Stroller for 8 yr. old? Which one?

[nilseks]

OP--if you are even still reading--not here to pass judgement just wanted to make a suggestion...

Before renting a stroller from somewhere, I would make SURE your child really wants to sit in it. It's a lot of money to spend, with the possibility that the child will get there, take a look around, and feel embarrassed to be in a stroller and refuse to use it.

My oldest is a whiner and a hypochondriac and I remember him BEGGING to jump in his littlle brother's stroller when he was about 7. He thought it was soooo unfair that he couldn't ride, and managed to park his butt in there a few times. Even got me to push him for a bit when he complained of a headache once. My younger son is now 8 and would not be caught dead in a stroller. He's way too cool for that, lol.

 

[Hannathy]

Here is why another parent pushing around an complaining 8 year old in a stroller affects me. It's because as we all know children are the future of this country. What kind of future leaders will we have who have been raised think they should be made comfortable all the time, that everyone else lives and breathes to make them happy, that whenever they are tired/hungry etc all they have to do is start whining about it and they will be instantly given whatever they want to again return them to a state of being constantly happy and comfortable?!?! A parents JOB is to teach kids that sometime things are hard, but you keep going! I can just imagine if today's generation of parents lived 200 years ago, "Oh, yes, let's go explore the west and settle it! Oh, but all 15 if our kids will need their own private horse to ride on, because how can they possibly be expected to WALK across several states of endless prairie and forests. I just couldn't bear to listen if any of them were unhappy and started to complain" Good thing our ancestors were A LOT tougher than we are, I fear for our future

YEP

That is what I keep saying. The human body has not changed since the ... well basically since the beginning and yet the same 6 yr old body that could walk from Illinois to California now can't walk from 1 ride to the next at Disney! and without having to gather it's own food along the way!


Oh yeah, the body has changed since the 1800's It has gotten healthier!!!!

 

[a11ie]

I can't quote on my phone.. But to the PP... If its so easy walking around all the time then you must walk to work? To go shopping?.. Not grocery shopping of course because, you know, you're completely capable of hunting and "gathering" your own food, right?

Or is it just a preference to have the luxury of a car..

Or stroller at Disney, if you please.

 

[mjkacmom]

I can't quote on my phone.. But to the PP... If its so easy walking around all the time then you must walk to work? To go shopping?.. Not grocery shopping of course because, you know, you're completely capable of hunting and "gathering" your own food, right?

Or is it just a preference to have the luxury of a car..

Or stroller at Disney, if you please.

Not the PP, but I could rent an EVC at WDW, and so could DH, so that we wouldn't get tired, but guess what - that is silly. And I can guarantee you that if DH worked within 3 or so miles of our home, he'd be thrilled to walk to work (whenever he needs to bring our kids to friends' homes, he usually walks them, as well).

I don't know how not hunting and gathering our own food (squirells? acorns?) relates to an EIGHT year old not needing a stroller. EIGHT. Not TWO. Not FOUR. EIGHT. My kids would rather hunt and gather their own food instead of being pushed in a baby carriage at eight.

 

[Disney Lifer]

btw if you don't like being judged online just wait until you roll up in the parks with your giant kid in a stroller. trust me you're going to get plenty of looks and snickers.

we all judge, it's human nature. honestly imo an 8 year old is far too old to be pushed around in a stroller. my wife and i have been debating strollers as well for my 3 1/2 year old. my 6 and 8 year old certainly won't be taking a ride unless it's jokingly.

 

[nchulka]

YEP

That is what I keep saying. The human body has not changed since the ... well basically since the beginning and yet the same 6 yr old body that could walk from Illinois to California now can't walk from 1 ride to the next at Disney! and without having to gather it's own food along the way!


Oh yeah, the body has changed since the 1800's It has gotten healthier!!!!

Here is how 8 year olds are different now. Back then junior realized that if he opened his mouth to complain he would get his hide tanned, today's 8 year old realizes that if he opens his mouth to complain mom and dad will bend over backwards to make sure he is happy again.

 

[Missy13d69]

Here is how 8 year olds are different now. Back then junior realized that if he opened his mouth to complain he would get his hide tanned, today's 8 year old realizes that if he opens his mouth to complain mom and dad will bend over backwards to make sure he is happy again.

My 8 year old would laugh at that statement.

 

[sheilanne]

I only read through a couple pages but I saw several judgmental and rude posts. I don't know a lot about strollers for you, but I will say, I feel your pain. I naively made the mistake of posting an innocent thread asking if anyone else experienced my situation and received tons of unwanted parenting advice. I tried to be nice and brush it off, but after my innocent question turned into 10+ pages I quit reading. The negativity from all the fanatics with the desire to preach was too much to handle.

