Would you bother with a double buggy for a 3.3 yro?

[Bumperliouzzzzzz]

DD will be 3.3 when DC2 comes along. We have a Quinny Buzz which we are keeping for DC 2. The plan was to make use of the sling more often so we could interchange with the two if necessary (although this won't work in the beginning really as well be using a carry cot). DD has been walking since a year old so it competent but tends to refuse to walk sometimes and will insist on being carried.

A chap at work is selling a Graco tandem for £40 (RRP £145) so that is the only reason I am ow considering it (we had mainly dismissed the idea due to not being able to afford a decent double).

I'm thinking more for if we are going out for the day or something. Other than that I will try and make DD walk as much as possible.

What would you do? Is it worth getting this one even if we just use it for a couple of months?

[hazeyjane]

I think it depends on

your child

how much you walk

whether you often have to get to places quickly

your back

whether you walk everywhere in all weathers

whether your dd has horrendous tantrums, that would be easier to deal with if you could sit them in a buggy!

Don't worry about people who say things like, 'NT 3.3yo should be walking everywhere imo' - if you feel a double buggy is a good idea for your family, then go for it.

[pinkgrapefruitjuice]

Depends on your child, how far you would walk and also how busy traffic wise it is where you live. If it was me and I had the money I would get the Graco if you like it or a 2nd hand Phil and Teds which could be sold on in a years time.

[jp27]

do what you will think is going to make life easier!

I got a double, didn't use it much but almost got my money back on ebay and it DID help a LOT several times.

Imagine you NEED to go out to the shops, your 3yr old is tired...nobody to help. Have DC1 screaming and baby crying as DC1 has woken them up and you get a hellish trip? Or you can put them both in a buggy, whizz round in peace and get back home with all of you happy & unstressed...

Having a new baby is hard enough, esp on DC1 with nose out of joint.

Trust me, if YOU think she won't always walk and does get tired, for £40, just get it. You can sell it later - you haven't lost anything and it may be a life saver just that once or twice...

good luck!

[Bumperliouzzzzzz]

Thanks for the replies. Good tip about the buggy board, will check that out. We were planning on getting a scooter for DD's 3rd birthday and have heard good things about the mini micro.

I still haven't decided but I must admit that the replies along the lines of 'no way should a child of 3.3 be still in a buggy, way too old' will definitely be going around my head if when DD is 3.3 she still isn't a great walker.

[CiderIUpAndSetIFree]

Yes so much depends on how much the child likes walking, how much you walk, and your patience levels with a dawdling moany child (you can probably guess where my patience levels lie )

[CoinOperatedGirl]

I started this very same thread about 8 months ago btw (ds2 is 6 months) and got the same mixture of "no way, they should be walking everywhere from 2" and "yes go for it" lol. In the end my indecision clinched it and we decided to see how we went when ds2 was born and buy a double if it was necessary.

[CarGirl]

no it's been mentioned get a mini micro scooter they are so light you can just balance them across the pushchair handlebar if they want to walk for a bit. I used to cycle to school sometimes carrying the mini micro in one hand without a problem. I wouldn't recommend any other scooter though too heavy and too unweildly.

[CiderIUpAndSetIFree]

I'd get the double - as others have said, the older one can feel displaced and behave VERY awkwardly even if in theory they're capable of walking - it's not worth the grief imo.

And really, depending on the child, 3.3 isn't that old to be going on long walks, it's harder to drag a reluctant tired child along than let them have a seat for a while.

A possible alternative is one of those lightweight scooters - only good if you don't go up and down a lot of hills though or you'll end up carrying the whole lot.

[skidoodly]

'It's debatable whether any boards fit the Buzz, and they certainly don't with the carry cot attachment. "

I have a buggy board that I've been using for the past three months with a Quinny Buzz with the carry cot. I went to a good pram shop and made the man fit it while we waited to make sure it would work.

It's the Buggy Board maxi or something. It was expensive - £60 or so, but very, very useful.

22 month gap here and we've managed well with just the board, no sling until very recently as I had a section and when we're out with that DD1 just walks.

[CoinOperatedGirl]

I wouldn't, dd was 3.1 when ds1 arrived and ds1 was 3.2 when ds2 arrived and we managed without a double. Ds1 is a bit lazy and loved his pushchair however he quickly accepted that he had to walk, not always happily mind. We don't have a car either and do a moderate amount of walking most days. There are a couple of occasions when I would have killed for a double, but tbh this could have easily been solved by me having a sling under the buggy (just never got round to buying one). Maybe a buggy board and/or sling? To me doubles are just a pita, either really heavy/wide or expensive!

[CarGirl]

3yr3 is old to still be in a pushchair unless you walk miles everyday.

