When can I let my toddler walk on pavement during outings?

[ChanSmell86]

Hi guys first time mum here with a lovely 21 (soon to be 22 month) old daughter. She has been a very capable walker now for nearly a year. My question is how do I transition to sometimes letting her out of her pram to walk when we are in public? Should I start off in a safe place in public like a park? What kind of age should I entertain this? I don't know if I'll ever be a reins kind of mum? But yeah I've got absolutely no idea how you transition? I would always bring the pram and slowly increase the time she is allowed out of it. She's such a Diddy bean still in 9 to 12 month clothes but I'm only 5ft1 so holding her hand isn't as hard as it was when she was much much shorter. Thanks in advance for any advice

Now! My dd walked at 12 months and you bet the moment she was stable enough she was out for walks with us. Just little ones at first then we built up. We never bring the pram out on normal days out, only really if we're out in a big day out to the seaside or big city, maybe, and she's likely to get tired and need a nap. She's two now and we haven't used the pram in ages. I can't remember when we last did. I think we stopped maybe when she was 14/15 months. If we're out at tesco or our local shopping spot I'm certainly not bringing it.

As for baby reigns, we tried but she got annoyed by them and just hung off them, rather than walking. She's not really been an issue, I walk on the road side of her and always have a hand free to grab her if I have to (maybe happened a handful of times in the last year).

Give it a go, she will love it!

Hi op,

Ignore the rude comments (even if they contain good advice) and listen to the constructive ones.

Everything seems obvious in hindsight but that's not always the case at the time. I was 35 when I had dd. I'd never been interested in babies and none of my friends had children so I knew absolutely nothing about babies. I made a friend in ante natal class who was in the same position and we used to fret over the tiniest little things.

Take your lead from your dd and let her do as much as she's capable of when she shows an interest.

Babies are individuals. They don't all work to the same timetable. Mine was a late walker, a very late talker but tried grabbing the spoon off me the first time I gave her solids (our meal times ended up being very slow and messy - I couldn't believe it when I saw how quickly my friend could feed her baby).

As a fellow non-driver, I'd recommend using the buggy for as long as possible. My dd would walk into town and then around the shops or park but by the time it was time to come home, she was ready for a rest.

Are you having physio for the SPD? Mine didn't go after the birth so I had NHS physio about six months after which really helped. I still get twinges four years later, but I have a set of exercises to do if it flares up.

As your daughter is nearly 2 it probably won't go on its own now.

Also 18 months would be incredibly early for potty training, most children I know were 2.5ish, a bit later for boys.

Oh and we used the pram until about 3.5, for speed and safety. I did not have time to always travel at 2/3 year old pace! Also sometimes you need them to nap in it. I'd let him walk if it was safe and convenient, and he got lots of time running around the park near us.

It again goes to show how all babies are different, mine would never have napped in a pushchair (but was a really good mapper at home in a cot.) Waaaay too much to look at in a pushchair.

It is a real shame when an OP asks a question in good faith, and is piled on at once. Literally two replies in, the reply was "this is bizarre, you should seek help for your anxiety". Mumsnet at its finest, earning its "nest of vipers" reputation. I remember someone on MN saying "I am a health visitor, I tell people to avoid asking on MN, it's very confrontational".

The OP had not even said she was nervous, somebody jumped to the wrong conclusion.

In regards to potty training, “ready” is a misnomer and is an outdated idea. You don’t want to be waiting till nearly 3 - it’s far too late.

20 - 30 months is ideal, as by then they are old enough to understand but not too old that they have their own stubbornness and willpower. They accept it as “just what you do”.

I highly recommend the Oh Crap method.

The people that struggle and say their kids weren’t ready either didn’t commit and take nappies away completely (except at nighttime - that’s hormonal), waited too long to start or didn’t do any research and fucked up the training process.

Just plan in extra time for trips so you know you can add in a bit of time with your dd walking. Be prepared for lots of stopping and starting, she'll want to stop and look at everything, and touch everything. But try to be relaxed about it, it's just her exploring her world. Mine came out of the pram earlier than yours but, for example, I'd have them in the pushchair to get to the park so that we actually got there, but let them walk home taking all the time it needs. Or walk to the local shop when there's no time pressure.

@BananasInThreePieceSuits it really isn’t.

NHS website says clearly that ‘by age 2, some children will be dry during the day, but this is still quite early.’ link

My anecdotal experience is girls are 2.5 - 3 and boys 3 - 3.5. I know Oh Crap is favoured on here and I am definitely not suggesting the OP doesn’t try it but it isn’t effective for everybody and not everyone likes it.

I just let mine walk when they could walk - unless I was in a hurry, they are slow to start with! DD1 has always been great with hand holding so I've never needed reins for her. DD2 has only been walking for a month. She's not as good at hand holding, but at the moment she's also very slow so I just hold her hand and make it clear she needs to hand hold - she's not able to run off yet. If she's still a poor hand holder when she's faster, I'll get the reins out.

One of my favourite memories when my DS was about 14 months and confidently walking, was walking down the road to the park with him. It felt like such a novelty watching him walk down the road. Took forever mind but was very cute.

@Winterstars It really is.

Shouldn't we wait for 'signs of readiness'?No! Many children and particularly those with additional needs, will never give any signs that they are ready to potty or toilet train.

From ERIC - the children’s bowel and bladder society.

