What age..no more stroller

[Katniss]

I leave in 10 days and after my flight and my resort bookings...I rented my stroller. I have a 4 and 6 year old and know my girls and know that they will want a stroller. Shoot there are times when I wish someone would push me around after a long day I am new here and jumped right in on this thread... and it amazes me some of the comments.

 

[LoriNKY]

There's a website out there who's sole purpose it to ridicule kids who are "too big" for strollers. (I forget the name.) The thing is, most of those photos are from amusement parks, where you'll often find kids in strollers who normally wouldn't be in one otherwise. Amusement parks are usually the exception to the "too big" rule, I think.

Anyhoo... We're going next month, and plan to bring both our umbrella strollers for the 3 year old and almost-6 year old. I don't think the older one will really need a stroller much, but we don't want to be carrying dead tired kids through the parks at the end of the day.

Really, I'm actually a fan of strollers and I'll miss not having one anymore when the time comes. It carries all our stuff! Of course, when the younger one gets bigger we'll probably need less stuff at that time.
We do have a double stroller, but that thing is HEAVY, and too unwieldy for the busses, I think. We found some great umbrella strollers with longer handles (to save our backs) that also have baskets and pockets/cup holders. Makes life in the parks so much easier.

 

[Melodious]

There's a website out there who's sole purpose it to ridicule kids who are "too big" for strollers. (I forget the name.) The thing is, most of those photos are from amusement parks, where you'll often find kids in strollers who normally wouldn't be in one otherwise. Amusement parks are usually the exception to the "too big" rule, I think.

I have to respectfully disagree. When I lived in St. Louis, I lived directly across from Forest Park and the FREE St. Louis zoo. On any nice day, my then boyfriend and I would go over for a walk or just to have a slushie from a cart at the zoo. We were constantly surprised how many children over the age of five were in strollers there, in a free place that families can come back to at any time. And it certainly wasn't as big as Disney World. And before anyone just says that I'm insensitive to the number of children who have medical reasons for a stroller, my then boyfriend had two siblings with Downs that you couldn't tell by looking at them, and he was more apalled than I was.

 

[LuLuO]

After our recent trip to Disney in January, we've decided that our daughter is pretty much done with the stroller. Around here the only exception will be if we go for a walk along the busy street. For everything else, zoo, six flags, etc., she'll be walking. I might make an exception for Disney since it is so much walking, but I'd like to go without it.

 

[triciari]

I'm definitely bringing one for my gigantic 4 year old, with a board on the back for the 7 & 9 year old to take turns on!

 

[nansmama]

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[BeveMom]

I don't chime in much, but its comments like this that make me nervous about having my 9 year old ride in a stroller when we go in March. To everyone that sees my child you would think that she is a perfectly healthy girl...except she has a Mitochondrial Disease..which is a disease that effect how the body process and uses energy. She tires very quickly and if we let her overwork her body her blood sugars will spike and drop, her GI system will start acting up and she will end up with severe muscle pains in her legs. Of course we have been waiting on insurance to approve her medical stroller, but we will not have it in time for our vacation. Just please don't think that all parents are lazy and don't want to watch there kids...I would love more than anything to not have to lug a stroller around!!

I feel the same way. My son looks like a perfectly typical 5 year old, and I'm sure that some of the judgy folks on this board will see us in WDW and think that my son is too old and too big (44 lbs) for a stroller. But, what you can't see is his genetic syndrome that causes low tone and poor endurance, as well as the heart defect that can make him tired more quickly. It makes me sad that people here judge children for being in strollers based on how old they "think" a child is, and then say it's to make life easier for their parents... believe me, there is NOTHING easy about having to get a stroller for my son at WDW. I'd much rather he be able to walk it, but I know he'll have more fun if he isn't tired and unhappy after the first hour of walking.

My point is, to OP, if you think your daughter would rather ride than walk, get a stroller. The people who are going to judge you, either on this board or in real life, have no business doing so, and should worry about what they are teaching their own children about being judgemental busibodies instead of worrying about how old that kid is in a stroller.

 

[LoriNKY]

I have to respectfully disagree. When I lived in St. Louis, I lived directly across from Forest Park and the FREE St. Louis zoo. On any nice day, my then boyfriend and I would go over for a walk or just to have a slushie from a cart at the zoo. We were constantly surprised how many children over the age of five were in strollers there, in a free place that families can come back to at any time. And it certainly wasn't as big as Disney World. And before anyone just says that I'm insensitive to the number of children who have medical reasons for a stroller, my then boyfriend had two siblings with Downs that you couldn't tell by looking at them, and he was more apalled than I was.

I pretty much count zoos in with amusement parks. Free or not, having to carry your worn out kid around a big place is no fun. And how many tourists hit St. Louis? Odds are great that a good many of them are on their one and only trip.

