What is reasonable to expect - stroller - Page 3

[MiaPia]

I honestly see no problem in using a stroller as long as long as the child still fits. I mean really, who cares??
My 4 1/2 yo, 30 lb DD still likes to sit in the stroller some when we are out running errands. It's really perfect for me because I sling the babe, my DD is in the stroller, and 6 yo walks nicely (and quickly!) next to me. I also like having the stroller along to hang bags from - snacks, diaper bags, water bottles, shopping etc.

Anyway, DD is a wanderer, and if I had to hold her hand and DS's hand I'd have no hands free for anything else!

[carfreemama]

Hello from Nova Scotia! I get the 5-month (or longer) winter weather thing; though these days, it's less snow and more rain. Yuck.

Do you have a backyard? We're building a skating rink in ours this winter! Dd is 3.5 and just went on skates for the first time yesterday. She loves it. So I will skate with her (it's not a huge backyard; I'll probably get dizzy going in circles, but oh well).

FTR, I used to be a distance runner. Haven't gotten back to that yet, but I have a dog. I get up really, really early most days and walk him, on my own. Then my needs are met and the pressure is off. I also do lots of indoor exercise with and around dd. I've never felt comfortable doing something like dropping dd off at the Y childminding and then going to exercise. It's really important to me that she sees me exercising and participates, if she wants to. So we do LOTS of dancing inside and I lift hand weights. One of my proudest moments was when she took one of her Playmobil characters, stripped the tires off a Lego axle and put them in the character's hand. She said "That's mommy!" It looked just like it was lifting weights!

We are also car-free, though we do have access to transit. We still use the stroller a bit, usually to places where there's no direct bus service. I bought a very big, weatherproof stroller with snow-proof wheels specifically for this reason. It's true what someone said about car culture; no-one seems to blink that their kids are strapped in a car seat for however long each day... at least your dd has community contact and fresh air in the stroller. I do have ways of getting things done without a car. Mostly it involves the stroller, which turns into a bike trailer. I once got a big convection oven home that way! I LOVE our car-free lifestyle, but it does take planning and it does limit us somewhat. We plan our whole lives so that everything is within walking, biking or bus distance. Mostly, not having a car keeps us from spending money we don't have--that's the real saving. And getting stuff done feels so satisfying.

In general, I've just stopped suggesting the stroller a lot, so it's become a treat and means we're going someplace special. Since we are a car-free family, I am putting expectations on dd that she walk with me without a fuss, when needed. It's just going to be a fact of life in our home; especially since we live in an area with really high obesity rates.

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

I see nothing wrong with it & it kind of boggles my mind that anyone else could.

: I still use the stroller for ds sometimes (age 4). Not always, but I do. I don't plan on phasing it out anytime soon either.... it's a lifesaver at times!

[Yooper]

Originally Posted by carfreemama

Hello from Nova Scotia! I get the 5-month (or longer) winter weather thing; though these days, it's less snow and more rain. Yuck.

Do you have a backyard? We're building a skating rink in ours this winter! Dd is 3.5 and just went on skates for the first time yesterday. She loves it. So I will skate with her (it's not a huge backyard; I'll probably get dizzy going in circles, but oh well).

FTR, I used to be a distance runner. Haven't gotten back to that yet, but I have a dog. I get up really, really early most days and walk him, on my own. Then my needs are met and the pressure is off. I also do lots of indoor exercise with and around dd. I've never felt comfortable doing something like dropping dd off at the Y childminding and then going to exercise. It's really important to me that she sees me exercising and participates, if she wants to. So we do LOTS of dancing inside and I lift hand weights. One of my proudest moments was when she took one of her Playmobil characters, stripped the tires off a Lego axle and put them in the character's hand. She said "That's mommy!" It looked just like it was lifting weights!

We are also car-free, though we do have access to transit. We still use the stroller a bit, usually to places where there's no direct bus service. I bought a very big, weatherproof stroller with snow-proof wheels specifically for this reason. It's true what someone said about car culture; no-one seems to blink that their kids are strapped in a car seat for however long each day... at least your dd has community contact and fresh air in the stroller. I do have ways of getting things done without a car. Mostly it involves the stroller, which turns into a bike trailer. I once got a big convection oven home that way! I LOVE our car-free lifestyle, but it does take planning and it does limit us somewhat. We plan our whole lives so that everything is within walking, biking or bus distance. Mostly, not having a car keeps us from spending money we don't have--that's the real saving. And getting stuff done feels so satisfying.

In general, I've just stopped suggesting the stroller a lot, so it's become a treat and means we're going someplace special. Since we are a car-free family, I am putting expectations on dd that she walk with me without a fuss, when needed. It's just going to be a fact of life in our home; especially since we live in an area with really high obesity rates.

