Is she too little?

This may sound like a very silly question but it is something that is said to me almost every single time i go into my local westfield shopping centre.

For a few months now, i guess since DD was confident in walking i let her out of the pram/stroller so she can walk/run along side me. Yes sometimes she wanders off but i always encourage her to stay next to me, i will say "come walk next to me please" or "please hold my hand" and she will come over 99.9% of the time. But its the comments of "She is FAR too little to be walking!" now i don't know if they mean walking AT ALL or walking by herself next to me. She wandered off from me while i was talking to my mum, yes i know very irresponsible! when i turned around to look for her she was standing infront of a lady and man, she started clapping and showing off. Usually people comment on how adorable she is but this woman huffed and said "She is TOO little to be walking" and walked off shaking her head, because i was not feeling well today i was already in a cranky mood and i called out to her "yeah well YOU tell her that! and next time keep your comments to YOURSELF!!" yup i was in a right foul mood!

Tell me, is 15 (almost 16) months TOO little to be walking? At what age did you let your child/ren walk in public?

Personally, don't let it get to you.
My girls generally go in the pram or trolley but that's because it's hard to keep 2 from touching or running away and DD2 was here only a couple of mths after DD1 started walking.

DD1 looked so cute walking that once she started (about 12-13mths) I would let her walk to get the trolley and I never got stupid comments, she was tiny and I got "oh she looks too little to be walking already, how cute" but no nasty comments.

The girls hold hands and walk together to get the trolley now, ppl think they look so cute.
Water off a ducks back, forget about it.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

Oh i don't care (most of the time.. depends what mood they catch me in!) I was just thinking maybe i was an irresponsible mother :dunno:

My son is 21 months and I don't yet let him walk in shopping centres.

My son didnt walk till he was almost 2 lol, I can't let him walk now, he just runs away.... (and I get ALL sorts of comments :( )

Ds started walking at 11 months. And once he was confident enough (eg, not stacking it all the time) id let him walk through the shops if we were just going in to have lunch or something. Now he walks everywhere. He's 21 months and I can't actually remember the last time he was in his pram.

Actually I let him walk around when I bought him his first pair of shoes, so there you go. 11 month old waltzing through the shops running in his new shoes. He was super cute, and a bit proud. Don't let them get to you ;)

DS1 didn't get out the pram at shopping centres until he was 3 LOL was just easier to have him in pram and quicker.

DS2 is still always in pram and he is nearly 22 months.

i always encouraged walking when out and about, even before they could walk independently. No age is too young IMO.

I think its great that you do that. When they can walk they should walk, whos to say somebody is too little- gosh you should see the size of some of the kids here that walk! I know some elderly people freak out about small kids -but thats normally them being scared of getting hurt. (the elderly getting hurt)

We do a mix, but the walking is becoming much more common for us. I found when she was always in the pram or trolley, the odd time she was down to walk she'd just take off. Freedom perhaps?! Now that I let her walk more often she's much calmer and stays by me. I was really proud today as she walked beside me from one end of the shopping centre to the other and didn't take off once. I do keep a close eye on her and she holds my hand most of the time.

She's also learning that if she doesn't want to be in the pram she can walk alongside but has to hold the safety strap if she wants to keep walking. We have our good days and bad with that one ;)

Try not to let it get to you - you'll never please everyone as we all choose to parent our own way.

Lol my older 2 walked at 14 months (even at the shops) and my youngest walked at 12 months (2weeks after his birthday he was running)

I let my first walk everywhere in the shops, it was easy with just one child, but the younger 2 didn't get out of the trolley as much. #2 would run away from me because she liked it when I chased her, & #3 would do the same given the chance.


I think your little one is normal, & that strangers should just mind their own business. Lol f your bub came up to me we would probably pull funny faces at each other!

(babies seem to do that to me at the shops, look right at me pull a face & laugh)


Chris

Black & Grey '88 GQ TB42

I think it depends on how busy the shopping centre is, I will let my 26 month old walk if it's not busy or we're going grabbing a couple of things, but she'll go into her stroller if it's busy and there are people everywhere, se started walking at 15 months, the week before Christmas.

DD1 started walking at 10 months and it was the same deal while we were out.