I used to be one of those people who were all judgmental about kids in strollers... Then I had my own.
Good lord, I now know I knew nothing about the choices parents have to make at times. And having strangers act like they know more than the parents about what's best for THEIR family... Ugh. I'm so sorry I was ever like that.

 

[Melodious]

I pretty much count zoos in with amusement parks. Free or not, having to carry your worn out kid around a big place is no fun. And how many tourists hit St. Louis? Odds are great that a good many of them are on their one and only trip.

I used to be one of those people who were all judgmental about kids in strollers... Then I had my own.
Good lord, I now know I knew nothing about the choices parents have to make at times. And having strangers act like they know more than the parents about what's best for THEIR family... Ugh. I'm so sorry I was ever like that.

I certainly do not point or make comments to anyone but my companion. It's simply the strange things that you notice. Like last time I was at Disney, I noticed what seemed to be a preponderance of redheads, but I notice because I'm a redhead.

And I am surprised that you would include zoos in your assessment. Certainly a child should be able to walk around the entirety of the St. Louis zoo because it is simply not that large of an area even if you are trying to see everything. If you are going to count zoos, it seems almost all activities will be included. But my observations were also made in the park. I think of parks as places to get physical activity, not to push your child around avoiding physical activity. Also St. Louis is not exactly a big tourist destination, and being a friendly person, I have chatted to many people at the zoo and never spoke to anyone from further than an hour drive away.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

I think this thread has given some very reasonable explanations for why older kids would be in a stroller. It sounds like you have one child that is 2? How do you know at the age of 4 that he will not need a stroller? It's easy to say "never" when you've yet to cross that bridge.

Because at the age of 2, he walks through stores unassisted, walks through the mall, and goes on my daily walks with me, as well as goes outside and plays and does the typical 2-year-old tearing through the house and still has energy to spare. He is an active child and has absolutely no need for a stroller now and will certainly have no need for it then, when he's 4.

And to be "mortified" that a 4.5 yo needed a stroller in a place that people walk an average of 6-8 miles/day? Your response contains a lot of judgement and a lot of assumptions. Part of being a parent is respecting other parents and the decisions they make for their children.

Yes, mortified. My stepson is 4.5 years old. He never, ever, ever uses a stroller anywhere outside of Disney. He is highly active and has no problems walking around extensively on a daily basis. He is too old, he is too large, and he's perfectly capable of walking around, especially with frequent breaks. The choice to put him in a stroller at Disney had nothing to do with what he was capable of doing in terms of moving around, but more the laziness factor in that it's easier to shove him in a stroller and walk around then it is to hold his hand and walk or otherwise pay attention to where he is and what he's doing. I'd have been highly embarrassed to have a child who's almost 5 using a stroller.

Some people may or may not have medical needs that justify their 5, 6, 7, 13 year old, whatever, to sit in a stroller. Most don't. I dare say most kids of that age don't either. If somebody wants to put their kid in a stroller who's clearly too old, that's fine and that is their decision, I certainly won't boot them out or tell them that they're too old. But I will certainly think it, probably point it out to my other half, and lament how people rely too much on strollers.

 

[DoodlesMom]

Because at the age of 2, he walks through stores unassisted, walks through the mall, and goes on my daily walks with me, as well as goes outside and plays and does the typical 2-year-old tearing through the house and still has energy to spare. He is an active child and has absolutely no need for a stroller now and will certainly have no need for it then, when he's 4.



Yes, mortified. My stepson is 4.5 years old. He never, ever, ever uses a stroller anywhere outside of Disney. He is highly active and has no problems walking around extensively on a daily basis. He is too old, he is too large, and he's perfectly capable of walking around, especially with frequent breaks. The choice to put him in a stroller at Disney had nothing to do with what he was capable of doing in terms of moving around, but more the laziness factor in that it's easier to shove him in a stroller and walk around then it is to hold his hand and walk or otherwise pay attention to where he is and what he's doing. I'd have been highly embarrassed to have a child who's almost 5 using a stroller.

Some people may or may not have medical needs that justify their 5, 6, 7, 13 year old, whatever, to sit in a stroller. Most don't. I dare say most kids of that age don't either. If somebody wants to put their kid in a stroller who's clearly too old, that's fine and that is their decision, I certainly won't boot them out or tell them that they're too old. But I will certainly think it, probably point it out to my other half, and lament how people rely too much on strollers.