Yes, you hit a lot of my feelings. There *has* to be a way to make this work, I am just looking for ideas I do have a backyard and dd does LOVE to skate. We go to the rink (within walking distance) twice a week. Often as part of our walk BTW. I would love to have one in my backyard but keeping it clear of snow would be a problem. We have a park down the road with an outdoor rink that is open 24/7 but find ourselves avoiding it because of the snow build-up. It gets shoveled daily but gets pretty rough due to the snow which is frustrating for dd. I love to skate as well but do not seem to get much of a workout. I am sure it is good no matter what but I don't come off the ice feeling like I did something "physical". I think my fear of falling prevents me from going the speeds necessary to get a workout. Plus, I am often focusing on playing with dd on the ice rather than moving.

Dd definately gets PLENTY of exercise despite the stroller use. We are VERY active people. In fact, if I did make her walk on the errands all of the time, she would likely not be as excited to go skating, cc skiing, biking, etc.... which we do almost daily in addition to my walks. I could be wrong though

I LOVE the weatherproof aspect of our stroller. It is a cheapo jogger but has a good cover that keeps her warm and dry but ventilates well. ours does not have winter tires but the big tires seem to cut the snow well enough. I actually welcome the resistance. I have pushed dd in it with 25+ pounds of groceries on my back, 10 library books and a package form the PO in the shelf, two pairs of ice skates hanging off the handle, and a box of adult winter boots teetering on the top! That was last week I try to justify having dd in the stroller as modeling a car-free, walking lifestyle. And you are right, every person that has given me the "too big" comments are people that I have never ever seen do an errand on foot even though they live close enough to do so.

[octobermom]

bet at some point she'll simply refuse to sit in a stroller, and "there" you will be.

That was mine shes went from loving absoultly loving it we used a stroller more than a sling because shes just simpily loved the stroller from a very early age till around 4.5 years then suddenly she "outgrew" it and refused to use it. She learned to walk we on occasion used a backpack style harness (big crowds) and she looves using a wagon. We do a lot of small errend walks like to the groccery store and such.

[marybethorama]

Originally Posted by ameliabedelia

I do think you can get your daughter used to walking at a "normal" pace by age 5, however a "fitness" pace is probably unreasonable. So, I would probably come up with an alternative for exercise, as it sounds as though her using a bike or scoooter won't work. (and in all honesty, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with a young children (5 or 6) biking or scooteriing next to traffic.

I think the above poster is right. I feel your pain too

It does sound like your dd could handle normal walking fairly soon if not right now. Some of my kids were more willing at earlier ages. All were capable physically but there was one that whined and made life miserable for us (He now walks for miles willingly-it just took time)

[marybethorama]

Another thought

Originally Posted by Yooper

I try to justify having dd in the stroller as modeling a car-free, walking lifestyle. And you are right, every person that has given me the "too big" comments are people that I have never ever seen do an errand on foot even though they live close enough to do so.

I really think there is an irrational predjudice toward strollers I don't think anyone would blink an eye if you rode your bike to do errands and pulled your daughter in a bike trailer. Or maybe I'm wrong?

I had a double jogger (I loved that thing) and we had an "open stroller" policy much of the time. We'd often use the empty side (usually there was just one child riding) to carry our stuff with the understanding that a child could ride if they wanted. There were also many times that the kids would be on bikes and I'd end up carrying the bikes either IN the stroller (tricycles) or attached to the stroller (bikes) while the kids walked.

I don't think people would fuss as much about a wagon but they can be harder to deal with than a stroller.

Honestly I think if it's working for the time being you should just do what works and try to ignore people who make comments. Though that may be easier said than done.

[avent]

Sorry I don't have time to read the whole thread right now. Two things:

I do a lot of hiking and the rule of thumb is one mile for every year of age. So a four-year old will generally be able to go 4 miles with some breaks, or 2 miles out and 2 miles back. Of course kids are different, but it's a good rule of thumb. The pace can be mind-numbing, though, although I'm out of shape so I appreciate it.

When my friend's child felt she was too big to be in the stroller (age 5 at the time) my friend bought a thing that attached behind the stroller and her daughter could stand on it and ride while my friend pushed. She put her packages, library books, etc. in the stroller seat. Wish I could remember the name, maybe another mama knows?

[Geofizz]

First off, I'm not a big fan of solving problems I don't have. Currently, your routine works: you get exercise, you DD enjoys the stroller and she's otherwise getting plenty of fresh air and exercise. 5 year olds are a lot different than 4 year olds. Next winter you will be doing things differently, and the solution you find will be dependent upon your needs and her needs.

Originally Posted by Yooper

I agree that children walking is healthy for them in many ways.

The bus is not an option as we do not have one.

And the more I think about it, this is more about the exercise walks rather than errands. Technically, I could do all of the errands in the evenings and weekends when I can use dh's car. I just happen to walk right past many of these places while on my fitness walk that it is easy to kill two birds with one stone. And it opens up the weekends and evenings for family fun rather than errands. Not to mention better for the environment. But really this is about the fitness. I seem to physically and spiritually need daily outdoor fitness time and I do not see that need going away anytime soon. I just cannot seem to figure out how to continue my walking for fitness habit once dd is too big/old for the stroller yet not fast enough or agreeable to walking those distances herself.

