Buggy Board to use without baby sitting in buggy

HappySad

troll35 wrote:

Hate to say it but I think that you may be making a rod for your own back if you get a buggy board for him. How old is he? I live about 300 metres from school and I start my charges (I'm a childminder) off by walking holding my hand (with reins) from about six months after they started walking. By the time the children are three I aim for them to be able to walk to and from the park (1 1/2 miles round trip) or into town (1mile) with a special treat of a bus ride back ('cos all the parents have cars and never bus it or walk).

I hope I don't sound as if I'm preaching or anything but maybe you should consider how you would like him to be learning to behave when out and about rather than thinking of ways to accomodate his demands. Possibly start by getting him to walk besides the pushchair when in certain places then letting him climb aboard when tired. This is easiest on, say a trip to the park, as there are fewer distractions than in shops (eye level sweeties etc). Think of the energy he will use, he'll sleep a treat after a nice walk and you'll start him off in life with a good fitness routine.
I see a lot of parents at school with their 4 year olds in buggies and they live no further from school than I do. I don't know if they think they're making their life easier, myself I think they're prolonging the agony of trying to get children to be moderately independent.
It's brilliant when the buggy can finally be consigned to the cellar!!

Whatever you decide, good luck and don't give in (ever)

I do agree with what you have said in that he should be walking rather than getting a ride. The only thing there is no way that he could walk the distances that I go. I will walk miles to go into town.. then walk all around two then walk back. I would not expect my son to walk for most of the day. When I do the walk to nursery & back he does walk but for the longer journey there is no way he could do this. Most adults that I know would not walk the distances that I do in a day.

The buggy board if it does work will work for us ; because I could interact with him rather than leaving him seating in the buggy.

I was brought up walking long distances and I continue to do this.. (which is why I am always in trainers and very rarely in anything else)... my son has no choice but to continue the family tradition of being walkers. I also believe that exercise is best when it is part of everyday activity and walking to and from places is a great way of excercising and being more part of the community.

across

happysad it's nice to hear you get out i am not one for walking into town i'm too lazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i would go on the bus (but without buggy!!) gosh have you tried getting buggy on bus? i dont blame you for walking when they were babies i walked with pram into town (only 20 mins) but realised it was to much exercise for me!! not worth the hassle!!! i find it easier to stay close to home while mine are little so i'm not as adventurous as you this is probably why i dont use my pram!! the most i tend to do in the week is park,library and walks round houses and school run (foot). at weekend we go out as a family but we never take pram (only dolls prams unfortunately!!!!)just reins because little girl will only walk! i think it's great that you get out and good luck again with the buggy board just make sure you weight the pram down with bag. :wave:

Gingham_Ribbon

Happysad, we're the same. We walk a lot and I'm having trouble knowing what to do with the pram on our long jaunts because I can't manage it with him on foot and he can't manage the distances we travel yet.

At the moment, we're managing about half a mile or more each way without the pram, sometimes more, but it can take an hour to walk what would have taken me 15 minutes. We live on a very very steep hill and I can't carry him for more than about 10 yards at a time.

We've just changed our routine to allow the big walks as part of the day and we're both getting exercise out of it. But when we're going further, he has to go in the pram or I have been driving a little more than usual so we can walk when we get to where we're going and leave the pram in the car.

The busses round here have got so expensive recently that we're not prepared to pay for them any more.

HappySad

I walk with the buggy in one hand and my son in the other. When he gets tired he is back in the buggy.. where he will want to kneel at the front of it. Carrying him is not an option as he now far too heavy and I would have other things to carry as well.

jan59

My mate's little chap sat on his trike. It has one of those push rods at the back so that it was almost like a buggy, but he got the exercise by pedalling. Can't put your shopping on it though!!