When did you stop using a stroller ?

[perkinsrose]

Very personal opinion - short answer - when they go to school

At that age I think all kids who are not special needs are big enough not to need pushing around.

We've just got back from WDW and I lost count of the number of fat children I saw in strollers - many of whom were at least 7 years old. The worst example were 2 girls who spent the whole of the British Invasion concert running around the ornamental gardens (when people were sitting trying to watch and listen to the concert) and then left at the end being pushed by their mother in a double stroller. Are we trying to breed a generation of fat lazy kids ?

My kids are lean, healthy & active. We train for Disney do miles of family walks in evenings months before WDW trips. That said, my dd6 gets tired. Average touring can add up to 5 miles a day, easy. Most of the time, my kids walk but having a small stroller is convenient and works for my family both at WDW and at the airport. I am glad to have the stroller at the end of the day for her to ride to bus stop. Most of the day in parks, the stroller is parked and holds our "stuff". During parades, its a convenient seat for her. I would rather my kids use energy enjoying the parks than struggle at all through multiple days of walking many miles without breaks. I will be bringing my fold-up stroller for one last trip before i get rid of it when youngest is 7. She does not ride in one at home but has no issue with it at WDW--a welcome respite. I tend to try to "live my life independent of the good opinion of other people". So if others want to look with disgust at my 7yr old being pushed sometimes, so be it. I go during off/value seasons and have not had a problem with pushing it in crowds. My stroller quickly folds and have no issues getting on bus with it

Parents wondering: If you think you might need it at all --bring it or plan on renting if necessary. I'd rather bring my own & park it there and have it at the end of the day when you need it most to parking lot/monorail or bus than be without and a tired kid. Though we stick pretty close to our kids' wake/eat/sleep schedule/routine at WDW, my DD will always doze off in the stroller as we head back to resort. IMO, having an easy to fold-up stroller is TOTALLY worth bring until age 6/7 for typical kids.

 

[ajsrph]

We haven't used a stroller in f-o-r-e-v-e-r. At least a couple of years...my boys are 5 & 7. Now, at WDW, we rent a stroller. It's a lifesaver. I can't imagine navigating around the parks when they're really crowded, trying to keep up with wandering children. With a stroller, they're contained and within sight at all times. Also, I think we're able to stay at the parks longer, since they're not so worn out from walking all day. They're both so skinny, they can still fit in a double-stroller together.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

My kids are lean, healthy & active. We train for Disney do miles of family walks in evenings months before WDW trips. That said, my dd6 gets tired. Average touring can add up to 5 miles a day, easy. Most of the time, my kids walk but having a small stroller is convenient and works for my family both at WDW and at the airport. I am glad to have the stroller at the end of the day for her to ride to bus stop. Most of the day in parks, the stroller is parked and holds our "stuff". During parades, its a convenient seat for her. I would rather my kids use energy enjoying the parks than struggle at all through multiple days of walking many miles without breaks. I will be bringing my fold-up stroller for one last trip before i get rid of it when youngest is 7. She does not ride in one at home but has no issue with it at WDW--a welcome respite. I tend to try to "live my life independent of the good opinion of other people". So if others want to look with disgust at my 7yr old being pushed sometimes, so be it. I go during off/value seasons and have not had a problem with pushing it in crowds. My stroller quickly folds and have no issues getting on bus with it

Parents wondering: If you think you might need it at all --bring it or plan on renting if necessary. I'd rather bring my own & park it there and have it at the end of the day when you need it most to parking lot/monorail or bus than be without and a tired kid. Though we stick pretty close to our kids' wake/eat/sleep schedule/routine at WDW, my DD will always doze off in the stroller as we head back to resort. IMO, having an easy to fold-up stroller is TOTALLY worth bring until age 6/7 for typical kids.

I have to agree with everything you said! DS is 6 1/2 and NEVER needs a stroller at home. The only time he uses one is when we go to a theme park or the zoo...or if I have an entire afternoon planned at the mall when Grandma isn't available to watch the kids!

