Help me to get my 17mo DD to like her stroller again!!!!

[didispunk]

I personally, put the kids in the stroller from when they were old enough and they knew to sit there until they were allowed out. I never had a problem with them sitting there, as if they cried or complained, I wouldnt get them out so they knew quickly not to complain and winge as they wernt getting out and WINNING..

I wasnt going to get a 2 year old tell me what they are doing.. I am the parent!!

Good luck

[fionas]

We had the same problem with DD too so not much advice here I'm afraid I think I gave up after she was virtually headbutting the ground from her stroller in the middle of Melbourne and almost tripping up other pedestrians. That wasn't a good day!)

However, at almost 3 she has now become fascinated by her big pram which we haven't used for about 18 months and only just got out of storage for DD2's impending arrival. She keeps climbing into it and wants to be wheeled around the house in it. That's A LONG WAY off for you guys though and I'm sure no comfort at all.

We used the harness - had to, she was a bolter.

[fionas]

I personally, put the kids in the stroller from when they were old enough and they knew to sit there until they were allowed out. I never had a problem with them sitting there, as if they cried or complained, I wouldnt get them out so they knew quickly not to complain and winge as they wernt getting out and WINNING..

I wasnt going to get a 2 year old tell me what they are doing.. I am the parent!!

Good luck

For DD and I'm sure for a lot of people in this thread, it's not just a case of a bit of crying or whinging though - if it was JUST that, I would have made DD stay there too. My DD would physically try to get out and she could get her buckles off. As I said in my previous post, she would also lean right forward with her hands dragging against the pavement and virtually headbutt the floor putting herself and passers-by at risk. I had to put her in a close-to-the-floor stroller at that stage because I couldn't lift her (the pelvis stuff) to put her in a higher pram.

[boomba]

safest option was to put her in the main compartment of the trolley (which I know you aren't meant to, but who friggen cares!!!! LOL)

ooops This is how i get most things done if i have to go to the shops...which I just avoid now as its not fair on the kids they ahte it! I never knew you shouldnt put them in there?

[black_rose]

I wish didi! dd2 is becoming an escape artist like dd1, they can escape the straps and then stand up, the are both skinny little minnies, if they want out if a pram, carseat or highchair there is no stopping them.

[didispunk]

My kiddies are very very underweight I have a extra chest strap and they cant get out!

[black_rose]

We have the straps, we have tried a couple of them and dd1 works out how to undo them, she is getting better at staying in but she is teaching her sister. I think they just want to be independent and free.

[Traveller]

I have been through this with all my kids. I find perseverance is the key, eventually she will learn she has to stay in the stroller. I remember physically manipulating my child into the stroller, it's not fun.

If she is able to undo her straps then consider getting reigns or other straps and tie them so she cannot reach the buckle to undo them. Also the first few times you get her in, take her for a walk somewhere quiet because the hardest thing is when your child is screaming and trying to climb out and you feel 100 pairs of eyes on you. So go somewhere like a quiet park and persevere until she understands that she has to go in the stroller. As Didspunk says, if you need her to be in the stroller then this is an argument you must not let her win.

[Kitt3n]

Laa just wants to walk too, I think it's great actually DD1 was in the pram till 4 **rolls eyes**.

The only thing she will stay in if I do need to move fast is a carrier. I throw her up on my back and she will stay there for up to an hour.

[Shanti]

I personally, put the kids in the stroller from when they were old enough and they knew to sit there until they were allowed out. I never had a problem with them sitting there, as if they cried or complained, I wouldnt get them out so they knew quickly not to complain and winge as they wernt getting out and WINNING..

I wasnt going to get a 2 year old tell me what they are doing.. I am the parent!!