The Dis is not for the innocent people who come here to ask a random question about planning a Disney vacation. If you dare to ask a question that has been asked in the past century, someone will rudely point you to the search button. Your question isn't unique and fresh enough, off to the Search button you go! Or, your question shows you are naive. Let me school you on the ways of proper parenting of perfectly non-spoiled children who take 20,000 trips to WDW and walk every bit of it.

Disney fanatics are definitely fanatics about more than just Disney, they also love to start debates even when the debate was not asked for or wanted. Even when you tell them you don't care for their judgmental and rude comments they still continue to push them on you. After all...its a board full of Disney fanatics and we must be fanatical about everything, opinions and all.

Welcome to the Judgemental Disboards. Have a Disney day!

I agree. We are going in November and I have the same concerns about my DGD. She just turned 6 and has a 4 m/o little sister. She is very active and in wonderful shape but I'm concerned about dragging a 48 pound child 5-8 miles each day over a seven day period. We are staying at BLT but we will be on the go from 7 until probably around 10 each night. I don't want her to ride all day in a stroller but be able to rest when she needs to. We took a stroller when she was four and very proud we had it!!!! I saw too many kids crying because they were tired and parents so intent on their schedule they obviously forgot what their child was physically capable of doing. My plan is to use the stroller for the baby and when older DGD gets tired baby can be put into the Ergo so sister can rest if needed. Everyone's kids are different but I think this will work for our family.

 

[luvmy2babies]

My 8 year old would laugh at that statement.

As would my 9 year-old.

 

[nchulka]

My 8 year old would laugh at that statement.

I was referring to the OP with that comment. Here is her direct quote from her original post referring to her 8 year old "She won't mind what she rides in as long as she is comfortable. My eight year old is a big complainer when it comes to being tired and uncomfortable!"

There are plenty of sane parents who would just tell their kids to suck it up, unfortunately there are several others raising a bunch of wimps who do bend over backwards to make their kids "happy" all the time! They don't realize the harder they try to please their little darling the more demanding and monsterous the kid becomes!

 

[Nayan]

I was referring to the OP with that comment. Here is her direct quote from her original post referring to her 8 year old "She won't mind what she rides in as long as she is comfortable. My eight year old is a big complainer when it comes to being tired and uncomfortable!"

There are plenty of sane parents who would just tell their kids to suck it up, unfortunately there are several others raising a bunch of wimps who do bend over backwards to make their kids "happy" all the time! They don't realize the harder they try to please their little darling the more demanding and monsterous the kid becomes!

Agreed. I told my son when he was younger and begging to go to Disney that he would be walking and if he needed a break he needed to speak up otherwise we'd keep on going. We took plenty of breaks, he walked and there was no whining. Trust me, if I see your 8 year old snowflake in a stroller not only will I laugh and snicker but so will my son.

 

[Disneylvr]

......The Dis is not for the innocent people who come here to ask a random question about planning a Disney vacation......

Welcome to the Judgemental Disboards. Have a Disney day!

It used to be (a place to simply ask random Disney vacation questions) and this is from someone who has been around DIS for a long time, even before the server crash of 1999. I learned the hard way a couple of years ago when a thread I started turned bad and judgmental immediately. I had the moderators delete it. It appears that some posters have nothing better to do than sit around and wait for threads like to this appear so they can prove how much better of a parent/person they are than the OP.

OP my 9 year daughter the Maclaren Major Elite stroller and it folds just like the smaller umbrella type strollers. It is considered a stroller for older children with special needs. At 74 pounds she is going to soon grow out of this stroller though.

 

[Missy13d69]

I was referring to the OP with that comment. Here is her direct quote from her original post referring to her 8 year old "She won't mind what she rides in as long as she is comfortable. My eight year old is a big complainer when it comes to being tired and uncomfortable!"

There are plenty of sane parents who would just tell their kids to suck it up, unfortunately there are several others raising a bunch of wimps who do bend over backwards to make their kids "happy" all the time! They don't realize the harder they try to please their little darling the more demanding and monsterous the kid becomes!

But where is the line drawn? Who has the right to judge what behavior is "bending over backwards"? Is it bending over backwards to carry a sleeping 4 year old to your room from your car? One person here thinks so, but others think that it's normal parenting. Parenting styles are widely varying. Everyone does what's best for their family. They reap the rewards of the "monstrous" child they create. It makes no difference and has no bearing on you or your family does it? So, let them be. We can't all run around telling people their doing it wrong just because that's our own opinions. We're all doing it wrong according to the opinion of someone else. Live and let live.