I would get comments from people saying that they were too little to walk.

Firstly, I can't believe people comment, I have never heard of being 'too little to walk' wtf!

Secondly, I think it is easier when you have one to let them walk, if they are good at staying close to you and you can keep an eye on them all the time then go for it, she can burn off some energy and have a nice sleep in the arvo.!!

Lol you should have seen the looks on people's faces when my tiny 9 month old still in bonds size 00 all in one suits was walking unassisted through a shopping centre. No one could believe it and even now when I talk about it people dont til the see video. (she also crawled at 4 1/2 months)

You just have to learn to ignore most of the world and do what works for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My DD was walking at 10 mths and was/is a skinny little thing. Only took about a month and the pram was completely useless because she could wriggle out of the straps and climb right out. She learnt to hold our hands very nicely and we never lost her from wandering. Where you can see her is hardly too far!

DS was walking at 9 1/2 months, and hated his pram from day 1 so the day we could let him walk anywhere was awesome! He goes in his pram about once every two months now, but still hates it, so why bother? He enjoys the trolley and LOVES walking (or being carried :shake head:). He loves to hold hands so wandering off isn't a problem. I got lots of 'He's so little to be walking!' comments too, but never in a negative way. Ignore them and do what works for you and your LO.

what a bizzare comment!!

we have always encouraged DS to walk - provided that he holds DH or my hand.

if he won't hold our hand, he goes straight into the pram/trolley.

he is much too little to walk alone! but that's not what you're talking about - walking in general, I've no idea why they'd be saying your DD is too little ...

odd.

Thanks everyone! And wow some of you have some very clever kiddies! :)

She is Miss Independant she doesn't want to be carried (only if she stacks and hurts herself) she doesnt mind the trolley but the pram she doesn't like too much unless she is tired and needs a sleep.

I have taught her that she has to stand by me and hold my hand, she can walk without holding but stays next to me and if she runs off she is back into the trolley/pram. Most the people don't have a problem but the comment of "shes too little" is becoming more frequent but even if i wanted her to be strapped in the pram all the time it wouldnt happen unless in return they want an ear peircing squeal lol

My DS1 was walking at 9 month and my DD2 at 10 months. We'd get comments like "oh, she seems too little to be walking".
My sister walked at 6 months and apparently my parents copped a lot if flack over it too. Like my mum said, it wasn't like they could stop her!!


(Sent from my phone, so I apologise if it makes no sense.)

I don't think it is too young to be walking at all - to me that is a silly comment. If you can walk, then you're old enough to walk.

But I must admit, I insist that DS holds my hand when he is walking (other than at the park). If he won't hold my hand then he goes in the pram. Personally i am a worry wart and know how quickly toddlers can get away. I'm mostly paranoid about roads, but when I'm at the shops I'm often distracted looking at things, so at least if he's holding my hand I always know exactly where he is.

For me personaly... I always had mine in the pram when at the shops as i knew the moment they got a taste of that indepdance i'd never get them back in the pram again. I don't handle the crowd and them in amongst it freely well. DS1 would go in the pram without an arguement until maybe 2.5-3ish?!?! DS2 is 2.8 years and is still majority of the time in the pram, especially when i have all 3 with me.

BUT having said that i believe it is your choice and the comments you have received have been really quite rude and unnecessary.

Perhaps they are concerned for her safety? Shopping centres can be very busy places with trolleys and people in a rush, and a baby obviously can't judge how to keep out of the way or whatever.
I suppose sometimes what parents see as cute isn't always seen that way by others.

My little one is a runner (and i am not that fast even on a good day) so she does walk sometimes when we are out, but i have to have one hand holding her at all times. if i had more than one it would be harder to let them run around. i am always on the lookout for parks that are fully enclosed so she can run around without me stressing out.

I say it. But I don't say it in a mean way or anything (hope it doesn't come across like that). And never to a stranger. If a toddler runs up to me in the shopping centre, they're usually followed by a stressed-looking parent whom I always smile at.

Actually, I say it to ZF because her DD2 is just so cute and gorgeous and little. My DD didn't walk until she was older (nearly 18 months), so to see a very cute little person walking is very sweet to me. So I comment, but much in the same way I would comment on gorgeous chubby cheeks ITMS.

