The great stroller hunt has commenced. Little Man is getting too tall for a standard stroller. They have that little bar across the front to keep the child from falling out. If Little Man is wearing shoes, it is hard to get him in and out of the stroller. We had an umbrella type of stroller but he always looked squished across the shoulders in it. He never liked it and gave a fuss when put in one.
Now, I am in a bit of a quandary. He is getting too long legged to easily be put into the seat area of a shopping cart. Like with the strollers, his feet are hard to thread through the opening when he is wearing shoes especially. I can’t have him walk with me all the time. He wanders off easily if he is distracted by something that interests him. We have a wearable ID on him whenever we are out just in case he wanders, but I am buying a backpack-type harness that he can wear to help keep him close. That will work in short spurts, but not all of the time. We are wanting to take the kids to the zoo and other places this autumn when temps are cooler. Little man can’t walk that far. He needs a stroller for the all-day outings. So, begins the search.
I started by looking at the strollers in the local stores. They are not sized for older toddlers/preschoolers. I am thinking of getting one similar to those used by joggers, but am not sure how large of a child they can handle. It is frustrating. He hates feeling too closed in, which the umbrella strollers have a habit of doing. If it were only a matter of making him obey when I tell him to stay near me, it would be one thing. For Little Man though, it is a safety issue since he is so delayed cognitively and doesn’t even begin to understand what I am saying when I ask him to stay with me. He is also very quick at getting out of those velcro-type straps used on the baby tethers that you see Mums use to keep their little ones close.
Life was so much easier in this arena when he was still small enough that I could use the baby sling. Now that he is 3 yrs old, he is harder for me to carry for very long. I know that there is a solution out there, but where? Considering the way he wanders at every opportunity and that he doesn’t have the stamina to walk for long periods, I am expecting to have to use a stroller at least part time until he is nearly 6 yrs old. Much of it will depend on his ability to understand the concept of staying near and not wandering away when we are out running errands. I really need something that will work for that length of time.
I would recommend one of those trailers you put on a bike to hold two children. Find one that allows you to use it as a stroller as well. Then you’ll have biking and strolling option. Not sure how big your kids are but I believe our bike trailer holds up to 100 pounds. Ours has a zip top in case it starts raining but otherwise it’s nice and open and there’s a good amount of leg room. Good luck on your hunt–please post when you make your decision.