Perhaps the trick is to start walking to places she wants to go now and if she refuses to walk not go there IYSWIM. You need to work out if it is a battle of wills you're prepared to win or not IYSWIM

[ageing5yearseachyear]

my dd1 was a lazy, moany and indeed whiney little beggar.

this only started when cute baby arrived and took over pushchair.prior to that she was a good walker.

if i had to do it again ( and thank the lord i wont) i would defo get a second hand double. i would put single pram away, i would big up the superiority of the double and indeed insist that dd1 sits in it.

i would then let her decide that she is far too grown up for such nonsense- take her to a shop- suggest that big girls use buggy steps instead ( and help mummy steer the pram) and let her choose one.

i would then sell the pram and recoup the cost of the buggy step.

isnt hindsight wonderful?

[alysonpeaches]

£40 isnt brill for a Graco tandem. Gracos are fairly cheap second hand on ebay. So dont panic about missing this one.

[ReneRusso]

You might as well get the £40 one, you might only use it a few times, but you can sell it on later.

[lovechoc]

I wouldn't bother tbh. I will also have a similar gap once DC2 arrives and we are just making do with what we have. By 3.2/3 they should be managing to walk on their own without a buggy. Worst case scenario use the sling for the baby and buggy for toddler.

[Clary]

No.

No way. Have 2yr and then 22mo gap and never had double. Used slign and buggyboard. NT 3.3yo should be walking everywhere imo.

[Miggsie]

No, it would be bloody heavy and difficult to manouvre.

I walk to school with a child minder who handles a double buggy daily and she does not enjoy it.

[alysonpeaches]

Im on my fourth double/twin pushchair and this sort
cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-GRACO-DUOSPORT-TWIN-DOUBLE-BUGGY-BABY-STROLLER-/190390928293?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_B abyBabyTravelPushchairs_GL&hash=item2c542f03a5

is easier to push than this

cgi.ebay.co.uk/GRACO-STADIUM-DUO-MIDNIGHT-DOUBLE-TWIN-TANDEM-PUSHCHAIR-/330424244289?cmd=ViewItem&pt =UKBabyBabyTravelPushchairsGL&hash=item4ceed1d841

I have had both so I know!

But the Emmaljunga might be better for a new baby and a 3 year old.

[biddyofsuburbia]

I got one (2nd hand) for when DD was born and DS was 2.5. Never used and eaten by mice in garage. Complete waste of money. I got a buggy board and a bit later a scooter for DS, which worked fine. He was a good walker though. DD is a lazy bones so possibly would have needed if she was the eldest.

[alysonpeaches]

This is the sort of thing I meant
cgi.ebay.co.uk/EmmalJunga-Tandem-Use-Pram-double-buggy-400-/280497000446?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Baby_Bab yTravelPushchairsGL&hash=item414eec8ffe

[alysonpeaches]

The graco tandem is heavy going when the biggest child is in the front. I found getting up and down kerbs with the weight in the front to be a challenge - I had a 3 year old and a baby but needed a buggy because the 3yo had special needs and was easier to cope with strapped in when near roads etc.

When I had the next two, I successfully used a buggy board as DGD1 was very sensible. I couldnt have used a buggy board with DGS1. With DGD3 and 4, I got rid of the double buggies and DGD3 had an almighty tantrum on an outing because she couldnt go in the single pushchair instead of DGD4. I ended up buying another double pushchair from ebay for £15. Dont just buy the graco because its cheap, its not necessarily the best double/twin for you. I found the side by side ones with a single long handle the best eg Mamas and Papas Aria or the one Im using at present which is a Little Tikes twin, but I havent seen this on sale anywhere in this country. If you want to go second hand, have a look on ebay, also look at reviews of twin/doubles online to see what other mums make of them. Many are like me and find the tandems heavy going.

Another option is a second hand Emmaljunga pram/pushchair which is a single, but you fit a toddler seat on it. Its easier to push than a tandem and I was tempted to get one before the Little Tikes came up.

[runnybottom]

Depends on the child/ren. I didn't need one when DS2 was born when DS1 was 2, but I needed one for ds2 and 3 and there is a similar gap.

For DS2, its not so much about how far he can walk (he's a strong walker) its more that he will never walk in the direction we need to go in, at the speed we need etc. Also he tries to run into roads and runs away in shops, so a double makes life so much easier!

[BeehiveBaby]

I wouldn't TBH. It's another thing to get DC1 out of using. Sling for a few months, then a buggy board for very long trips.

[auntyviral]

i would

[Jamieandhismagictorch]

or a toy buggy for her to push might encourage her to walk (worked for my DS1)