Big kids and Strollers - your opinion please!

[judypriv]

So here's the story. We are going to Disney in 27 days. I am going this year with my BFF and her almost 9 year old son. I was planning that this was year the older kids (turning 7 and 8 on the trip) were done with strollers. Eight years of toting all these strollers is enough!

I was going to bring the light weight MacClaren for the three year old and tel the bigger kids to toughen up! So upon telling my BFF this she tells me she is renting or bringing a stroller for her almost 9 years old (he's big boy too). This presents me with a pickle...

If I tell my kids too bad, walk, I know they will whine that the BFF son is older, bigger and he has a stroller. They will probably ask to get in with him since she will need a double and then the lone standing kid will complain. So then I contemplate bringing my sit and stand since I can basically fit all my kids in there and in theory, we will have four seats available for four kids including her stroller.

I don't want to embarrass the kid by telling my kids you are big now, you don't need a stroller, walk because that is what I would normally tell them. And I don't want to listen to the whining either if i don't tell them to suck it up. I also didn't want to be dragging a sit and stand on the buses and the plane, etc.

My issues also include I know it's gonna be super hot and the kids will get whipped out more easily. I can't make a decision!

So, I ask your opinion (nice opinions!). 1) Should I deal with it and bring the sit and stand so everyone has a stroller 2) Should I rent a Disney double so there is plenty of room for everyone (PS - I'm cheap!) 3) bring just the MacClaren and tell the kids to deal 4)The final idea is suck it up myself, bring the sit and stand but make it clear to them that in January they WALK, strollers are over in 2014.

Thanks-

 

[livndisney]

So here's the story. We are going to Disney in 27 days. I am going this year with my BFF and her almost 9 year old son. I was planning that this was year the older kids (turning 7 and 8 on the trip) were done with strollers. Eight years of toting all these strollers is enough!

I was going to bring the light weight MacClaren for the three year old and tel the bigger kids to toughen up! So upon telling my BFF this she tells me she is renting or bringing a stroller for her almost 9 years old (he's big boy too). This presents me with a pickle...

If I tell my kids too bad, walk, I know they will whine that the BFF son is older, bigger and he has a stroller. They will probably ask to get in with him since she will need a double and then the lone standing kid will complain. So then I contemplate bringing my sit and stand since I can basically fit all my kids in there and in theory, we will have four seats available for four kids including her stroller.

I don't want to embarrass the kid by telling my kids you are big now, you don't need a stroller, walk because that is what I would normally tell them. And I don't want to listen to the whining either if i don't tell them to suck it up. I also didn't want to be dragging a sit and stand on the buses and the plane, etc.

My issues also include I know it's gonna be super hot and the kids will get whipped out more easily. I can't make a decision!

So, I ask your opinion (nice opinions!). 1) Should I deal with it and bring the sit and stand so everyone has a stroller 2) Should I rent a Disney double so there is plenty of room for everyone (PS - I'm cheap!) 3) bring just the MacClaren and tell the kids to deal 4)The final idea is suck it up myself, bring the sit and stand but make it clear to them that in January they WALK, strollers are over in 2014.

Thanks-

Your child, your rules. You said "No stroller", that mean no stroller. As you pointed out a bigger stroller is a bigger hassle on the bus.(Your vacation too) I would tell my kids No whining. Take ice cream breaks to rest the legs, plan a/c and pool time during the heat. And think of the money/hassle you save.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't bring a stroller for the older kids, but I wouldn't have a problem with them sharing with your friend's kid if they got too tuckered out. They can take turns sharing, and if that doesn't work, take away a treat or tell them no pool time. That should shut down the whining.

 

[KristenFNJ]

Hmm... I can see all sides on this one, and there are pros and cons each way. I think the most important factor you need to consider is, what decision will make this the best vacation possible?

At 7 and 9, my older sons still made good use out of the stroller. We rented a double in the parks, so we didn't have that added hassle of dealing with transportation, but I can definitely say that our time in the parks was MUCH happier with them having the chance to sit if they needed to. For the investment it costs to go on a Disney vacation, I would rather be able to spend the whole day moving around the parks and getting to do everything we can squeeze in with everyone in the best mood possible. It made for a great vacation for us, and looking back I wouldn't have done it any other way.

