Help!! Daughter afraid of new stroller.

[kupperman]

Hi. Just brought a deluxe umbrella stroller. Put my 1 year old daughter in it and she started crying and looking back at it. Its brown and black in color and doesn't have characters or playful things on it, maybe thats why she doesn't like it . I don't know what to do. I only tried once to put her in it, she cried so much I took her out, then she went to sleep. Any suggestions? Does anyone have any experience with their child being afraid of a stroller?

 

[adventure_woman]

Kids are so funny sometimes. I would bring it in the house, set it up and just leave it in the living room or kitchen or where ever. If she wants to crawl around, climb on it, etc - let her. It is just a big change for her - let her get used to it and then she should be okay (hopefully! )

 

[ParrotBill]

Make some games out of the new stroller. Does she have a favorite stuffed animal? He should appear in the stroller at random throughout each day.

Also, try decorating the stroller with other toys or decorations. Get her to help decorate to make it her own.

My last idea: make a sock puppet with a funny face and funny voice. He only appears when she is in the stroller.

My 9 year old still asks for appearances by the sock puppet I made when she was 4.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Also, try decorating the stroller with other toys or decorations. Get her to help decorate to make it her own.

This is what I was thinking. Maybe some iron ons, a Disney Princess one perhaps? Tie a dollar store balloon to it, and/or some brightly colored fabric to the handles. Hopefully she'll warm up to it!

 

[fortcampers]

I agree with the above posts-----let sit in the house and put a doll or stuffed animal in it-----if she is walking maybe she will want to try to push it around. Some iron-ons are a nice idea. Kids even that young have their own likes and dislikes and unfortunately at her age you won't know what bothers her about the stroller. Those umbrella strollers seem to give out from under the kids----they aren't as supportive as the bigger, more expensive strollers---perhaps she is feeling like she is sinking in?

 

[kupperman]

I agree with the above posts-----let sit in the house and put a doll or stuffed animal in it-----if she is walking maybe she will want to try to push it around. Some iron-ons are a nice idea. Kids even that young have their own likes and dislikes and unfortunately at her age you won't know what bothers her about the stroller. Those umbrella strollers seem to give out from under the kids----they aren't as supportive as the bigger, more expensive strollers---perhaps she is feeling like she is sinking in?

This stroller is pretty supportive. She was only in it for 20 sec. if that. Just tried it again and put her elmo and Mickey in it. She lasted about 25 sec. then started crying and looking back at it again. She wouldn't even let me strap her in. I'll try some games with it and maybe let it sit for a little bit in the living room. Thanks for the ideas everyone.

 

[NotUrsula]

Sit in front of it and lean back and up; there may be "view" from inside of it that she is finding frightening. Can she pull the hood down as far as her old one? Some kids like hiding in their buggies.

DD was a bit leery of her new Mac for a little while. First we wheeled it all over the place doing the WHEEE! thing (doughnuts and such), then parked it in the living room in front of Sesame Street. Sure enough she started fiddling with it after about 30 minutes, and a few minutes after that was asking to go WHEE!.

A couple of doughnut spins in that cool stroller was all it took. Now it's HER BUGGY, and woe betide any other child that attempts to go near it.

 

[kupperman]

Stroller update! Put some of her stuffed animals in it like people suggested and then put her in it. She did fine. Then I let her big sister push her in it around the house and she liked it. So I think she is ok with it now. Thanks for the help everyone!