For me, having the double stroller makes it MUCH easier to keep track of the kids while at WDW. Plus, it's a great place to store my "stuff". DS will be 7 when we go in November and DD will be 3 1/2. I am bringing my Maclaren Twin Traveller. We have no issues folding it, getting on and off busses and trams...well, DH has no issues. When the kids are tired and we are at MK close to midnight after park touring all day, it's nice to have the stroller available for them to lay in. Both of my kids are EXTREMELY active and really don't like the stroller much at all! But when they need it while on vacation, it'll be there.

DS also has ADHD And Aspergers's (which is on the Autism spectrum). It really helps being able to have him hop in the stroller when there are lots of crowds.

This next trip just might be the last trip we bring our double with us...but we'll see.

 

[WantToGoNow]

We stop using strollers in general around age 4. I took my stroller to the local theme park for my dd4.5 a few weeks ago but I took it because ds7 hadn't been feeling well all morning and I knew he wouldn't make it -- dd4 walked, ds7 layed in the stroller all day (rode 3 rides) - then we stopped at the ER on the way home.

He has had a serious problem with constipation for the past several months and has been in the hospital 2x in the last 2 months - once for a tube down his nose for a 24 hour cleaning. He went from this very thin boy to kind of chunky in a matter of 6 months (gained 10 pounds). It had nothing to do with his eating habits or excercise - it had to do with digestion. He went off of the laxative they had him on about a week ago and has already lost 4 pounds and is starting to look thin again. Never think when you see a chunky child that it's overeating and no exercise - there might be a medical problem that it's visible to the eye.

 

[In a hurry]

He has had a serious problem with constipation for the past several months and has been in the hospital 2x in the last 2 months - once for a tube down his nose for a 24 hour cleaning. He went from this very thin boy to kind of chunky in a matter of 6 months (gained 10 pounds). It had nothing to do with his eating habits or excercise - it had to do with digestion. He went off of the laxative they had him on about a week ago and has already lost 4 pounds and is starting to look thin again. Never think when you see a chunky child that it's overeating and no exercise - there might be a medical problem that it's visible to the eye.

I'm glad your guy is doing better!

That said, I teach third grade and can say that most of the chubby kids are chubby because they don't get off their heinies and move, and they eat too much junk. Lunches contain pb&j on white bread, chips, treat, and sugar juice. Or a lunchable!

 

[mommyof2princesses]

We stopped using one when dd was 3 1/2. We did use one in Disney but her home stroller we sold a few months ago because it never got used.

I did buy recently a Mac Quest for use in Disney. I got it used for less than what I sold my other stroller for. We felt we needed something for Disney only and their stroller rental rates are just going up too much! My dd is small for her age and her poor little feet tire out fast! We plan to give her the choice to walk or ride, although I am looking forward to using a stoller at night on the way to the bus and the room!

 

[allison k]

Up until a couple of weeks ago I didn't really plan on using a stroller for our DD6. She always walks when we go to DL - has been since she was 4. I was planning on just bringing our regular one for our DS1. That all changed when we walked home from school last Monday!

We only live 3 blocks from school and it was really hot (100+). So DD stopped on the sidewalk about 2/3 of the way home, sat down and said, "I need to rest in the shade for a bit!" Frankly, the sun was just sapping all of the energy out of me as well. We're probably gonna get a sit n' stand stroller. Besides, there's going to be 5 days of just me and kids, and I would feel more comfortable if she's riding and contained when it's crowded.

 

[Td1290]

We are debating the same thing. We used a double last year for my small 8 year old and my 5 year old. My husband think is is ridiculoius to us it this year, but I am dreading the complaining already.

 

[Jaymie]

My DS is almost 4 and I love my stroller, so does he. When he's in the stroller, I can get more done, faster and I feel that he's safer in the stroller.