If you consider the amount of time spent in the parks, versus the amount of time spent getting on and off transportation, I think I would give priority to making the park time as good and happy as possible. For as much as compared to the 3 year old, the big kids seem SO big, they are still barely 7 & 9, and that's still little in my humble opinion. Adults tire out and overheat in Disney! Considering the factor added by the friend (and you are very nice to consider that boy's feelings in your decision), I think it would make for the happiest vacation to have the stroller for all. The only difference for you is whether you're towing a lighter stroller on and off the bus or a heavier one... for those few minutes a day, you'll get hours of happier kids. (It's always us moms who get the shaft, right? But we get it either way-we get the heavier stroller, or the cranky kids! LOL) I think it's definitely worth giving in.

If you ultimately decide on just the lighter stroller for the little one, and are worried about how the big kids will handle the heat, I think you should prepare them as soon as you can and talk about how they can cope in the parks without bumming a ride. Maybe you can come up with a code word together that means "I'm hot and need a break" (rather than listening to whiney voices actually saying that over and over! ), like "Hit the pause button" or "Freeze frame" or something actually clever Also think about what positive incentive can encourage them to keep chugging along in good spirits if they get hot and tired (you probably don't want to force yourself into giving consequences on vacation, so I think rewards are the way to go). Can you buy them their own spray-bottle fans (before hand, where they're like $7 at Walmart but $25 in the parks? ) to keep cool? Perhaps you can tell them that you'll share the savings from not renting a stroller with them, and that they can each get $5 (or whatever amt might work for you) at the end of each day they've made it through without major complaints. Or, if there is something else "grown up" they've been bugging you for (like to see a certain movie, have a friend sleep over, etc...) tell them they can earn it by showing how grown up they are on this trip. (You can even give them little charts to mark off each day they get closer to their goal, so they have a reminder that they're actually making progress towards something!)

Hope it all works out, and that you have a great trip!

 

[Amirah95]

Does your children still nap? My DD6 will be 7 on our next trip and she till takes naps. I'm hoping that 1st grade will cut her need for a nap out quickly, but if it doesn't then I'm going to be renting a stroller. I can't be bothered with the sleepy whining and acting crazy in a crowded themepark at the end of June.

If your children no longer require naps and are OK during the midday then I say nix the stroller idea, but I can see your point about your children seeing your BFF's stroller and them throwing fits about it...that could potentially be a problem for you.

All in all ... this is a hard decision to make.

 

[disney world dreamer]

your BFF is NUTS!!!!!
i'd bring it up to her and tell her that she's nuts.
maybe she'll realize she is and leave the stroller behind.

by age 6 kids should be fully walking at WDW.

heck strollers are not even menat for kids that age.

you should tell your kids to toughen up no matter what your BFF decides.
and i would make it a point to say you are big kids and big kids don't ride in strollers.
its not being mean its being honest and maybe making the 9yr old feel weird about being older and sitting in the stroller will make him say he does not want to sit in it anymore.

walking around all day every day at disney world is tough on everyone's body maybe even adults more than kids.
at least kids can sit on the ground in a really long line and not look out of place.

 

[imthemamahere]

I think the key is to decide what will make this vacation work best.

And for everyone, that's a bit different. Clearly, since your friend's 9 year old will be riding in style while your 7 and 8 have to trudge along on foot!

If the hassle of the 2-kid stroller is just too great, and lugging it around would really ruin your trip, then talk about it with them in advance, prepare them as much as possible for the heat, have a contingency plan for time(s) when the kids are just too pooped to keep walking, be flexible and willing to consider a more relaxing, more pool-swimming, less-stuff-done kind of vacation. Bring along the personal fans (good call to buy them in advance, per a previous poster's recommendation), water bottles, maybe cooling towels? In short, do what you can to make your kids as comfortable as possible in spite of the heat and the long walk. Sure, having a friend being pushed around in a stroller will lead to some complaints/comparisons, and that throws a wrench in the works. But it won't be the only time your kids will be able to point to a friend and say "but he's getting to do XYZ" when you're putting your foot down and saying no. You can go through the explanation of "in our family, the decisions aren't made by his parents... but by me." You might also consider a reward/bribe system with your "big" kids - a little extra souvenir money or something they've been angling for, based on their ability to NOT whine, even when the going gets tough. (Stating calmly that they need a break is one thing... nonstop whining about feeling hot and tired is not okay.)

Same stuff applies if you have seating for 3. Make sure the odd one out gets rotated regularly, make sure your kids have ways to cool down, and explain upfront that whining will cause no good things to happen. You can incentivize good behavior/sharing by offering the same kind of reward for taking turns with good grace and speaking calmly when one feels like his turn really needs to happen SOON.

