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?

[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.

[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.

[ReneRusso]

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

[alysonpeaches]

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

[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?

[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

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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 )

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.