Is three to old to be using a pushchair daily?

[Am3y]

Title says it all really, we still use a pushchair with DD most days as we live in the town centre and I don’t drive.

I know we shouldn’t compare but a lot of my friends with little ones have stopped using their pushchairs but I can’t imagine not using one, the issue is when do we stop and start encouraging her to walk more. We are lucky she is happy to go one still and rarely kicks up a fuss unless she’s tired.

She also naps in the pushchair most days for at least an hour.

No, it's fine. Mine were in it until we'll over four. They'd just hop in and out as I went. Better we all got fresh air and I got some exercise than I used the car.

I miss having a pushchair for shopping 😭.

No it's perfectly fine.

It's fine. Your friends who don't use a pushchair probably drive everywhere.

Whatever suits you best!

We only had one car when DC were little and I walked everywhere so the DC used a pushchair until nearly four. It was just vastly preferable to having to carry a heavy toddler!

I only stopped using it when my younger DC was 4 or so and had to learn to walk to school and back before he started there! If you walk a lot it's necessary

Use your pushchair as long as the child wants to. I still use mine occasionally for my 5 year old.

No different from being driven most places. I find toddler walking speed infuriatingly slow so would much rather push if you need to get somewhere. At long as they have plenty of times that they walk a bit/are running round a playground etc then it's absolutely fine.

It’s fine. We rarely used one after mine turned 3 but that’s because we drive most places as we live rurally, and if we went for a long walk we’d use a back carrier. If you don’t drive then a pushchair is sensible so you can get places in a reasonable timeframe. It’s not going to stop your child having plenty of opportunities to walk. Your friends are crazy, ignore them!

the issue is when do we stop and start encouraging her to walk more

Just gradually. What the furthest she’ll walk now, and how tired/stroppy does she get? If there’s a regular walk she does happily then she can probably walk a bit further.

Neither of mine used one after turning 3 (and not because we always drove everywhere, we walk a lot, and DH can’t drive for medical reasons anyway so he always takes them out on foot).
But I don’t think three is too old, I think like everything there’s a range and children are different, as are the circumstances - for example if there’s an older child who has to be walked to school in the morning and it’s a bit of a trek, then the younger sibling is probably going to use a pram for longer because there’s no time in the morning for a three year old’s slow (and tedious..) amble looking at every leaf. And prams are useful for carrying shopping - absolutely no point ditching the pram if you’re then carrying heavy shopping home and now also have a 3 year old’s hand to hold!

Both of mine were in their pushchairs until 4 OP and I don't drive either so it was just more practical when you walk everywhere. Just to reassure you they are both great walkers now!

Neither of mine were regularly in a pushchair by 3. Hardly any children were around here.

I don't drive either.

Does she use a scooter or a balance bike at all? Those can be useful for going farther and faster as you transition away from using the buggy as often.

My DS was in one until almost 4 - he’s a 31st Aug birthday & I had visions of pushing him to school! (He was diagnosed with severe ADHD at 5, I also don’t drive, we live in a city & there was no way I could have walked him everywhere, even gripping his hand, he’d have pulled away & dashed into a road.)

My DD was out of hers by 2, she walked calmly & sensibly everywhere.

All children are different, these choices have to fit around their ability & your lifestyle, so just go with whatever works for you OP.

It's better to have a pushchair if they still need to nap. It's no good being out with a balance bike or scooter if they need to sleep. A lot of parents push their dcs into dropping naps simply by refusing to use a buggy so their dcs have nowhere to rest, and it isn't about encouraging them to walk more but more about the adult's convenience.

I used mine until 4 as the two different schools on the school run was too much for her. Another child (who did the same trek on foot) called her a baby and I was raging as I needed to keep her in that buggy! Luckily pride didn't win😀

We have stopped age 4, only because we started getting looks! mind you, my daughter looks like a 5-year-old.