That sounds like a great use of time at Disney I'm too busy having fun with my kids (in and out of strollers) to worry about what other parents are doing

I will be honest though...when we are out and about in daily life, at a mall whatever-I see families that seem unhealthy and drastically overweight pushing a child that appears to be too old and also very overweight. I worry about the kid not getting enough exercise and needing to be walking/exercising more in order to be healthy. So in that circumstance it DOES cross my mind... HOWEVER, at Disney I feel that there are never hard and fast rules for strollers. Both of my kids were WELL done with any stroller period by the age of 2. We took our ds to WDW for the first time at the age of 4. I was unsure about whether to take a stroller or not and was really leaning towards not since he had not used one in over two years. Thankfully, enough experienced parents convinced me to take it We were able to enjoy everyday, all day no slowing down and with no complaints of being tired or chasing and wondering where we were going to put the souvenirs. One of the best things were when we were at the bus line at night waiting for what seemed like forever, he could sleep. Since then, I don't hesitate to bring the stroller to Disney. This will be the first year that we won't be bringing one for our ds but our dd who's 4 will certainly still use hers. We keep the strollers stored throughout the year and only pull them out for Disney. That said because we have our own stroller exclusion for Disney, I'm certainly not judging anyone else for theirs while we're there. I just assume that they are doing what's BEST for their kid and for them and that's ALL that matters.

 

[budafam]

I'm completely torn on this subject. We have a 5 and 3 year old going in May. My 5 year old is capable of the walking. We did it in October with no problems whatsoever. I'm pretty sure my 3 year old could handle it as well. DH doesn't seem to mind bringing a stroller along just to carry around all of our bags and stuff but I hate having to find stroller parking and deal with that. I just don't know.

 

[blessedby3]

No stroller after 4. We didn't use a stroller anywhere else, why Disney?

Because no normal 4 year old gets in miles and miles of walking in a given day...like they would be looking at doing in WDW.
WDW is a massive place and most 4 year olds cant keep up and most still take naps...and the stroller is a nice place for a nap when in the parks.
My DD4 doesnt use a stroller around town, shopping, or taking walks around our block...but none of those things equal a day (or weeks) worth of WDW touring!

 

[tofubeast]

Subscribing and will read this thread in a couple years!!

 

[tammz]

My son wil be almost 6 when we go to WDW and I have decided to bring a stroller I have a small umbrella one without a basket and a larger regular stroller with a basket, cup holders,and a canopy It folds pretty flat too I am leaning towards bringing the bigger one. I plan on bringing water and juice boxes with me and I cant carry things on my back (its the sholders actually) So I hope I can park it at a ride and maybe come back later and pick it up without having it stolen Also my son has weak leg musscles so he MAY need one. and I could always use something to lean on It helps with my legs. I plan on finding someone and leaving it when we return home because he really doesnt need it anymore

 

[disneyfanjan]

We have always used a stroller and this year my youngest will be 6. Too old for a stroller but the parks are still hugh for those little legs, lol. What age do you stop using a stroller and how do your kids hold up through the day?

I see that the majority of folks go for the no stroller; however, it probably depends on the child. You might want to consider the sit 'n stand style. We have found it great for an older child - used it with our 8 year old granddaughter. It has room for two, but works with one and it gives you a place to put backpacks and water bottles while you walk.

 

[maxiesmom]

Some people may or may not have medical needs that justify their 5, 6, 7, 13 year old, whatever, to sit in a stroller. Most don't. I dare say most kids of that age don't either. If somebody wants to put their kid in a stroller who's clearly too old, that's fine and that is their decision, I certainly won't boot them out or tell them that they're too old. But I will certainly think it, probably point it out to my other half, and lament how people rely too much on strollers.

Sounds like a horrible use of time at WDW, pointing fingers at other people who dare parent in a different manner than you do.

 

[AJA]

I think it's different for each family. I'd be willing to be the average is somewhere between 4-6.

For us we took the stroller right after DD turned 5 and really only used it for Epcot. DH and I like to walk and tour the World showcase and DD used that time to rest. By the next year when she had turned 6 she no longer needed it at all.

 

[chipndales]

It definitely depends on your touring plans and the temperament of your child. When we went with my parents (my mom is disabled so she uses a motorized scooter) and my DD was younger (but definitely "too old for a stroller" according to most), I did get her one since we couldn't get back to the hotel with ease. I used my judgement as a parent (and helpful advice here on Disboards) and we had a wonderful trip without incident. No one said a word to me. People were very kind and supportive. My nephew was six when we took him and we had an umbrella stroller. Half the time he walked but there were times he was so irritable and tired, he just conked out in the stroller and we were able to eat or shop quietly. The wonderful thing about Disney is that you could always go sans stroller and if your little one needs it, just rent one.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

That sounds like a great use of time at Disney I'm too busy having fun with my kids (in and out of strollers) to worry about what other parents are doing

We people watch and the people-watching at Disney is epic. We don't go to Disney to see what people do, but when we see people doing something riduclous, we will notice it, probably point it out to each other, and comment on it. Most of the time, it's while we are walking from point A to point B, when we're on the bus going somewhere, or when the opportunity presents itself. It takes no time away from touring Disney and, frankly, I think everybody does it to some degree or another.

Sounds like a horrible use of time at WDW, pointing fingers at other people who dare parent in a different manner than you do.

Again, observing people doing things takes no time away from anything at Disney. Often times, it's the great filler for when you're in between doing things.