Day out and pushchairs?

[claw4]

I have 2 step children with quite severe autism and a ds with autism who is quite HF. Now we are planning a day out, to a theme park, during the Easter break and i suggested to dp about getting pushchairs for his 2 ds's (they are almost 5, but tiny)

The day out will involve lots of walking around and after taking a short walk to the corner shop the other day, it usually takes 5 minutes, but took us 30.

Step ds's are obsessed with stopping to look at car number plates and reading them. They also walk on tiptoe the whole time and have poor coordination, fall quite a bit, cant walk up and down stairs without hand holding etc, etc. They sit on the floor and cry to be picked up. So walking appears to be quite tiring for them.

There is also the danger side of things, they have a very limited sense of danger, will run in the road etc.

My ds is ok on days out, but is easily distracted and also needs to be kept a eye on.

Now dp mentioned to his ex that we were thinking of getting pushchairs for use on days out and she said "no, they are just lazy". Dp doesnt want to go against her wishes and neither do i.

How do you manage a day out? Any advice?

Do what is best for the children. If that means pushchairs, then that means pushchairs.

Just spoke to DP and apparently he 'wasnt too keen on the idea' of pushchairs, as 'they will get used to it'

So looks like we are all in for a day of stress, if we even make it past the car park!

We took ds1 (age 5) to Legoland last weekend and didn't hesitate to hire one of their pushchairs to make the day go a lot more smoothly! He has much, much better stamina than he used to but theme parks involve a hell of a lot of walking and we thought it was only fair on him (and the rest of us) to give him the option of giving his legs a rest.

And there were many, many other kids his age in them so no-one batted an eyelid. Their own pushchairs are bigger than usual ones so suited ds1 just fine

I was just about to suggest the same as google. Most places hire pushchairs. They won't get 'used to it' if they need them, they need them!

This one doesnt hire, its more a seaside, theme park, ive been there before with ds and it does involve a lot of walking around and its a long day. So it would mean buying cheap fold up pushchairs. I dont think they would 'get used to it' as we wont be going to the seaside everyday!

Walking to the corner shop was stressful enough!

Why set yourselves up to fail? Do everything you can to ensure a happy day out, if that means pushchairs then so be it. They don't need to be in them all day long. Hope you all have fun.

Of course get pushchairs it would be daft not to.

We have a Mac Major pushchair for DS2, because he often has mobility problems, but sometimes he is okay to walk. Ideally, he would walk all the time, but that just isn't the case. We got the pushchair so that he CAN walk more. It means we can bring it along and actually take the risk of walking somewhere, knowing that if he does get tired or distressed, he can sit in the pushchair and relax, rest, or simply de-stress for a bit.

One day is not going to get them "used to it" at all. But it will provide some much needed rest for you and the children if they are tired or stressed and are unable to continue on foot for a bit.

Hope you have a lovely time.

is there a way to plan a shorter, closer to home, cheaper day out which might highlight how hard it would be to manage the full day without some sort of aid?

dd1 was still in a buggy (we had a Phil and Teds, so she just about fitted!) when she was 5, as walking around with her was too stressful - lots of dropping ot the floor, wanting to be carried etc). it really isn't that unusual.

maybe you could set 'ground rules' on when it is used? (so that is doesn't become something to be relied on). even once dd1 was out of the buggy around town, we still took it eg on holidays with us, as the change in environment meant more stress for her, and so it was her 'safe space' as well as a help to us in controlling her (airport, days out, etc)

oh, and if you have one, it means somewhere to put all the stuff you'll have ot carry - bags etc. and could act as a stabilising aid if one of the boys 'helps' push it?

Thanks everyone, it would be daft not to are my thoughts exactly! Dp agreed with me to start with, after taking the walk to the corner shop, he has now changed his mind!

One of the step ds's wont even go in the garden, so quite how he thinks he will manage on a day out, i dont know.

Silverfrog good to see you are still here a shorter, closer to home outing is exactly what i suggested to dp before the bigger day out, to see how well they and well us cope too! Told him the ground rules would be for long days out, which involve lots of walking and the pushchairs would remain in the boot of the car. I also suggested that dp try walking to the corner shop on tip toe and see how his legs feel!

I just have to convince DP, the problem seems to be that his ex has said that she manages. Although has failed to say how and where they have been!

I am petrified, last week for example i let go of a little hand for 2 seconds so i could shut the front door on our way out and step ds sprinted for the road, luckily i managed to grab him just before he got there.