(Possible Debate)How old is too old for to ride in a stroller

[Pongo69]

What age do you think a child should not ride in a stroller. My sister has a friend who thinks it's ok to push her 11 yr old son around in a park stroller whenever they visit Disney.
He has no disabilites whatsoever, but his mom feels the need to push him around because he "DOESN'T LIKE TO WALK AND IT'S TOO TIRESOME" to stand in the long lines.
Now mind you this boy is at least 5'4 and healthy as an ox. I don't get it and yes I do look at her as if she lost her mind. She says many people stare which I could imagine in this case.

IMO she is forming a viscious cycle. Not only is she pushing the BIG BOY around in a stroller, he didn't stop sucking a pacifier until 6. She is doing the same thing with her daughter who also sucks a pacifier at the age of 5

This very situation has caused alot of stress between her and her dh. I know it comes down to the parents making choices, but I do believe in this case she is doing more harm than good.

 

[flaps]

I sucked my thumb until I was 9. I'd say I'm unqualified to offer an opinion.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>hmmmm, I think 11 is pretty old. I wonder what would happen if they invited one of his friends --- the kind that would laugh at him for sitting in a stroller in the first place....


Reminds me of Miss Dixie Amos who got in a stroller herself & let her little ones walk.

 

[debster812]

I'm 37, and there have been days at Disney, that if someone had offered me a stroller, I would have gladly taken them up on it.

Oh--and my DS sucked his thumb until he turned 6 (when 'he' decided he was too old to be doing it, and just stopped) You can roll your eyes at us too. Different kids have different coping mechanisms, and I don't think either of these is such a horrible thing.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Anything here??

http://www.disboards.com/search.php...d=759736&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

 

[Beth76]

I don't know what the answer is, but I know 11 is too old. She's going to have fat kids. I would say 3-4 is the limit for a stroller, of course depending on what you're actually doing. There are weight limits on strollers anyway. My son just turned 3 and I haven't had him in a stroller since he was 2-1/2 and that was only in the airport when we were waiting in line (I was traveling alone with him). My parents took him to the zoo a few weeks ago and had him in the stroller for part of the time (ie walking to/from parking lot and on longer stretches), but he did walk around most of the time. He doesn't even ride in the grocery cart much anymore. He prefers walking himself and I will definitely encourage that.

 

[kadaten]

Well, mine are not-yet-2 and 3.5, so I have yet to get to that decision point. I will say we took my 5 y.o. niece and 7 y.o. nephew with us in December and they went nowhere near a stroller! Wouldn't have even crossed our minds.... If they were tired their parents stopped to rest a couple minutes, or took that time to get a drink or take a picture or whatever...but no strollers!

Their family is very healthy and active, so the endurance wasn't even a question. Perhaps that's why so many continue to use them long past what's normal? We have so many overweight kids whose main activity is the television....they never build up the endurance you need to last all day in the parks? This may account for some of it, I do believe....and that's sad The legacy we leave the kids of today....laziness.

We went again last month and my 3.5 y.o. DD walked about 1/3 of the time....so I don't *think* we'll be anywhere near 11 when we finally leave the stroller at home. Not-yet-2 DS likes to run off, though, so he was securely in the stroller unless we were in an area easy to corrall him in or see where he was (Ariel's Grotto, the playground in ToonTown, etc....)

11? Wow! I can see end of the day, MAYBE....if it's been a long day....but I think I'd just do the break thing....or give the kids a rest and head back to the hotel....

 

[Bojangles]

We just got back from WDW last week. I was surprised how many older children I saw in strollers. I don't mean 5-6 year olds. Many were at least 10 years old. Unless there is some sort of physical problem, children that age should be able to walk through the parks.

I guess it's easier to let the child keep the pacifier than to encourage him to give it up. Have her talk to a dentist...it's not really good for a child to have them at that age.

 

[poohandwendy]

Yep, 11 is too old, IMO. Mainly because (barring medical limitations), it isn't healthy for an 11 yo (5'4") NOT to be able to walk as much as an adult. Honestly, if my 11 yo needed a stroller at WDW, I would talk to the pediatrician about running tests. It also seems like it would be embarrassing for the boy.

 

[Planogirl]

It seems like it would be a lot of work to push an 11 year old around all day. But then I can only go by our son who rejected strollers after the age of 4 and if we weren't careful, basically left us in the dust while we were at WDW. The kid is like the Energizer bunny.

I'm curious as to when your friend expects to STOP pushing her kid around in a stroller. Plus, I don't see how he can fit now unless he's very small for his age.

