What would you think of a 5yr old in a stroller - Page 4

[swd12422]

Hugs to you and your daughter. I think this is exactly the kind of issue that will help you both in the future when it comes to dealing with her "differences."

TBH, my first reaction to your question was to be judgmental. And then, before I even opened the thread my next thought was, "Of course, it's not right to judge, b/c what if the child has a condition that's not completely obvious?" My judgmental instincts come from my very opinionated family combined with seeing parents in my family and just in the community) who just let their kids dictate EVERYTHING. We know more than one family whose older child "needed" a stroller b/c the child refused to do anything but eat and watch TV, and therefore couldn't make a lap around the shopping mall on his/her own two feet. No health issues, other than those brought on by unhealthy habits allowed by the parents. (One was someone we just saw at the mall, and the parents TOLD US that was the deal. We didn't ask... It was, "She won't walk ANYWHERE.") It was sad, in a lot of ways, but of course brings up judgment for similar scenes now where it's not warranted.

I say, forget about all of us ignorant judgmental folks and live your life. Our opinions don't matter anyway!

[DoulaVallere]

Gotta say I'm kinda shocked at all the respondants who would immediately assume a 5yo kid in a stroller has a special need rather than just assuming it was a LONG walk and they were tired or that mom/dad wanted to actually make it to the destination and back in under 3 hours (which is what it would take us to walk the 1/2 mile to the grocery store if my son walked because he would stop to pick every.single.flower on the way). My completely typical 4.5yo LOVES to ride in the double jogger with his brother. Sometimes he wants to get out and walk and other times he just wants to ride and enjoy the scenery. I guess when I see an "older" kid in a stroller, my first thought isn't "Wonder what's wrong with him/her that he/she has to ride and not walk" but rather "Oh look, another family out enjoying the fresh air!" *shrug*

[kalirush]

Yeah- my totally healthy almost-5 year old rides in a stroller on occasion. I have a bike trailer that converts to a stroller, and if we're going a long distance, both kids ride. Didn't realize that might be seen as weird.

[kittywitty]

My 5 yo hops in all the time. She tires easily. I encourage her to walk, but sometimes if we're like at the zoo all day, I know she needs a longer rest. I certainly wouldn't think twice seeing one.

[GranoLLLy-girl]

I ran miles with my two kids in a jogging stroller until just last year--at the time we finally quit (they finally outgrew it and I went back to work) I had the stroller for just over five years. So my daughter was seven and my son was five coming into six when we finally quit. There were many reasons for this: I was a SAHM and they couldn't keep up on bikes for a six or seven miles stretch, they were small (dd, who is now 8 is just about 42 pounds, ds is just under 40 pounds at 6), they enjoyed it, and read books, and I couldn't think of any other alternative. At one point, I bought a bike and a double stroller and they hated it and I felt nervous trying to go at high rates of speed to get my heart muscle pumping (we live at the beach--everything is FLAT).

So, there's the truth. Frankly, I never thought twice about what people thought because I had been doing it for so many years and all the folks that we normally would see on our regular run would just say stuff like: one day, they'll be pushing you! I just took it as a friendly opener.

Last year they finally got bikes and can keep up. But of course, now I'm slow because I went back to work this year, gained a ton of weight and can barely keep up with myself! LOL!

So there's a complicated answer to what you want to know: do what works for you and who cares what anyone else thinks.

[sapphire_chan]

Y'know what they need? A big, easy to push, cart like those cargo bikes, e.g. bakfiets, that can hold an adult and 5 grocery bags, or 3 kids and the laundry.

[sunnmama]

If your child looked comfy, I'd probably ask you where you got your stroller, lol!

I'm a walker, and my 3 yo rides in the stroller on our walks to/from the park. He might make it there walking, but it would be a heckuva time getting him to walk back after running and playing for hours. I rest at the playground, and push his exhausted self back home I'm already wondering what I'm going to do if/when he outgrows his stroller.....

[Mom2M]

Originally Posted by DoulaVallere

Gotta say I'm kinda shocked at all the respondants who would immediately assume a 5yo kid in a stroller has a special need rather than just assuming it was a LONG walk and they were tired or that mom/dad wanted to actually make it to the destination and back in under 3 hours (which is what it would take us to walk the 1/2 mile to the grocery store if my son walked because he would stop to pick every.single.flower on the way). My completely typical 4.5yo LOVES to ride in the double jogger with his brother. Sometimes he wants to get out and walk and other times he just wants to ride and enjoy the scenery. I guess when I see an "older" kid in a stroller, my first thought isn't "Wonder what's wrong with him/her that he/she has to ride and not walk" but rather "Oh look, another family out enjoying the fresh air!" *shrug*

exactly!
We never get strange looks when we are out with the double jogger and 2 big dogs walking! A lot of people do come and say hi and how nice it is to see the whole family out.
DD#1 is almost 5. DD#2 is 6 months.
I get sick of people saying stuff and criticizing when they really have no idea of the circumstances and just because one way works for your family doesn't mean another way is not valid.
Why not just use what works for your family and not judge anyone else's choice?

