Is 2 year old lazy? How to encourage more activity

[Roo0987]

My 2 year old daughter eats really healthily, lots of fruit and veg and never had any chocolate or processed food. Her weight is on the 98th centile though and height only on 70th..although she doesn’t look overweight I know at the 2 year review the HV will probably tell me that she is...

The problem I think if not good but exercise. I always take her out twice a day, once in the morning to the park, woods sometimes taking her scooter. Once I’m the afternoon for some kind of activity like swimming or soft play. She’s at nursery 3 days a week but they spend all day playing outside so I think she stays pretty active there too.

The problem I have is she tends to get bored and want to sit down or be carried quite quickly. She doesn’t seem to like walking at all..she’s better with the scooter but I usually end up carrying it most the way. I’ve tried to refuse carrying her and walking away a little bit etc but she just doesn’t budge and goes into full blown tantrum throwing herself on the floor and screaming so I just don’t know what else to do..I can’t force her to walk. Same with soft play, she likes it for a bit then just comes to sit down on the chairs!

I’ve got a baby due next month and worried about how I’m going to leave the house as I can’t carry her all the time when I’ve got the newborn in the carrier and if I take the pram she just wants to get in it all the time!

No of course she isn’t lazy! She’s being run off her little feet every day. No wonder she’s breaking down and having “tantrums” (behaviour is communication- listen to what she is telling you!)

She sounds very tired. She's only two and has a very busy life. Poor little mite!

That's so much activity. Staying home and sitting and playing is fine. Develops other skills. If she's too tired her body won't be as healthy as if you let her relax a bit.

She doesn't sound lazy at all. I have a two year old and he probably does the same amount overall and I consider him very active! Plus I let him eat chocolate every now and then...I have no idea what he weighs or his height and I'm not planning on attending any two year check up with the HV (if we were even offered one which we haven't been) - I recommend that as a way to avoid any ridiculous comments about them being overweight.

She’s not lazy. That is a very tiring schedule for a 2yr old. And the growth charts are only one data point, you can’t definitively say a child is overweight based on slight difference in height vs weight %tile because different children have different levels of muscle mass.

I think you need to have a way for her to rest her legs when you go out with her plus a baby. If that’s a toddler seat on a pram or a board they can stand on behind a push chair.

Get a buggy board for her to stand on, and cut her some slack FFS.

She's 2, my 5 year old gets tired after a morning at the park and an afternoon on his scooter.

He's also always followed the 91st percentile and has never been mentioned.

(also, chocolate and processed food 1) aren't the devil and 2) are you really certain she has nothing like that at nursery?)

Some kids can cope with a lot, others can't. My eldest used to walk miles with me but the youngest has been a "carry me" forever. I agree that having some down time is totally fine, just relax at home a bit.

But I've also just started giving my nearly 5-yo some iron gummies, he eats a good balanced diet, doesn't like much in the way of sweets or anything but just seemed to have very low energy. I swear they've made a big difference. We can now go on walks he'd never have achieved before without being carried

She’s only 2, when the new baby arrives you can use a double buggy for them both, or a buggy board with the pram. The wanting to be carried and sit with you doesn’t sound like laziness to me, more like a want to be close to you and be babied - especially since there’s a new baby arriving soon which will be causing a lot of change and upheaval in her little world.

She's 2!

She's active enough.

And sounds fine weight wise.

My DD started walking a lot from 20 months but not with any adults. The trick to get her to walk was that she had to be walking with an older kid as she didn't want them to out walk her.

No way is it possible for a 2 year old to be lazy, or overweight even. They are still mostly babies at that age! If she wants a pick up then she's tired. You sound like you do plenty with her. In my experience, little ones chunk up a bit before they grow, then slim out again. As long as she's not sat in front of the TV all day and eating rubbish everyday (which she's obviously not!!) then do not worry.

My daughter used to do this at the same age. She's now a fit, active 4 year old who does gymnastics and climbs trees, as well as cycling for miles. It just takes time and practice (and leg growth) for stamina to develop. Also, remember that 1cm of growth can be the difference between overweight and fine at that age. It's really too early to panic about her weight.

Maybe she's just not wild about lots of walking at the moment? You could try doing something more gentle at home which incorporates a bit of activity - e.g. making sofa dens and putting all her toys inside. Mine would spend a whole afternoon running around the house finding stuff to put in her 'burrow'. Also that's the kind of thing you might want to do in the winter when you've got a newborn.

