive parenting. Her children walked everywhere, she used strap things to carry the baby (I never managed it), by the time they were two her children would hike up a mountain. They also ate every food offered to them.
Made me feel a total failure.

BiBabbles · 04/08/2021 19:35

My youngest was like that for about 6 or so months a little younger than yours - he suddenly wouldn't walk holding my hand, wouldn't walk on reigns (would literally just flop on the ground), didn't really want to be carried and I couldn't have done it for long when I was having a flare-up when he was that age so for shopping in town or trips near busy roads where him flopping was not a safe option, we got a pushchair for him.

He did try to flop out of it a few times, but then he seemed to enjoy it and would get free reign when we were parks and things so had a balance.

Eventually, just as suddenly, he tired of the pushchair and would walk with me again. No idea what was going through his head, but it saved everyone's sanity and time.

modgepodge · 04/08/2021 19:42

Mine can walk a couple of km if she wants to - if. I always take a buggy as then she can stop when she’s tired/bored, and I can put my change bag, shopping etc in the buggy. The thought of trying to carry all that AND a toddler who has had enough is exhausting. Sometimes I take the buggy out but she never actually gets in it!

I got her a balance bike for her second birthday in the hope we’d use that instead of the buggy eventually. That was 4 months ago and she’s yet to walk more than 10 metres on it, and hasn’t mastered sitting on the seat and moving yet, so
I think we are a while off that…