So what are you teaching her here? You are teaching her that (1) you don't need a car to do your errands, (2) you can fit exercise into your daily routine, (3) you can address your physical and spiritual needs by spending a lot of time outside, and (4) you don't have to hide inside just because it's winter.

I think those things outweigh any imagined problems of what your routine will look like once she outgrows the stroller -- physically or emotionally.

Originally Posted by Yooper

Biking is a problem in our city. We have very steep streets, no sidewalks, and a lot of drivers that are not aware enough for me to be OK with dd on a bike for quite some time. She does have a tag-a-long bike and we do take bike rides almost daily in the warm months in addition to our walks but we have to go on a special loop that does not go anywhere near the places I go for errands. That is a good solution to the exercise question though. We could go on longer rides to give me the fitness component. But winter is still a problem. And winter is VERY long here.

<snip>

I am quite sure she is capable of walking the distances I do. I just do not believe she will be capable of doing it at a decent pace for a few years yet. Nor do I think she would be agreeable to walking those distances day in and out.

On the bike, I did two things: I started taking DD out daily on her bike. We'd go to the park or the pool (<half a mile). I started off by jogging with her to help her learn the rules of the road -- staying to the right, looking for cars, stopping at intersections, etc. I also sent her to Safety Town, a program for kids entering kindergarten in our town. It was a great program that had kids out on a mocked-up road to teach them the rules of the road. By the end of last summer (DD turned 5 in August), she was capable of controlling her bike, communicate appropriately with drivers, etc. I would walk, jog, or ride with her confidently now.

When you do have her start walking with you, maybe you can transition over a period of time. Have her hop out of the stroller for the last half mile of your trip, gradually increasing the distance. We'll play games or racing to the corner, skipping or hoping along, see who can walk backwards faster, etc. DD now just walks with me, generally at my pace.

[hottmama]

We bike, but the roads are pretty safe, although hilly. I wear my toddler on my back (or did last summer, he'll be too big next summer), put groceries in my front basket, and my almost 5 yr. old rides in front of or next to me. We rode 2.5-5 miles a day in the summer/fall. In the winter we ride the bus because it is too cold for me to walk or bike (and I am, admittedly, not a big walker). We do walk a lot in the summer also and one time, after a long day, I mapped our day and realized we'd walked 5 miles, me and my then 4.5 yr. old, with the little one in a stroller.
I wouldn't put my almost 5 yr. old in a stroller. He's 44" tall, he can walk and ride a bike, it would just seem ridiculous. We do, for big walking days, bring his little Razor scooter and that keeps him at a good pace and not whiny.

[WC_hapamama]

My 5 year old daughter just stopped riding in the stroller a couple of months ago. When she's walking very slowly, I kind of wish I could let her ride again.

I don't drive, so anywhere I can't get to on public transit, we walk. Just because a 4 year old can walk 3 miles doesn't mean that they should have to. My dd is usually exhausted after a trek like that.

[avandon]

I feel your pain

My son just turned four and until last summer we walked all over everywhere in all sorts of weather. Now, not so much and it's frustrating for me. I haven't found a great solution either although there were a couple of things that helped me get a little exercise and keep him moving.

One was to let him ride his bike while I ran/walked beside him. Not very handy for hilly areas (and we're hilly going East West but only a little North South so it all depended on my planned route) though because if it's uphill you need to help push sometimes and even worse, if it's downhill you've got to make sure he doesn't go out of control. Not fun if you've got a big heavy backpack or hands full of library books. Scooters have similar problems.

This winter I've been taking him sledding on a nearby hill. He's like the Energizer bunny on the hill...up down up down up down. If I want to make it more difficult for me (because of COURSE I'm sledding too!) I can pull him up the hill although again, I'm trying to encourage independence so I don't do that very much either.

We've also done some snowshoeing. I break trail so I get a decent workout and then he can come along behind me fairly effortlessly. Still, he gets to a certain point and he's bored and doesn't want to go any further. Carrying him is LOADS of unwanted exercise....

He hasn't been in a stroller in ages but I've had to decrease my activity level because of it and I can't do errands on foot unless I'm feeling really patient (and patience runs out after about a mile). It's frustrating but I just try to tell myself that it's a stage and eventually he'll be able to keep up.

[limabean]

It sounds like what you're doing now is working perfectly well -- I don't see a reason to change it while your DD still fits in the stroller and is happy to be there.

There might be a few months of bumpy transition once she outgrows the stroller but isn't yet able to keep up with you during errands, so you'll just have to adjust your schedule to slightly less-than-ideal during that time while you wait for her endurance to increase. You could get up early and take a long, fast walk by yourself, then do errands with your DH's car in the evenings, while also taking walks with your DD during the day to get her used to it. Even if you have to implement those measures, it won't be forever -- it'll just be a little transition period.