Would you use the harness?

[Patti2]

My 4 1/2 year old daughter occasionally rides in her pushchair. I am not sure if I should harness her in at this age as I don't think she is in a risk of falling out. My friend who was walking alongside us today commented that it is unsafe to not strap her in. What would you do, would you use the harness?

no, I don't use the pushchair harness for my three year old, haven't done for some time.

Use the harness. If you stop suddenly she could fall out. If you miss a curb and the pram tips forward (happens to me all the time!) she could fall out. Better safe than sorry.

Generally don't use at that age (impractical), altho' I agree it's safer to, have had dc fly out at that age.

On MN you'll get told off for still allowing them in the pushchair at this late age, anyway!

I use the harness, and am grateful for it. Last January I pushed the buggy with my 2 1/2 (at the time)year old in it up a kerb, and the front wheel snapped off. The buggy toppled over and I landed on top of it. He was strapped in and protected by the bumper bar too. If he hadn't been strapped in he would have flown out the pushchair onto the concrete pavement, and possibly hit the brick wall which is close to the crossing point. I go cold thinking aobut what could have happened.
use

Sorry, he hit the post button!!
I used to think nothing of it and assumed when he was older I wouldn't strap him in, but that changed my mind. He gets strapped in whether he likes it or not.

I always used the harness for the reasons already given in the other posts. It also stopped the child trying to get out of the pushchair while it was moving.

juuule problem is my children are generally expert excape artists and they can undue the harness

Well if they can undo the harness I suppose there isn't much point in fastening it, is there

If mine tried to undo the harness, I would say that they couldn't go in the pushchair and would have to walk. Which usually meant mine would tolerate having it fastened. I also crossed over the shoulder straps to fasten the opposing sides of the lapbelt. That helped to stop them slipping the shoulder straps off their shoulders.
Once they got bigger they were usually so happy for the novelty of going in the pushchair that they would be okay with just the lapbelt being fastened.

Juule what pushchair do you have. My 3 year old DS can undo the harness too. I was thinking of buying a mammas and pappas P3. It looks as if it has a more elaborate harness. Does anyone have experience with it?

I always used the harness, every time they went into the buggy. With explanations that it was about safety, just like in a car, so both DC's always accepted it. If they wanted to get out, they'd just shout and I'd undo them - they knew they weren't allowed to undo the harness while the buggy was moving.

P3 is just as easy as a malcaren tbh!

IME it doesn't matter how complex the fastening is, a toddler is equipped with the expertise to undo the Gordion knot within ten minutes. You just hve to brainwash them not to.

The OP isn't actually talking about a toddler though, but a 4yo, so the idea of using the harness to stop them getting out seems a bit irrelevant. Not even sure about needing the harness to stop them from falling out at this age- after all, a child this age could go to school on a scooter or a bike with stabilisers couldn't they? I'd just tell them, if you want to go in the pushchair at your age, you'd better sit still.

oh yes forgot the dc was 4

I think the difference between a bike and a buggy, is that the child is controlling the bike and can respond to bumps/ take pre-emptive action. I think that's why I feel uncomfortable about the idea of them in a buggy unfastened.

I wouldn't like to be in a buggy unfastened, I wouldn't feel safe.

I know what you mean. Still, dd goes in her wheelchair unfastened. Up to me to be careful when we go down the kerb.

I'd use the harness.
If the buggy tips, or God forbid was hit by soemthing (it does happen) she will be safer.

I never use a harness in a buggy

they learn after they've fallen out a few times

I have caught buggy wheels on something and sent a 3-4-5yo flying. . The problem is that at that age they just jump in and out so briefly, typically while another sibling is walking, and I don't want to faff about strapping the big child in for a 2 minute ride.

The falls happened so often that DS2 used to insist on strapping himself in when he was 3 or so .

oh dear I must be a bad mother as half the time I dont fasten in my 2 year old when he is in the buggy!! He likes to walk for a bit and sit down for a bit so it is a faff to fasten and unfasten the straps all the time so I leave them unfastened.

I don't fasten my 2 year old in either.

When my 5.5 year old daughter rides in the pushchair (not very often) she is harnessed in. She usually fastens the harness by herself, and she asks permission before unfastening it.
She's used to being seatbelted anywere there is a belt, the pushchair, the grocery cart, the junior highchair, the merry-go-round, etc...

I stopped fastening at about 2.5, he was in and out all the time, and it didn't seem worth it, it reached the point where he could lanch himself in when the buggy was moving.