When to ditch the pushchair?

[Thecrossed]

Our preschool is a about a mile away and I walk my 3 year old there in the pushchair. We always like to do a long walk at the weekend and also use it then. In our experience of letting him walk, it's not always easy. He walks a bit and then is desperate to be held. I worry about letting him walk all the way to pre school as it's early morning and I imagine I'd have to add about half an hour of journey time on. I'm not concerned about him getting enough exercise as we do let him run around plenty and play. I'm just worried that I really should have ditched the pushchair by now.

If he struggles to walk longer distances, then have you considered a scooter? If you get a lead for them, you can pull them along when they’re tired.

I think it’s totally normal to use a buggy for a three year old if you’re a family who tend to walk places.

In this situation I think it's absolutely fine to keep using the pushchair. People who have ditched it already probably have a shorter walk to school, or drive there.

A mile is a long way for a 3 year old still. Mine is 3.5 and isn't in the buggy but goes on the buggy board on her brothers buggy, maybe an option as a transition?

If I am making her walk (also a mile) we can only really do it on the way to nursery, the way home she is too tired and it's not worth it 😅

Just because you have the pram with you doesn’t mean it needs using! Go to pick up with him but let him walk until he he tired, he can jump in and out as needed.

when he is doing ok with walk home and other walks start working on walk to nursery

build it up over time

imo Many people who ditch a pushchair early use the car a lot.

So ditch the pushchair in stages as and when.

My children were at least 4 before we ditched the buggy. I really wasn’t in any rush to stop using it for longer walks,holidays etc!

We have a similar walk to preschool, and DD1 stoped using the pushchair at 3.5 (when DD2 started to need it).

As long as they get plenty of exercise, it’s fine. SIL was very sniffy about us using it after 2, but she drives everywhere!

Thanks everyone. I have a tendency to read one piece of advice and think by not doing it, I'm a terrible mother!

I don't think this is one of those parenting decisions that is particularly high stakes. By the time they are a teenager nobody will know nor care what age they were when they stopped using a buggy. If it's working for you then keep it until it's not, as long as he is getting enough exercise overall. If people are going to judge then leave them to it - it's just their own energy they are wasting.
If you're worrying about the minutiae like this then I'm confident you've got the stuff that actually matters nailed. You're doing a great job.