A 9 & 11 year old in a stroller?

[MsPeggySue911]

This is a question that was posted on the Disney Moms Panel today:

I have three kids, 7, 9 and 11. The 7 year old can fit into an umbrella stroller but the 9 and ll year old cannot. They get tired of walking too. Do you recommend me bringing the umbrella stroller and just renting a double stroller at disney if needed?

Is this what it has come to? We are so scared to let our kids get physical exercise that we are willing to push an ELEVEN YEAR OLD around Disney in a stroller? If this was a disabled child or even an autistic child that needed a stroller I could see that. IMO the 7 yr old is even too big to be in a stroller. My kids stopped using a stroller when they were 3 or 4. Now I am sure ppl use strollers at Disney for 5 and 6 year olds just because of the large amount of walking you do, but I can't imagine seeing an 11 yr old in a rented Disney stroller. DO you see this often at Disney?

 

[Magic Mom]

I agree with you. Unless there is some health issue involved there is no reason a 9 and 11 YO can't walk around WDW.

Heck, I paid to take them to Disney...they should push ME around all day.

 

[Mermaid02]

As the above poster said there is no reason a healthy 7, 9 and 11 year old can't walk Disney... no reason at all.

 

[stsomewhere]

My 9 and 11 yr olds would be too embarrassed be pushed around in a stroller.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

My best friend has an 8 1/2 year old, 6 year old, and 3 year old. When we go to Disney together (mine are 3 and 1), the 8 1/2 year old constantly whines that he has to walk while the little ones get to ride in the stroller. We take turns pushing my double stroller, and the kids take turns riding and walking, and the other day as I was taking my turn, it struck me as hilarious that I was pushing this 8 1/2 year old boy who was almost as tall as me and wore the same shoe size as me. She's my friend and I love her, but I don't think he gets to ride in my stroller anymore.

 

[hereyago]

No I haven't seen a kid that old in a stroller. When DD12 was 9 if I even said hey you want to be in a stroller, she would have been like

And yes, I do believe that is what the world has come to: we (General WE) complain that our kids don't get enough pe in school, but we don't do anything to get them outside when they are home.


At DD12's school, there is a turn around pick up lane. then they have a small parking lot, but it's not full at all times. So there is the pick up lane then a few people will sit in the car in the parking lot in a space, well there are these idiot lazy parents who have made up their own pick up lane in the parking lot just so their precious 7th or 8 th grader won't have to walk a few more steps into a parking spot. inadvertdly blocking people in, or blocking the whole lane because idiots will park on both sides of a very small lane.

Yes, more walking a amusement park,etc,. but it's call breaks. people act like you are walking the entire time even on rides or something.

 

[beachcomber]

We know people like this!!! They wanted to "do" Disney with us....and I about died (and graciously backed out). Our then 2 year old barely used his stroller on our last trip! We doubt we'll even take it on our next ones....he's four now. And his older siblings would DIE if they were seen in a stroller at 9 years old.

 

[hereyago]

You are nicer then I am because I would have told friend's son to stop whining if she didn't.

I don't know why people insist on raising a bunch of candy butts. Enabling should be against the law.

 

[SaraJayne]

Oh dear lord. There is no reason on this green earth why a healthy PRE-TEEN cannot walk!!!

 

[Disney Doll]

And we wonder why our kids are so screwed up???? They are being raised by fruitcakes like this.

 

[EMom]

I waited until DD was 5 1/2 before we went to WDW, in part so that she would be old enough to walk around without a stroller for a week. She had been out of one for a few years, but I wanted her to be strong enough to keep going without us having to carry her. She's never been much of a whiner, so that was not a concern. Sure enough, she did just fine all week walking long hours in the park.

We have been several times now, the last when DD was 11. I swear to you, every time we go, I see multiple kids in the big middle of puberty being pushed around in strollers. Last time, DD11 looked at a couple of them like and I had to laugh because I promise you, they could have been old enough to DATE. And no, I truly don't think anything was wrong with them.

I'd be embarrassed to push my nearly 5 foot tall DD around in a stroller and I'd think she'd be humiliated. Many people say, "It's not your place to judge," but every time we go to WDW, the strollers are more numerous and more out of control. Maybe if 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders weren't riding in so many of them, the walkways would be less crowded. I figure if your BIG kid is that tired, they need to go back to the hotel and have a nap.

 

[joviroxx]

Beyond the fact that there is no reason why a perfectly healthy 11yr old and even 9 yr old should be in a stroller, my kids ,at that age, would have been MORTIFIED!

I have to laugh just imagining what DH's face would have been like if I would have even made that suggestion when my DS was 11...

 

[Eddie75]

My daughter didn't use a stroller our last trip and she was 4 years old. When we go back next month the only one being pushed in a stroller will be my 17 month old son. The exercise is good for her and when she needs to sit and relax a little we do. There are a lot of places to get a rest in, just pace yourself and enjoy your trip.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I have three kids and my oldest two would look ridiculous in a stroller--- thats the problem with obesity in American children---they are too lazy to walk themselves. Take breaks when your child needs it and remind your children--that they'll get breaks while waiting in line!

 

[Katy Belle]

My DS11 is 5'4"! I think he should push me.

On our first trip our kids were 4,6,8. The 6 yr old did ride a few times, when the 4 yr old was walking. The 8 yr old had no interest.

 

[HM]

Kids don't do much for themselves anymore. And this mom is why. Woe to our future!

 

[NMAmy]

DD didn't use a stroller anywhere after the age of 2--even at Disneyland or WDW. I hated pushing it and storing it and she hated riding in it so we ditched it.

We stopped for breaks and went to the hotel for a rest. Yep, the smaller she was, the slower we went but we were on vacation so no big deal. Of course, later I even made her (gasp!) walk to school.

I see a lot of threads that are pro-stroller for big kids on the Family board but I think it's ridiculous unless there is some kind of medical reason.

 

[Dobbee69]

If a 9 & 11 year old can not walk around WDW they don't belong going in the first place!

 

[MsPeggySue911]

And the mom answering the question on the moms panel was trying to be politically correct and not offend anyone and told her to rent one if she needs to. She should have kindly and politely reminded her that NO STROLLER is made to carry 9 & 11 year old children and that children that age should be perfectly capable of walking themselves all day. Umbrella strollers aren't meant for 50 to 60 pound 7 year olds either. Just ridiculous.

 

[mjantz]

My youngest is 11 & if I suggested a stroller she'd be offended. Both my kids walked all over London, Paris, Germany & Turkey with no stroller. Yes they were tired but we took breaks as needed.