Help! Don't understand how toddler can do a full day out without a pushchair

[Rosebud1302]

Hi all,

I have a real internal conflict in my head about the whole pushchair situation. I know, silly thing to worry about in the grand scheme of life but I'm struggling with it.

My son is nearly 3 and a half. Now obviously for shorter trips he walks, goes on his bike etc. That is all fine. But I am really struggling with how he is meant to cope with full days out without it. He simply won't manage walking all day. I know this for a fact! I mean, I even struggle as an adult but I don't understand what that transition period is between being young enough to have a pushchair and being old enough to cope with a full day out is?

When I say full days out I mean a visit to a city using trains/buses to get there and back, walking round visiting place, then getting home and walking from the station to home. Or a full day at the zoo which again will mean public transport, a walk to and from home and walking round a zoo.

I just don't understand how he will manage that but also I feel like everyone will judge me if I bring a pushchair. I don't have a younger child so there isn't a buggy board etc.

Can anyone let me know what they did for full days out when their kids were his age? Carrying him isn't an option for more than a few minutes due to a bad back. I also don't want to just not go out with him because I adore taking him out and he loves it too. But the tired tantrums if I made him walk all day wouldn't be fun!

Thank you :)

Apparently on mumsnet it's acceptable and even encouraged to have a chip on your shoulder but god forbid you should actually have a difference of opinion on anything and then you're just labelled as a snob. @HowlingKale that's inverted snobbery.

@horsesanddrywhitewine

Yes I have a car - we're farmers and the closest village is 4 miles away, the nearest supermarket is 16 miles.

But then I'm not using public transport solely for the purpose of commercial days out at the zoo or dragging my children around primark and the likes in the name of enjoyment.

We live on a farm - 99% of it isn't pushchair friendly so my children have had to walk - we check the sheep on foot and I can only carry the little one in the backpack carrier, days out for us are quality time outside rather than consumerism.

Yes, I have a car but I can guarantee I live more sustainably than most of the people who use public transport for absolute non events like propping up zoos and other non events. I shop in the local independent butchers and bakers and for what it's worth my children haven't suffered for not being endless pushed around the paved streets of suburban hell.

@horsesanddrywhitewine I applaud you this post is Mumsnet gold.

@HowlingKale

My twi year old had loads of energy and walked very well. We still used a buggy on and off for two years after. Sadly I can't afford a farm..

You should get your priorities right. If you hadn’t spent so much on pushchairs you might have been able to afford a farm

Huh?
I think the judgement and snobbery is clear to see.
No chips needed.

@HowlingKale

I do not get the judgement on push chairs. It's a form of snobby superiority for many I'm beginning to think.

But do you not see how unusual it looks to people from other countries, e.g. anywhere on the continent??

I've lived on the continent and my children have visited regularly and I've not noticed a vast difference.
Obviously in country areas without pavements a pushchair becomes a chocolate fireguard as our farming contributor clearly feels with passion.

In Netherlands and Denmark neither of which I visited with young children the bicycles are another confounding factor. 🤷
Really I live and let live and don't fret that I'm judged by a German. Life would be fraught.

A lot more people use cargo bikes/bike trailers in countries with good cycle networks such as Germany, Netherlands etc fir journeys we use pushchairs for.

But do you not see how unusual it looks to people from other countries, e.g. anywhere on the continent??
So what if it does. Different places do different things. When we were in Spain I got loads of comments from Spanish people about baby DC eating food from my plate and not baby food.
All the Polish and Portuguese parents I know seem to use pushchairs as much as the UK ones, DS1's friends parents are Chinese and pulled him to school in a shopping trolley until year 1.

I live in Germany and people use buggies, bike seats, slings and bike trailers with various ages of children. Some quite young ones walk, some quite old ones are pushed/carried.

@BertieBotts

I live in Germany and people use buggies, bike seats, slings and bike trailers with various ages of children. Some quite young ones walk, some quite old ones are pushed/carried.

It’s almost like the children are all individuals with different needs in different families with different circumstances!