So now, in hindsight - I hope I haven't offended you, ZF!

each kid is diffrent...

a kid at our playgroup starts walking @ 10months.

so no i dont think she is too little to be walking

I let Kaden wander through the shops and he is 11 months. Yes it may take me 4 times longer to actually do what I want to do but he enjoys it! He is very independent tho. When he gets tired he goes in the pram..

I haven't had any negative comments, but he does look alot older than what he is.

You could never offen me PRMG, if anything the comments i always got were like yours "she looks too little to walk, how cute is she" so it was all a positive and never a negative for me.. but you know what i wouldn't care if you thought bad of it, if she can walk then why not.
I think some people just don't think before they say things, if my girls had run off on me and someone made that comment then i guess i'd probably just think you know, your probably right, she probably should be in the pram if she can't stay by my side.

Niece was walking at 9 months and SIL had her on a harness when they went out to shopping centres.

DD was a late walker (18/19monthsso I never had any comments about her walking int he same respect but people did look at me funny when I said she wasn't walking yet so just shows you cannot win.

It really depended on how much walking we had to do around the shops. My DS2 was walking at just on 10months so I still took the pram but he could walk some of the time too. Not really sure when i stopped taking it. These days I only use a pram when I'm actually going out walking or walking to pick up DS1 from school.
DS1 was a runner so I think I used the pram longer than with DS2 at the shops.

Anything you do someone is going to have a problem with it. If you're happy with the way things are and it works for you and your girl, stuff 'em

xox

DD used to get out and "push the trolley" when she was less than a year old (probably 9-10 months) or she'd walk between DH and I when we were just going to get bread and milk. she wanted to be out of the trolley, so we let her out. we got the "oh, she's so little to be walking, how cute" kinda comments - not the negative ones. i think if there had been any negativity i'd have responded in a similar fashion to you - you can't tell your child they are too young to walk - they walk when they're ready!

DS is 13 months and I've just returned from the shops where he both walked and was in his pram, he was walking because we bought him new shoes so he was trying them out. Usually I don't bother about the pram at all and he either walks or is in a trolley.

We let DS2 walk in shopping centres. It's getting a little too hard now to make him hold my hand so I will strap him into the stroller if it's really busy despite his protests (particularly with the busy Christmas period coming up).

.... you know, I did eye off the dog's harness the other day - hmmmm, that'd keep him under control but I can just imagine the comments!

Ignore their comments I say - I just love how complete strangers will gladly give you their (unwanted) opinion! FWIW I was told stopped in a shop and told off by a lady because I had my (then) 2 week old baby in my arms as DH and I were grabbing some groceries - according to her expert opinion the baby was "too young to be out and should be at home".

Yeah that is weird. DS walked pretty early and we got rid of the pram quick smart. I hated taking that thing around and DS was never a big fan. If the shopping centre was really busy then I probably wouldn't have let him walk around by himself in case he got stood on or run over by a trolley. Only you in your situation and knowing your daughter can say if you think it is risky for her to walk or not. There are shops here I wouldn't let a 12 month old walk around in, and some that I would be fine with. Just depends on the danger I guess.

DD1 was walking at about 10.5 months and DD2 at 9 months so mine were both really early as well as being really independent misses. Having the two of them though I found it much less stressful for me to have the both in the pram in shopping centres. Neither of them wanted to be in the pram though so I would tend to give them time out of the pram in return for them being good for me in the pram while I shopped for whatever I needed.

Both the girls are very tiny so while I never got any negative comments (lots of comments about cuteness/tinyness), I always had to be really watchful that people didn't bowl them over cos a lot of the time they just weren't seen.

DS1 walked short distances all the time from 10 or 11 months because I couldn't carry him due to my hips (I was pregnant with DS2) and if it was only a short distance I didn't see the point in taking the pram. In shopping centres he was always in the pram or the trolley but only because I couldn't physically run after him if he ran off so it seemed safest. Rule of thumb though, if a stranger deems it important enough to tell you that you are parenting wrong, you can safely assume they were unsure of what they were doing themselves when they parented so are probably not the sort of people you want to take advice from.