He's not fat by any means, he's very active and when I can get him to eat, it's always healthy food. But having said that, yes, kids today are getting fat & lazy. Then again so are adults. Of course there's always the exception caused by medical conditions. Personally, I don't really care who chooses to put their 8 yrd old 120 lb kid in a stroller, I don't have to push it.

I think it's a personal choice.

 

[monorailsilver]

Well I am bringing my stroller for my August trip.

I have a sit & stand & all 3 of my kids will be using it.

DD-7 & about 47 lbs-not fat & she does sit in the stroller from time to time.
DS-just shy of 5 & about 38 lbs. He is far from fat & has better leg muscles then many adults I have seen & yes he sits in the back of the stroller when I use it.
DD-2 1/2 & about 30 lbs. Out of all my 3 kids at her age, she has used the stroller the least amount yet she is the chunkiest of them all!

So I plan having all of them use it because I know they (aka the 7yo dd) will complain when they are tired of walking & since I can out walk them why should I make them get more tired & crabby?

Our next trip won't be until 2011 unless I some how become wealthy or win a trip! My youngest will b 5.5 at that time & I will play it by ear. If I need to I will bring the Jeep umbrella stroller.

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

I have a 6 year old and a 2 year old. The six year old hasn't used a stroller at home in a little over three years. The two year old only uses the stroller every now and then. It just depends on where we are going. If we are going to the zoo or fair grounds that has a lot of outside walking we bring it. She'll only use it as she tires. Occasionally I'll put her in the stroller if I need to do something fast or if what I am doing requires a lot of my attention, that way I can get it done fast without stopping every few seconds to make sure she isn't wandering off, but that isn't often.

We do take the double stroller to Disney. It can be so hot there and it is a lot of walking for little kids.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

We will bring the double for the trip in Oct...DD will almost be 5. We tend to avoid buses and boats. We walk everywhere. From the boardwalk we walk thru Epcot to get the monorail for MK..We walk to Hollywood Studios... I've never put on a pedometer..but for someone that runs 5 miles a day.....Its a heck of a lot of walking.

DD has the choice to walk or ride. She usually starts the day walking...and is riding by end of the day. I don't consider her lazy at all...When she's tired she's tired...

My personal opinion of the childhood obesity epidemic is over processed foods..convenience items..lunchables, frozen breakfast foods, chicken nuggets...etc... Just not healthy. We usually have a hard time at counter service because my daughter is always looking for a salad

I don't think letting them rest in a stroller after walking 5 miles is really the cause

 

[rt2dz]

Basically at about 3 at home on a normal thing, i.e., the mall. Trips to the zoo, Sea World, WDW lasted a bit longer—maybe to 4 ½. At Disney DS6 (at the time) wasn’t technically in the stroller, but if he a brother out, he jumped in. The other exception is when I do my daily walk—exercise, so very fast paced for 3-5 miles. There is no way the kiddos can keep up with me and slowing down defeats the purpose, so they are in the jogger.

I do have to say DS#3 is coming up on 3, and I don't see him out of the stroller for a little while yet. Mainly because I can't keep up with him and get anything accomplished when he is out of the stroller, but a few months can still make a huge difference at this age.

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

My personal opinion of the childhood obesity epidemic is over processed foods..convenience items..lunchables, frozen breakfast foods, chicken nuggets...etc... Just not healthy. We usually have a hard time at counter service because my daughter is always looking for a salad

I don't think letting them rest in a stroller after walking 5 miles is really the cause

Very true!

 

[In a hurry]

My personal opinion of the childhood obesity epidemic is over processed foods..convenience items..lunchables, frozen breakfast foods, chicken nuggets...etc... Just not healthy. We usually have a hard time at counter service because my daughter is always looking for a salad

I don't think letting them rest in a stroller after walking 5 miles is really the cause

Exactly. Besides, Disney is NOT the place to start worrying about it.

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

I have two kids, so we put the stroller away forever when our youngest child turned 3. The older kid was 6, but he was looooong out of the stroller by then.