Also there is absolutely no evidence boys are harder to train. It’s a complete myth.

https://eric.org.uk/potty-training/#:~:text=You%20don't%20need%20to%20wait%20until%20your%20child%20is,of%20communication%20that%20children%20develop.

As soon as he could walk, holding hands. At two and a half he was on a balance bike stopping at the kerbs to wait.

I’m aware what ERIC says. Believe me I don’t think there is a potty training website or book I haven’t read! But I am not talking about ‘being ready’. I’m just saying that age 3 is definitely not ‘far too late.’

At 2 my DS was a nightmare. He’s much easier at 3.

Do it now. Mine walked on the pavement as soon as they could walk, which was 10 & 13 months. Obviously couldn't walk for long periods of time at that age. My youngest was like Houdini, he could climb out of the pushchair even when strapped in, there was no restraining him. He got a mini micro scooter for his second birthday and went everywhere on that. I was excited to see them walking and being independent - if we weren't in a rush!

Some unnecessary rude comments here. Op you sound lovely and how can anyone learn if they don't ask questions.

Reigns are optional - our first was walking (running) at 9 months and was a bolter, he needed reigns to not get hit by a car. His little sister just turned 2 and didn't walk until about 16 months - she's a slow plodder, and happily waits to be told to go at crossings, so no reigns needed.

We're walkers too (no car) but both kids hated the buggy. In case it becomes an issue, look into push trikes, the ones with the stick on the back. Our 5yo still uses his for some hospital appointments with about 3 miles of walking (severely travel sick, 5 minutes by car or bus will see vomit). I'm still using the baby carrier for dd when we need to be somewhere on time, or it's going to be nap time.

Potty training is highly contentious! We will try with dd this summer, but she's been asking to go potty (and going) since before she could walk - benefit of an older brother to copy. She can't physically pull pants up, or we'd have done it already. Ds though stubbornly refused all attempts until 3.5 when he suddenly decided to wear pants (no accidents).

There are no stupid questions. You have Google, mumsnet, you just keep learning. It's amazing the weird things I have to Google as someone who's never had small children around her!

There is no time when you "should" do this. It's not about walking ability, it's about how slowly you want to go - walking at toddler speed is tedious! There are issues if you have a child who won't hold your hand but that's easily solved with reins.

Jeez we walk miles, couldn't get rid of buggy until about 3.5!

Unfortunately OP, your very sensible plan to use walking to help with weight loss is probably going to have to take a back seat for a little while. As a non-driver I still used a buggy up to the age of 4 when we needed to be somewhere a mile away in a hurry, but between the ages of 1.5 and four you do end up spending a lot of time walking at a toddlers' pace and having to take the bus/tram when you otherwise wouldn't. A London mate of mine put on half a stone and couldn't work out why until she realised that it coincided with her child starting to walk most of the time. Can you build in exercise games with your daughter at a playground instead? Or a gentle YouTube workout in the evening?

I had a lightweight buggy with a shoulder strap that was a godsend for trips where DC could walk some but not all of the way. It left both hands free.

My god, you got some bonkers responses here. No it’s not normal to bin the buggy at 18 months and let your one year old walk along the pavement by a main road. Majority of people keep buggies until aged 3 at least.

Letting a one year old walk on the pavement by a road is unnecessary. They can slip out your hand in a second, and they DON’T have road sense. (Cue lots of perfect mumsnet mums saying little Hortensia is 15 months and can cross the road by herself). Seriously - when the child can understand about car and road safety, that’s when they can start walking down the pavement with you. Different for every child, but more like aged 3. Think of bikes, escooters and disability scooters zooming down the pavement. A small, slight 18 month old can’t dodge these.

Let your child out the buggy to walk on safe footpaths (not near a road), and public parks, farms and attractions, beeches etc. She will get plenty of practice walking from that.

I have the backpack reins for my DD of a similar age. She thinks she's just being a big girl wearing a bag. I started with short walks to the shop without the buggy but do be prepared that the buggy will more than like stop wanting to be used even if it makes more sense to use to, I have to battle DD most times now to use a buggy. I do still encourage holding my hand though especially when getting to crossing a road so that once old enough to understand/listen a bit better she knows she has to do that and not just run riot. I have tried with no reins but I'll be honest it scares me too much as she'll only hold my hand/listen for so long. Of course in the park/somewhere safe I don't bother with reins but on a road I would. I'd try short walks first to see how your DD is. Also as PP said, be prepared for a journey to take double the time 😂.

@ChanSmell86
It's understandable being unsure and feeling bit insecure in regards of this transition phrase with your toddler child,

My advice is definitely purchase walking reins just for your piece of mind too..

thats another good tip 👍 allways give yourself extra time so feel less stress and more comfortable...

God people are being mean for no reason.

OP, I had similar moments with my first where I suddenly realised things like I could just give her a plate of food and a spoon and let her feed herself with it, instead of spoon feeding her because I saw another kid the same age doing it in a cafe! I'm sure people will call me stupid, but there were somethings that I just didn't realise she was ready for.

Let her walk out of the pram whenever you are next out, I used to just keep her on the inside away from the road and hold her hand. Sometimes I used a backpack that had a lead type thing on, but not always as I found it a faff to put on and off her, and she wasn't a bolter!

Enjoy your walks!

You never had a runner then.

Reins are an essential safety tool for some children.