 

[poohandwendy]

Plus, I don't see how he can fit now unless he's very small for his age.

At 5'4", doesn't sound like he is small for his age... My son would have been mortified!

 

[tonyswife]

Puuuulease. I think I'm going to start a countdown to my son's 2 and half birthday for my signature. On that day I will burn the strollers in effigy....or donate them to a shelter.

I won't comment on the pacifier issue. It's a very touchy subject for parents who had a hard time weaning their kids from it. My DD wouldn't touch them when she was a baby. My DS loves his, but I plan to wean him off the paci by the time he is 4 months old...which is in just a few weeks.

 

[Planogirl]

Oops, I somehow overlooked that this kid was supposedly 5'4". As tall as me? OK...

tonywife, our son kept his pacifier until he was barely two which I personally think is a good age. He only used it when he was sleepy and then spit it out once he was asleep. We kept stressing to him that big kids didn't use pacifiers and he threw his away with great ceremony right after his second birthday. The point is that I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by Planogirl
Oops, I somehow overlooked that this kid was supposedly 5'4". As tall as me? OK...

Taller than me! Would someone push me around, I wonder? We were in Disneyland in December and I was very pregnant. Between my sciatica and my swollen feet I was sorely tempted to rent a wheelchair.

tonywife, our son kept his pacifier until he was barely two which I personally think is a good age. He only used it when he was sleepy and then spit it out once he was asleep. We kept stressing to him that big kids didn't use pacifiers and he threw his away with great ceremony right after his second birthday. The point is that I wouldn't worry too much.

I generally don't have a problem with toddlers using pacis. I'm just gonna nip it in the bud while he's still too young to have a very strong opinion about it. My DS is becoming very interested in his hands and fingers and I think it would be a good time to get rid of the pacifier, while he is otherwise occupied.

 

[shortbun]

I say we have WAY more important things to worry about!

 

[EiLuvCinderella]

IMO, an 11-yr old is in 5th or 6th grade and is starting to need to use deodorant, NOT STROLLERS! Yikes!


Now, when my DD6 was 4 yrs old, we had her in a stroller in WDW and she kept saying "get me out of this thing!" as she was NOT used to being in one. It really came in handy though and most of the time, it was a good thing to have for her. (And at the time, when she did get out, our DS, then age 7, would sometimes hop in!)

Now, as our next trip approaches, I wonder about using one again. I would much rather push her than carry her. She only weighs 35 pounds, my very tiny 6 year old.

But I can still hear her "humorous comment" and will probably let her walk.

My DS9 would NEVER get in one now! I am sure he would be afraid of being laughed at!

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

A healthy 11 year old is way too old to be in a stoller. I personally do not like pacifiers, they drive me nuts but I do understand they serve a purpose..I say when they are old enough to begin to talk, out goes the pacifier. I can't stand to see kids talking while their pacifiers are still in their mouths. If they can talk with it in their mouth, they are too old to be sucking on a pacifier.

 

[Pongo69]

Originally posted by Planogirl
It seems like it would be a lot of work to push an 11 year old around all day. But then I can only go by our son who rejected strollers after the age of 4 and if we weren't careful, basically left us in the dust while we were at WDW. The kid is like the Energizer bunny.

I'm curious as to when your friend expects to STOP pushing her kid around in a stroller. Plus, I don't see how he can fit now unless he's very small for his age.

He's a skinny kid, and all I can see is him cramped in there with his knees under his chin.
As far as her stopping NO she thinks nothing is wrong with it. This kid is always taunted in school from boys and girls because he whines all the time. When his parents took him to little league tryouts, the boy completely flipped when the ball was thrown to him and she of course ran over to soothe his fears.
I swear you would have thought a pit bull was chasing him

 

[Pongo69]

Originally posted by Pooh_Friend#1
A healthy 11 year old is way too old to be in a stoller. I personally do not like pacifiers, they drive me nuts but I do understand they serve a purpose..I say when they are old enough to begin to talk, out goes the pacifier. I can't stand to see kids talking while their pacifiers are still in their mouths. If they can talk with it in their mouth, they are too old to be sucking on a pacifier.

I so totally agree with this, but I don't want to get any pixie dust flying in here so that's all I'll say on the subject

 

[Robinrs]

Yikes, sounds to me like they're not allowing him to grow up!

My son is 11 and would DIE if I suggested he ride in a stroller. He turned it down on our very first trip to Orlando when he was SIX! Said it was for babies....

Whining, tantrums and strollers, sounds more like a 2yo than an 11yo!