[Sharlla]

Originally Posted by DoulaVallere

Gotta say I'm kinda shocked at all the respondants who would immediately assume a 5yo kid in a stroller has a special need rather than just assuming it was a LONG walk and they were tired or that mom/dad wanted to actually make it to the destination and back in under 3 hours (which is what it would take us to walk the 1/2 mile to the grocery store if my son walked because he would stop to pick every.single.flower on the way). My completely typical 4.5yo LOVES to ride in the double jogger with his brother. Sometimes he wants to get out and walk and other times he just wants to ride and enjoy the scenery. I guess when I see an "older" kid in a stroller, my first thought isn't "Wonder what's wrong with him/her that he/she has to ride and not walk" but rather "Oh look, another family out enjoying the fresh air!" *shrug*

sorry, i was asked my honest opinion and i gave it. i dont judge anyone, i work with people with dd
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[artgoddess]

: I'd probably think she was tired and wanted to sit for a while.

[Sharlla]

ive never actually seen an older kid in a stroller, and we go to the zoo, parks and hiking all the time
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[eclipse]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

ive never actually seen an older kid in a stroller, and we go to the zoo, parks and hiking all the time
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I don't think of a five year old as an "older kid." I'm not saying it's wrong that you do, I just think it's interesting how different people have different perspectives. I think of a five year old as a kid still young enough to be exhausted at the end of a long day, especially if they've recently given up napping (no such luck with me, mine stopped as toddlers!), or are on the go all day with their parents. Keeping up with adult sized legs for a long period of time is exhausting - I know how I feel after trying to keep up with my foot taller than me husband, so I assume it's worse for kids.

[Starflower]

I'd probably think that your kid gets tired easily and that he/she was too heavy to carry comfortably. No big deal.

[BookGoddess]

I wouldn't think anything of it. A 5 year old kid sitting in a stroller = not a big deal.
Our child isn't 5 yet, but even when she is if she still wants to use a stroller sometimes that's fine with me. I think I would actually prefer it. She tends to lag behind when she's walking and it's faster to push her in a stroller.

[MissMaegie'sMama]

I don't think it's a big deal. If I see a 5 year old in a stroller, I assume he or she has been walking or playing for some time and just has tired legs.

[Mama Mko]

Mine just turned 5. Sometimes he rides in the stroller, especially at big zoos, amusement parks, museums, etc. He walks when he wants and rides when he wants. So I wouldn't think anything about it.

[Sharlla]

Originally Posted by eclipse

I don't think of a five year old as an "older kid." I'm not saying it's wrong that you do, I just think it's interesting how different people have different perspectives. I think of a five year old as a kid still young enough to be exhausted at the end of a long day, especially if they've recently given up napping (no such luck with me, mine stopped as toddlers!), or are on the go all day with their parents. Keeping up with adult sized legs for a long period of time is exhausting - I know how I feel after trying to keep up with my foot taller than me husband, so I assume it's worse for kids.

i guess that makes sense. i have weird kids that run constantly and have a seemingly endless supply of energy lol
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[littlemizflava]

i guess it depends because around here i see lots of healthy looking kids in strollers. i hear "they dont want to walk" or "this way i dont have to watch them"

for me if i was going to the park i would use a wagon. no one thinks a thing about a older child using a wagon but may look weird when using a stroller

[sunnmama]

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

for me if i was going to the park i would use a wagon. no one thinks a thing about a older child using a wagon but may look weird when using a stroller

Wagons don't fold up to stow away, and are much more difficult to maneuver (ime) on a long walk across roads and hills. And, of course, a wagon is another item to buy if you already have a perfectly useful stroller!

[kittykat2481]

Originally Posted by aikigypsy

I don't know. We used to live in a place where we saw a lot of bored-looking older kids in strollers who seemed to be there purely for the parents' convenience. It bugged me because it was part of a larger culture of restrictive and not-health-conscious parenting. My gut reaction was to let the kid walk! I had a walking 1-year-old at the time, and she wasn't happy in the stroller, so I could only imagine that a lot of those older kids would have rather been on a longer leash, so to speak.

However I always tried to make allowances for the fact that some of those kids might have had health issues or disabilities that weren't obvious. It all depends on context.

I agree with this. I often see older kids in small umbrella strollers that aren't meant to hold a child their size. I will admit that my initial thoughts are not always the best, but I do make a conscious effort to understand that those parents are probably just doing the best they can with a difficult situation. Obviously I don't know their whole story. Then I feel bad. I recognize that this is a fault of mine, and I would never let it affect the way I deal with those parents or children. It's something I'm working on.

Hope I don't get flamed. I wanted to be honest.

I agree with the pp that said a properly fitted stroller would make all the difference in the world. Something about a too-small umbrella stroller that the kid is knees-to-chin in just puts me off.