 

[luvmy3]

But where is the line drawn? Who has the right to judge what behavior is "bending over backwards"? Is it bending over backwards to carry a sleeping 4 year old to your room from your car? One person here thinks so, but others think that it's normal parenting. Parenting styles are widely varying. Everyone does what's best for their family. They reap the rewards of the "monstrous" child they create. It makes no difference and has no bearing on you or your family does it? So, let them be. We can't all run around telling people their doing it wrong just because that's our own opinions. We're all doing it wrong according to the opinion of someone else. Live and let live.

There are societal norms, so in a way they dictate what we judge. In our society a healthy, physically able 8 year old is too old for a stroller. Sure you can decide that you don't want your 8 year old to walk around when they are tired, but most of society will disagree and judge you for it. It is human nature like a pp said.

 

[nchulka]

But where is the line drawn? Who has the right to judge what behavior is "bending over backwards"? Is it bending over backwards to carry a sleeping 4 year old to your room from your car? One person here thinks so, but others think that it's normal parenting. Parenting styles are widely varying. Everyone does what's best for their family. They reap the rewards of the "monstrous" child they create. It makes no difference and has no bearing on you or your family does it? So, let them be. We can't all run around telling people their doing it wrong just because that's our own opinions. We're all doing it wrong according to the opinion of someone else. Live and let live.

Except that as I said children grow up to be the leaders of tomorrow. What kind of a world is going to be run by people who were too lazy to walk around a THEME PARK when they were 8???? We are raising a nation of wimps in the US and it will be to our demise!

Take a look at what expectations of children were 200 and 100 years ago and see how far we have fallen. Children are not born less capable than they used to be parents just continue to lower and lower their expectations. 30 years ago a question about a 4 year old in a stroller would have gotten the same results that this thread has now. 30 years from now the question will be about 12 year olds in strollers. Parents are lowering the bar!

 

[Missy13d69]

Agreed. I told my son when he was younger and begging to go to Disney that he would be walking and if he needed a break he needed to speak up otherwise we'd keep on going. We took plenty of breaks, he walked and there was no whining. Trust me, if I see your 8 year old snowflake in a stroller not only will I laugh and snicker but so will my son.

I hope you do that laughing and snickering to yourself, and not where the child can hear you. That "snowflake" may have some health problem you can't see, and you insistence on passing judgment without facts, could be very detrimental to that child's self esteem. Basically, that behavior equates to an adult bullying a child.

 

[Missy13d69]

Except that as I said children grow up to be the leaders of tomorrow. What kind of a world is going to be run by people who were too lazy to walk around a THEME PARK when they were 8???? We are raising a nation of wimps in the US and it will be to our demise!

And I agree with you on that. It doesn't change the fact that when it comes to parenting, what one person sees as being soft, others see as normal. What one person sees as normal, other people see as being too strict. Where is the line? Who is parenting right? They all are.

 

[Hannathy]

Except that as I said children grow up to be the leaders of tomorrow. What kind of a world is going to be run by people who were too lazy to walk around a THEME PARK when they were 8???? We are raising a nation of wimps in the US and it will be to our demise!

Take a look at what expectations of children were 200 and 100 years ago and see how far we have fallen. Children are not born less capable than they used to be parents just continue to lower and lower their expectations. 30 years ago a question about a 4 year old in a stroller would have gotten the same results that this thread has now. 30 years from now the question will be about 12 year olds in strollers. Parents are lowering the bar!

I agree. I do worry about this country in the future.

 

[Sparkly]

I was a whiner as a kid, but my mum told me to get over it! If I asked to ride in a stroller as a eight year old, she would most likely tell me to stop being lazy and just walk.

 

[luvmy2babies]

I think we just can’t decide what kind of parent a person is based on one decision they make as to how they will tour a theme park.

But I could be biased. I have had my parenting attacked on here because I use a harness on my toddler. It is the one with the puppy on the back. According to some, I am a lazy parent. According to others, I am permanently damaging his self-image. As I watched him snuggling with the puppy last night, I thought about those comments.

I am raising my children by myself. Their father died 2.5 years ago. I am constantly bombarded with messages of how children turn out or can turn out when they have no father in the home. He isn’t just out of the home, he’s gone never to return and on his birthday we went to the cemetery, not out to dinner. I didn’t kick him out, he died and yet my children have this to deal with and overcome, practically born into it as he died when they were 6 and 2 months old.

My daughter is also Dyslexic. Tests upon tests to get there then meetings on top of meetings to get her comfortable in school, then appointments on top of other appointments to get her the help she needs. I juggle supervising him and his development while doing homework with a child who may need 5 minutes to sound out a word in her homework. Then there’s my job. Then there's the time loving them and building them up.

I bust my behind every day and night, but I harness my son, so I’m a lazy parent. There’s something wrong there. We don't know anyone's big picture.