what age should a child stop using a pushchair?

[choochootrain1]

I'm thinking of buying a 2nd hand iCandy (it's cheaper than a new stroller and I've always wanted one) but DS is 20 months. Currently he's not showing any signs of me being able to give up the buggy, even if we go to the corner shop, he wants to be carried back and will tantrum about it. I'm usually on my own with him plus shopping/hopping on and off buses etc so I figure for us it's probably at least another year away before he'll walk everywhere. I also don't have a car, we always use public transport.

But, what age do you think a child SHOULD give up the pushchair? am I soon to head into the disapproving looks? Should I even care?

about 3/4yrs and no you shouldn't care everyone parents differently and some children advance before others. i would get the icandy and try get him to walk alongside it for a bit each time until he gets tired so he gets used to the walking without a pushchair.

I tend to find the pushchair judgers drive everywhere so don't realise how long it takes to walk a mile or two at toddler pace even if said toddler is willing. DS was using the pushchair until he was 3 for longer walks ( eg 30 mins from playgroup at a clip for an adult). He also used to be a bit of a moaner but now he's like Forrest Gump so I wouldn't worry.

DD2 is 2.5 and although she wants to walk a lot she's a) totally unreliable mood wise and b) extremely likely to want to be carried if we don't take a pushchair. So I'm not getting rid of ours yet no way! I'd say roughly by 3.5 but very child is different and I'm no judge. You'll get a while out of it yet so go for it, especially if you've always wanted one (loved mine!).

I agree that pushchair "judgers" don't walk much. You don't need a buggy if you drive everywhere and then walk to the park.

I take the kids to walk the dog and there is no way they can manage to walk constantly for an hour. I have a second hand off road doubler they jump in and out of. They are 4 and 2.

I don't care who judges. At least they are in the fresh air, walking some of the time! Do what is right for you.

Ooh, 20 months is very young! DD is 2.4 and while she's encouraged to walk a lot (mainly because I'm heavily pregnant and finding it hard to push her), we still take the pushchair if likely to be walking more than a mile or so.

Her baby brother is due soon, and once he's too big for a sling we'll be trying to get by with just a pushchair and a buggy board, but that's because I don't want a double buggy rather than because of her age.

I had an iCandy (Peach) for DS, love it but he was pretty much too big for it by 2 and I put it away and bought a cheapy umbrella type one (worked much better once get bigger) so bear that in mind before you get it. My DS used umbrella one until about 3.2 and now just walks. I now have a 5 week old baby so using the iCandy again and it is great but umbrella ones so much easier once they get bigger especially as can't fold up iCandy carrycot or seat so not great for public transport.

Agree with above. Generally the people who judge live in cities and either use public transport or drive most places if not everywhere.

By 2 I was encouraging DS to walk holding the pram and he could jump in when I was in x hurry or if he got tired but he wasn't actually reliable with walking until 3.5 years.

Everyone is different though.

DD is 15 months and can't even take a few steps yet so I can't see her walking the school run anytime soon :o

Ds2 is 17 months and I'm considering a new pushchair too (bjcm gt for me). I'm expecting to get at least a year and probably 18 months regular use out of it. Ds1 was mostly walking everywhere by 2 but still used the pushchair til nearer 3 sometimes.

Probably by the time they start school. Although I've seen reception children being whizzed in on buggy boards. It's still preferable to the car. We only use the car once or twice a week.

Mine stopped using the buggy at 4.6yrs in this house. Walk pretty much everywhere. But they hopped in and out from about 3yrs. Having a buggy saved me time.

And for those who think its done them harm 7yo DS has a decent parkrun pb of 33 mins .

DS2 is 2.5 and we bought a new stroller for him at 2. I walk everywhere including huge hills and tbf he dawdles badly.

He's a tall boy and quite chatty so I'm already seeing some 'looks' but I know he needs it.

In contrast DS1 was mainly out of the pram at 2. He walks quickly and was able to keep up.

I still used the pram until he was 3 as it was handy and he too was a tall child and awkward to carry

Dd1 was out at 2.9 months and dd2 at 2.

Carry dd2 around a bit though still (2.4).

DS stopped around 3 but it didn't matter if we dawdled on the walk to nursery. DD stopped about 3.6 but we had school run so a time limit. She'd walk part way then hop in when we were late. However I found she was a bit lazy and would rarely hop back out, so I went cold turkey and started leaving much earlier and she stopped asking within the week. Our round trip is 1.5miles with a steep uphill all the way home and she can manage that fine.

It also depends on time of year. DD stopped in buggy in the spring as did DS - much easier when they've not got colds and the weather is more conducive to slow walking.

