Toddler refusing to sit in pushchair?

[pinksocksbluesocks]

My 14 month old has decided that refusing to sit in his pushchair would be a good idea. Whenever we are going out for a walk he straightens his little legs and refuses to be seated! I don't want to force him of course, so I always try to tell him in advance of our plans, and then explain to him as I'm carrying him to the pushchair. But to be honest it would be easier negotiating with a terrorist.

Does anyone have any tips?

We got a stokke knockoff about that age, and just use without the restraints so she sits at the table with us. Could that be an option for you?

Trike worked for mine that age, with handle. Picked up on market place.

Use your knee to gently bend him in the middle. It's a phase.

I just let them walk holding my hand until they got tired. Then I put them in the push chair. It means you have to plan lots of extra time to allow for some of the walking to be at toddler pace.

Honestly you cannot reason with a 14 month old. If you want him in the pushchair then he needs to go in the pushchair. Explaining why will make no difference to his understanding of why he is going in it.

I recommend distracting by letting him hold onto your keys or something else that's a novelty that he is not normally allowed. Then remove them from him once he's strapped in, hopefully it's just a phase and it's short lived.

I just put mine in. I want them in, they go in.

You can't reason with a 14 month old, when my dd went through this stage and i wantex her in the pushchair, then she was going in the pushchair.

Tickle him to make him de-plank and then wrestle him into the pushchair. Or biscuit bribery.

Toddlers basically are small terrorists IME and the phase will eventually pass. Abandoned your principles. Good luck!

I tickled them. They couldn't stay all stiff as a board then and I could nudge them in...

I wrestled mine in at that age. Was embarrassing outside nursery! Was just a phase.

It's a phase.
My LO used to kick off being put into he pram but I was consistent and he soon gave up and went in.
When we had time I let him walk until he had enough.
Keep going 💪🏽

You can do the whole 'do you want to get in yourself or let me lift you' so he has a choice but not about whether to go in.

You can let him choose a toy to carry in the pram. Or say he can have his snack when he gets in there.

You can let him walk and tell him the pram is there when he's ready to get in and eventually he'll decide he's tired and wants to get in.

You can let him go on a scuttlebug or push along thing or on your shoulders a bit.

TBH though 'I don't want to force him of course' - I occasionally resorted to forcing mine, I don't think I'm particularly a brute. Some things are non-negotiable and kids don't have a choice, I don't think that's wrong. If you are putting him in like that, hold the bit of the harness that goes between his legs, wait for him to release the stiff back/legs etc, then clip him in.

@loafcake

We got a stokke knockoff about that age, and just use without the restraints so she sits at the table with us. Could that be an option for you?

It's the pushchair, not the high chair

@loafcake

We got a stokke knockoff about that age, and just use without the restraints so she sits at the table with us. Could that be an option for you?

Oh I'm so sorry I read pushchair as high chair 😂 yeah we used a trike as well, made it a bit more fun!

@Justmuddlingalong

Use your knee to gently bend him in the middle. It's a phase.

I did this too. I had a complete stranger yell at me for making DD2, then 2.5, walk for 2 minutes from the supermarket café to the trolley park ("She should be in a buggy!") when it would have taken half an hour to get her in the buggy and then I was going to put her in a trolley anyway. You know when you can't be bothered explaining.....

Are facing forward or backwards? Many toddlers like to face rather than you l, worth trying if they still face you

Raisins.

tell him it is time to go in the pushchair, then if he doesn't, you can & should force him. There will be 2 mins crying & then he will settle down. but you can't argue with a toddler & he needs to know that you are the boss. That is important because there will be times in future when he MUST listen to you for safety (e.g. child is walking into road, you say 'stop'). Sitting in a buggy (e.g. when walking by a busy road) is also one of those things, so he should get used to it now.

If my DD needs to go in the pushchair, I just put her in, screams or no screams. I find giving her a drink or snack or something to hold straight away (favourite doll/toy) helps distract. He's 14 months old so he needs to do what you say, don't try to reason with him.

Use something to distract and use your knee in his middle, no arguments. DS2 did this but I always got him in there. Be positive and clearly in control. If you look hesitant they know they have beaten you.