If you (knowing your kids) know the whining/complaining/trudging/etc would put more of a damper on your vacation, then go ahead and drag along the bigger stroller. (Or rent one.) Yes, more physical hassle for you. But perhaps less emotional strain, since your kids will be less tired/whiny/cranky/etc? In any case, if you feel this is the better path for your family's vacation, then go ahead.

I only have one kid, and he's still relatively little - age 5. We're going this fall, and I am definitely bringing his stroller with us. While we don't use a stroller around home anymore, and haven't in easily a year, to me, it's worth the hassle at Disney. Because it's a lot of walking, he gets hot and sweaty so easily, and otherwise, I've got to deal with a tired, footsore, cranky little beast instead of my usually-cheerful little boy. Oh, and at his age, he'd be begging to be carried. Pushing a stroller is far easier than carrying 38 pounds of hot, sticky, sweaty child.

So if it were me, I'd let my kids ride, either all together, or taking turns - I wouldn't ditch the stroller entirely on this trip. Because I figure my family vacation's only as happy as our family's least-happy member...

 

[Amirah95]

your BFF is NUTS!!!!!
i'd bring it up to her and tell her that she's nuts.
maybe she'll realize she is and leave the stroller behind.

by age 6 kids should be fully walking at WDW.

heck strollers are not even menat for kids that age.

you should tell your kids to toughen up no matter what your BFF decides.
and i would make it a point to say you are big kids and big kids don't ride in strollers.
its not being mean its being honest and maybe making the 9yr old feel weird about being older and sitting in the stroller will make him say he does not want to sit in it anymore.

walking around all day every day at disney world is tough on everyone's body maybe even adults more than kids.
at least kids can sit on the ground in a really long line and not look out of place.

My jogger stroller goes up to 80lbs. DD6 is 60lbs or a little less (she's tiny) at the age of 6 and she's going to the 1st grade coming out of midday naps. I am hoping she will grow out of the naps, but if not the stroller goes with us.

 

[robinb]

Does your friend have any idea how much a double stroller is? $27 per day! I would stick to your guns and not get a stroller. The other boy may feel like a baby if your kids are walking.

 

[Jess4WDW]

I really think it depends on the child. My oldest walked the parks when she was 8 and she was fine, my son on the other hand, loved his at 8! I too had reservations about bringing a stroller for an eight year old but I knew that walking all day would be too much for him and felt better knowing that when he needed to rest, he had a stroller.

 

[mjkacmom]

My jogger stroller goes up to 80lbs. DD6 is 60lbs or a little less (she's tiny) at the age of 6 and she's going to the 1st grade coming out of midday naps. I am hoping she will grow out of the naps, but if not the stroller goes with us.

Dd13 (and a half) weighs 74 pounds (as does her 11 year old sister). Because she meets a strollers weight limit, should she ride? The last time she rode in a stroller, she was 6, at WDW, and shared it with her 4 year old siblings (3 of them in a park rental). Even then I thought we were pushing it, and she was probably about 40 pounds.

This is an amusement park, not a triathlon.

 

[Jing]

I had no idea able-bodied kids that old still used strollers - I thought 5 was about the limit. I guess all the kids I have been around were walkers at young ages.

If you are basically done with the stroller, I would not re-introduce it just because the other kid on the trip will be in one. Conversely, I would not tell your BFF to cut it off to make her kid "man up" to match your two kids. Stick to your individual parenting choices.

 

[staceyrhood]

I think it all depends on the child, my son Who is now 7 would never go in a stroller anymore, he stopped riding in one when he was 5 at the parks.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I'm in the do whatever makes your trip the most enjoyable camp. No disney isn't a triathlon but on average people walk 7-13 miles a day in the parks. That's about a half marathon and then you have to consider their little legs take 2-3 steps more to meet an adult stride. That's a lot to ask of a kid. Even for entertainment purposes. Depending on how much you want to see and get done I have no problem telling my kids "get in let's move!" and hauling them at a comfortable brisk pace (something I know my kids wouldn't do).

I've got 7 year old twins and I will be renting a stroller from kingdom strollers. They also nap in the parks. This gives me the oportunity to walk around, shop, and take in the sites while they get some zzzz's. Plus it's a great way to carry stuff!! Drinks, food, souvineers, jackets, and all that jazz.

Good luck whatever you choose .

