Post-Toddler Children in Strollers--WTH? (autism, parents, 6 year old, safety)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I see this way too much. People pushing 5 or 6 year olds in strollers. I'm not talking kids with disabilities, but "regular" kids who are of an age where they should be walking.
Once I was past toddlerhood, maybe age 3, I was not pushed in a stroller. Were you? I learned to walk with my parents, and not wander off or lag behind.
I remember being 4 and walking around large family amusement parks, the boardwalk, stores, etc. with my parents, sometimes holding their hand, sometimes just walking alongside. If I got tired and whiny, tough, I was big enough to walk and I had to keep up. If I kept whining, we went home.
Now there are kids who appear to be kindergarteners or even first graders being pushed around in strollers, and the parents say "it's just easier." They push the kids around in these huge strollers, sometimes 2-seaters, and knock stuff over in stores, and ride up the backs of your ankles if you're unfortunate enough to be in front of them.
If your kid can't handle walking around Disney World, or the mall, or the grocery store, then don't take him there until he can.
Go to a Disney site and look at the "strollers" posts. Seriously. They're 20 pages long.
I worked at Disneyland when I was in school and I've pushed a stroller with a 4-year old THROUGH Disneyland. It IS easier. (Come to think of it, I'VE been pushed in a stroller through Disneyland!)
(Course there's the whole thing where they're grabbing stuff off the shelves in the Emporium and you don't see it until security is staring you down but other than that...)
I'll go get my popcorn (in the Mickey bucket) now.
Last edited by DewDropInn; 12-13-2010 at 01:59 PM..
Reason: Adjusted an estimate lol.
I see this way too much. People pushing 5 or 6 year olds in strollers. I'm not talking kids with disabilities, but "regular" kids who are of an age where they should be walking.
Once I was past toddlerhood, maybe age 3, I was not pushed in a stroller. Were you? I learned to walk with my parents, and not wander off or lag behind.
I remember being 4 and walking around large family amusement parks, the boardwalk, stores, etc. with my parents, sometimes holding their hand, sometimes just walking alongside. If I got tired and whiny, tough, I was big enough to walk and I had to keep up. If I kept whining, we went home.
Now there are kids who appear to be kindergarteners or even first graders being pushed around in strollers, and the parents say "it's just easier." They push the kids around in these huge strollers, sometimes 2-seaters, and knock stuff over in stores, and ride up the backs of your ankles if you're unfortunate enough to be in front of them.
If your kid can't handle walking around Disney World, or the mall, or the grocery store, then don't take him there until he can.
No i was not, but i can understand people using them in situations. The only time i have an issue with them is when the parents use the idiotically larger ones that look like cars or buses etc and it's in side with limited space.
I personally don't get why anyone would care about how long someone else's child was pushed in a stroller.
I felt that my kids were ready to move out of a stroller by the time they turned 5. Other people never used strollers. Yet others kept their kids in strollers until age 6. I doubt that now that my kids are in middle/high school you could pick out which of their friends were in strollers until they were age 6 and which were out by age 4 or 5. It truly doesn't matter. Kids can have different experiences and grow up just as normal as the next child.
Not all disabilities are physical. I know a lot of parents of children with autism keep them in strollers as long as possible for safety reasons. Don't be to quick to assume there is no good reason for the child to be in the stroller. With that said yes not all children in strollers at that age should be, but at least they aren't running around tearing the store up.
I have only seen this at places where there is a LOT of walking, like at the zoo. I have thought it was odd too, but also somewhat understandable. When we go to the zoo, we bring our little umbrella stroller and a mei tai. If my 4yo needs to ride in the stroller for a little while, then I carry my 1yo on my back in the mei tai. We do have a double stroller, but we have only used it once when we went to the zoo with another family, so there were 4 kids. The kids alternated in and out of the stroller or on our backs, but the big ones mostly walked. We are not really a stroller family. We hardly ever use one at all, besides the zoo.
Eh...I don't care. People are going to complain no matter what. If a stroller makes it a safer and more enjoyable experience then go for it. Same with harnesses....Now, I will admit to just this morning at the mall, complaining about people who go to the mall and try to manuever through store aisles with strollers the size of a small SUV.... (and that only because it inconveniences everyone else in the store) ...
I have only seen this at places where there is a LOT of walking, like at the zoo. I have thought it was odd too, but also somewhat understandable. When we go to the zoo, we bring our little umbrella stroller and a mei tai. If my 4yo needs to ride in the stroller for a little while, then I carry my 1yo on my back in the mei tai. We do have a double stroller, but we have only used it once when we went to the zoo with another family, so there were 4 kids. The kids alternated in and out of the stroller or on our backs, but the big ones mostly walked. We are not really a stroller family. We hardly ever use one at all, besides the zoo.
You bring a cocktail to the zoo?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