Good luck

I think it depends on the child and how vocal they are going to get, because perhaps your kids aren't as vocal as my DD, when she's mad, she can get pretty loud and screams and screams VERY high pitched so it's just simply not worth keeping her in the stroller when she's clearly trying to communicate with me that she's had enough (yes we used same stroller since she was very little too btw).... whether it be in a park or busy shopping centre, there is no way i can continue on walking with her screaming blue murder (and I mean murder!!) continously at me.
That doesn't mean I'm afraid to be in charge and be the parent.... I'm just aware that when my DD is letting me know she wants out, she wants out.....I can handle the whinging and sooking they do, but when it escalates and continues going up, change needs to occur. I'm sure most parents would agree with me!!

DD doesn't get out of the straps so that's not a problem, just getting her IN the stroller to begin with is the problem!!!! Never mind, we've just been doing very short trips to the shops when absolutely necessary and I'm only really going now when DH is with me.

[didispunk]

Ya i still wouldnt let them win, they might want out but if I want them in there to go shopping etc, they need to know that I am the parent and they need to sit there till I am ready to go onto something else.

They could scream the house down for all I am worried about but, I dont give in, probably had this happen a couple times and well they learnt, if i scream I wont get let out so I am going to sit here until its time to move on.

I wont allow either of my children to determine what they will be doing at their age, as if i cant control a 2 year old.. how will I manage controlling a 13 year old if they don't know I am the parent that is who they listen to.

[Jennifer13]

Well, there's no way I was starting WWIII over the stroller. Sometimes as a parent, you just have to pick your battles. No way do I want to be fighting with my DD when I can find an easy and stress-free solution. You're right, it will translate to when she's a teenager and wants more independence. I'm happy to grant her that independence at an acceptable level for her age and development. Walking on her own, holding my hand, was certainly within the realms of reasonableness.

[Inanna]

I need Immy to be in the stroller sometimes as it's just impossible for me to "contain" her otherwise. Immy is the escape artist from hell - she can get out of anything, anytime, anyplace!
I found the piece of heaven called "Houdini strap". It is impossible for her to get off & she cannot get out of the car seat or stroller straps. She is a tiny girl and she can get out of anyting. Until the Houdini!

It just clips the straps together (car seat or stroller or any 3 point harness) but she cannot get it off. She now doesn't fight to get out or in as she's learned that it's sitting time! For us it's worked a treat!

[onthefly]

I negotiate. Sometimes DS just has to go inthe stroller. I explain why. Other times he can walk. but he has to hold my hand and be carried across the road (if going to the local shops). And I tell him, if he wants to run off, we're going straight back home and he's going in the stroller because it's dangerous. He doesn't like it, but he has a choice - it's his to make.
I don't think it's about winning or losing, it's about finding acceptable solutions. Can you strike a compromise with her? At the shops, it's stroller or trolley (with seat belt). She can choose.

[Doing my best]

Shanti, I bought a hip carrier cause the front and back carriers, both my 2 don't like, but both of them will go in the hip carrier (obviously at different times)..

If I only have 1 child with me, I don't bother with the pram anymore, just grab the carrier. DD knows that if she is not doing as she is supposed to she will be straight in the carrier, and DS can't walk yet, but he doesn't whinge in the hip carrier. Think its cause they can see everything.

[didispunk]

Jennifer totally agree
Ianna So well said!
Marcellus i am with you on the his choice to be made... its not just what he wants its if you do this these are the consequences.
Doing my best! sounds like a cool strap!

[Shanti]

Well, there's no way I was starting WWIII over the stroller. Sometimes as a parent, you just have to pick your battles. No way do I want to be fighting with my DD when I can find an easy and stress-free solution.

Yep I agree Jen

Some kids are just way more determined than others when it comes to things like staying in a stroller. We pick our battles, and at the moment the stroller is not one of them

Last night we pushed DD around in her toy stroller which she loves climbing into..... so that's progress

[meow]

Maybe she'll get there again. My son actually loves hopping in the pram... the challenge can be keeping him happy to stay in there

Oh- I meant to ask if you've tried the ergo hip carry yet? That's worked well for us.