 

[mediadiva]

So here's the story. We are going to Disney in 27 days. I am going this year with my BFF and her almost 9 year old son. I was planning that this was year the older kids (turning 7 and 8 on the trip) were done with strollers. Eight years of toting all these strollers is enough!

I was going to bring the light weight MacClaren for the three year old and tel the bigger kids to toughen up! So upon telling my BFF this she tells me she is renting or bringing a stroller for her almost 9 years old (he's big boy too). This presents me with a pickle...

If I tell my kids too bad, walk, I know they will whine that the BFF son is older, bigger and he has a stroller. They will probably ask to get in with him since she will need a double and then the lone standing kid will complain. So then I contemplate bringing my sit and stand since I can basically fit all my kids in there and in theory, we will have four seats available for four kids including her stroller.

I don't want to embarrass the kid by telling my kids you are big now, you don't need a stroller, walk because that is what I would normally tell them. And I don't want to listen to the whining either if i don't tell them to suck it up. I also didn't want to be dragging a sit and stand on the buses and the plane, etc.

My issues also include I know it's gonna be super hot and the kids will get whipped out more easily. I can't make a decision!

So, I ask your opinion (nice opinions!). 1) Should I deal with it and bring the sit and stand so everyone has a stroller 2) Should I rent a Disney double so there is plenty of room for everyone (PS - I'm cheap!) 3) bring just the MacClaren and tell the kids to deal 4)The final idea is suck it up myself, bring the sit and stand but make it clear to them that in January they WALK, strollers are over in 2014.

Thanks-

Your child your rules, no way I would have pushed my 6yo around in december when I went. her 7yo cousin and she did just fine she lasted to 10pm. We are going next week, and my 5yo will have a stroller, she's about the size of a 4yo and my 7yo has not been in a stroller in years she knows she will be be in one. I would not worry about the other kid. I would explain ahead of time to your child that you think the older kid will be in a stroller, and to make your kids feel "cooler" you could say, well don't whine about it in front of him because I don't want to have to say "you are to big for a stroller" and make him feel bad. I think if you discuss it ahead of time they should be fine.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Your child, your rules. You said "No stroller", that mean no stroller. As you pointed out a bigger stroller is a bigger hassle on the bus.(Your vacation too) I would tell my kids No whining. Take ice cream breaks to rest the legs, plan a/c and pool time during the heat. And think of the money/hassle you save.

Invoke the old, "if he jumped off a bridge would that make it okay for you to do the same?" parental lecture

 

[Amirah95]

Dd13 (and a half) weighs 74 pounds (as does her 11 year old sister). Because she meets a strollers weight limit, should she ride? The last time she rode in a stroller, she was 6, at WDW, and shared it with her 4 year old siblings (3 of them in a park rental). Even then I thought we were pushing it, and she was probably about 40 pounds. This is an amusement park, not a triathlon.

Op kids are not 11 years old.

 

[Figment Mom]

No way would I want to deal with a stroller if I didn't have to. (I actually never owned a stroller for ds, even when he was an infant/toddler.)

When we were at WDW, ds9 made the comment, "I'm sure glad we don't have a stroller" as he saw people carrying them onto buses, navigating the crowds, and even having to park and retrieve them before and after rides. To me not having one is an great benefit of bringing older children.

Your friend has put you in a sticky situation. I wouldn't rent the stroller for the school-aged kids, though.

 

[kohlby]

"Different families make different choices." Period. I would not bring a stroller for your kids. I'd make them deal with it without any excuse other than I know they can handle it and I'm not pushing them around. You can explain this before you go. I also tell my kids that we'll stay in the parks for as long as they behave. It's amazing how well kids walk when they want to stay in the parks! This worked on my eldest at 6 beautifully. (And he was a kid who would complain about walking 10 steps before our trip). I didn't have to use it on my petite middle child, since she has wonderful endurance and does just fine taking three steps to my husband's one.

There could be some kids your children's ages who do need strollers, but it's the exception, not the rule. Since your plan was no stroller for them, I'm thinking that you don't think they need one. So, I wouldn't use one.

 

[MissMaryQC]

Everyone is different, and you know best what your kids are like, and what you're willing to put up with. That being said, by the time I was 6 I had no stroller. That was that, mama said I was too big, so I was. Sure I whined, but she basically told me that I could walk or I could stay in the hotel; mama doesn't mess around. Perhaps if you're concerned about embarrassing BFF or her child explain to your own children before the trip/privately what your plan is...?