The problem I have is she tends to get bored and want to sit down or be carried quite quickly. She doesn’t seem to like walking at all..she’s better with the scooter but I usually end up carrying it most the way. I’ve tried to refuse carrying her and walking away a little bit etc but she just doesn’t budge and goes into full blown tantrum throwing herself on the floor and screaming so I just don’t know what else to do..I can’t force her to walk. Same with soft play, she likes it for a bit then just comes to sit down on the chairs!

It could be she can't walk any further, rather than she won't, there's a big difference. There are a lot of reasons for can't, like the ones stated by pp upthread.
May be nothing, but to check, please see an OT or a physio and ask them to check her for joint hypermobility.

Is she any better if you vary where you are walking? If its a flat walk my toddler gets bored and wants to be carried, however, find an uneven big hill and she will run up for hours. Trying to get her to walk 1/4 mile round the estate is MUCH harder work than 5 miles round the forest

Poor child is only 2!

She’s 2, little more than a baby and her little legs will get tired quickly. While I appreciate that you’re trying to keep her active, your days come across as quite regimented. Maybe if you allowed her some downtime at home she might be more inclined to enjoy and make the most of her activity time?

Maybe too much activity then..I could be comparing her to friends / family members kids who are just super active. I only take her out for around an hour each time so not the whole morning and still watch tv and do puzzles etc at home either side of that. She walked further when she was first learning to walk but I think she actually finds it boring now as sometimes it’s within 10 mins of being out the car so wouldn’t have thought it’s tiredness but maybe expecting too much.

I had a very very sedentary childhood of being sat in front of tv all the time so I’ve always tried to get her lots of variety and fresh air even before she was mobile. I could maybe try just taking her out once a day and seeing if that make day difference and just playing in the garden / house for the other bit.

Being carried isn’t only about laziness. Down on the floor she may feel far from you, can’t always see past your bump to your face, can’t hear you as well as she can when you are holding her. Getting outside twice a day is great but it doesn’t have to be focused on burning energy.
You’ll want a double buggy or buggy board because a toddler can’t keep up the steady pace you’ll need to put the newborn to sleep.

I’d never heard of / seen these buggy boards, they look great! I feel I’ve come across as very harsh but I’m more attachment parent if anything, still cosleep half the night and not long stopped breastfeeding. Just want her to be healthy but sounds like she’s probably doing plenty

OP you sound like a brilliant mum who has thought really hard how to ensure lots of fun and active memories for your DD. You’re doing great, and I’m sure your LO has lots of fun days out and enjoys her time playing with you. I’ve got no idea where you get all your energy from though, especially given you’re heavily pregnant. I agree with others that she’s probably doing too much, so I would just take the pressure off and spend quieter time together. And agree that varied walks in a forest, by water, or hills, etc, will help provide more excitement and encourage more walking. But you’re doing amazing!

@canyoutoleratethis

OP you sound like a brilliant mum who has thought really hard how to ensure lots of fun and active memories for your DD. You’re doing great, and I’m sure your LO has lots of fun days out and enjoys her time playing with you. I’ve got no idea where you get all your energy from though, especially given you’re heavily pregnant. I agree with others that she’s probably doing too much, so I would just take the pressure off and spend quieter time together. And agree that varied walks in a forest, by water, or hills, etc, will help provide more excitement and encourage more walking. But you’re doing amazing!

This!

Don't stress about the percentiles. It's not unusual and if her diet is healthy and she is getting plenty of exercise then there is no need to worry. She will probably grow like a rocket in the next few months. Kids seem to do that - lay down some stores and then stretch. My 11 yo does this and has done all her life. She gets just to the point where we think she's looking more well covered than usual and then she'll grow 4 ins overnight.

Buggy boards can be useful but look for reviews from people who have your pram type. Some designs / handle heights don't work so well.
Try some games to make a walk home more interesting - hopscotch, avoid the cracks, her best funny walk - wiggle your bottom at her or whatever.

Thanks very much! ...I will calm down on the activities as I am totally shattered myself haha. She’ll probably be thinking thank god for that

They don't walk massively far at 2. My little one at just over two would walk almost a mile to the park and back again. He'd probs protest now at 3.5 because he's rather be on his balance bike. If you want her to go further perhaps do it in little increments. So if you know she geta tired at a certain point then carry her in a carrier or whatever and next time just so a tiny bit further and so on

I meant a mile there and after a good rest a mile back. He was 21/4 by that point tho so ten mins at two is good I think