I do still see people with 4yos in buggies round here for the school run and know they live much closer to school than me so I do think that's a bit ridiculous. But I don't generally judge randoms out and about as I'm aware that they could have already walked several miles that day.

DS is 3.5 and very capable of walking but we have a "just in case" small pushchair which we will take on long days out (it usually ends up carrying bags and coats). Sometimes it very useful to have him in the pushchair if I'm going to somewhere where we don't want him running about (bolter, not very cooperative).
In a month, it's coming with us on holiday in the car boot. We will be doing lots of walking activities and it will make thing easier for everyone - he will be rising 4 at the time. We have decided to ditch it at that point tho, the holiday is the pushchairs last hurrah!

I wouldn't judge anyone for having a 3 or 4 year old in a pushchair... I'd assume it was the best/easy solution for that child, on that day.

It very much depends on the child and individual family circumstances. With my eldest she was out of the buggy just after she turned 2 because my back went when I was pregnant and I was physically unable to push her. We walked everywhere because I couldn't drive and it took absolutely forever! My youngest on the other hand stayed in the buggy until he was much nearer 3.
You will get judgey looks. But I find the best thing to do is completely ignore them if what you are doing is the best for you and your child.

We went on holiday when ds turned two and that's the last time we used a pushchair (and then only for naps). He is a good walker and now at 3.5 will walk miles without complaints.

At age two my ds was 15kg and tall so he was too big for the pushchair anyway.

I have a friend who's ds bolted across a car park last week. He's 4yrs old, I think a lot of the reason he doesn't walk nicely, hold hands, stop at the road, runs away etc is because he's never been given the chance to walk anywhere and is always strapped in the buggy so has never learned how to walk nicely.

it's a real bug bear of mine seeing massive 3/4/5 year olds in a buggy. They really should be walking. Fair enough occasional use for days out or nap times.

It depends on your child, how athletic they are naturally, how much you walk, and how determined you are to get them fit so they don't need it!

My DS no longer uses his at nearly 2. He was an earlyish walker though, and I've slowly built his fitness up when walking the dog (so ten min out of the buggy, then 15, then 20 etc). He can keep up for an hour's dog walk, or a couple of hours of shopping in town. If we didn't have access to the car/bus and were walking more than 3 miles a day, we probably would still use the buggy when he got tired.

I last used mine when he was 6.

You tend to just let it gradually phase out and who cares what other people think?

DS was 3.5 before we phased it out altogether. i had learned to drive by then and didn't rely on it as much so phasing it out wasn't too hard.

I think for long walks and relying on public transport its much easier to have a pushchair- especially as it allows
you somewhere to rest 10 heavy bags that are breaking your arms. i got judgy looks as well before i had a car, but if it saves traisping about with an unwilling toddler or getting soaked from walking miles at snails pace, i'd take it!

3.5/4 is probably about normal, i don't think i've seen much older than that in one, i certainly wouldnt be worried at 20 months!

DD will be 2.11 when DC2 is born and I am praying she's out of the pushchair for longer walks by then as I can't afford to buy a double buggy! I figure there'll be a grace period of a few months when I'll use a sling and then she won't have much choice...

It's entirely up to you OP. I didn't drive and got rid of the double pram when the twins were about 3.5. They were ready to walk and frankly I was fed up of pushing the big heavy pram about (this was some years ago).
I suppose I give a double take when I see 6 year old in a pram (not one with SEN) but I try not to judge as there can be many other reasons the parent has needed to use a pram.

When they can walk everywhere they need to without one.

It seems a bit arbitrary to judge on age, everyone has different places to get to, toddlers are all different sizes.

I do think children should be given the chance to walk sometimes, as soon as they are able, and the pushchair should be slowly phased out - which is what most people do! Walking sometimes, pushchair sometimes, gradually the pushchair is empty more and more, and you can leave it at home and go out unencumbered.

The only problem would be with always shoving a child in the pushchair and never, ever letting them learn how to walk sensible along a pavement, or build up any stamina. I don't think that is doing your child any favours.

Agree with everyone else - who cares!!!

I used to take the buggy even when I knew dd wasn't going to use it simply because it would hold all my bags and would be there just in case.

Waggamamma you'd have had a screaming hissy fit if you saw my friend if it bugs you that much!

She has a 3 year old in age 5-6 clothing and she's in the pushchair 75% of the time. She has mild Cystic Fibrosis which is totally invisible to anyone who doesn't know her.

Nice to know people are judging her for something so trivial in a situation they are totally ignorant of