How Old Were You When The Parents Kicked The Stroller To The Curb

[ScoutN]

After my past 10 or so trips to Disney in the past 3-4 years I have notice a substantial increase in stroller traffic. Alarmingly enough some of the kids are 6/7+ years old. When I was that age as well as my two brother my parents put them to the wayside when we were 3-4 years of age MAXIMUM. My cousin's kids are now 5 and 11 and neither of them used strollers in their last trip in June '09 and made out fine. My brothers and I made out fine and the same goes for my 24+ cousins that were out of strollers by 4. Are kids today just getting lazier that the parents feel it is needed?

 

[Walt Disney1955]

After my past 10 or so trips to Disney in the past 3-4 years I have notice a substantial increase in stroller traffic. Alarmingly enough some of the kids are 6/7+ years old. When I was that age as well as my two brother my parents put them to the wayside when we were 3-4 years of age MAXIMUM. My cousin's kids are now 5 and 11 and neither of them used strollers in their last trip in June '09 and made out fine. My brothers and I made out fine and the same goes for my 24+ cousins that were out of strollers by 4. Are kids today just getting lazier that the parents feel it is needed?

I first went to Disney when I was 10 and I walked, obviously.

That last comment pretty much sums it up. Kids are the most obese they ever have been in the history of the world. I'm not a big fan of crying wolf, in any way, so if a kid is old enough to walk on his own for long distances (I don't know, 5 years old maybe) then I say save them for the folks that really need it. Although, I know the stroller debate gets ugly on here so good luck with this thread.

By the way, physically disabled children are exempt from this conversation just in case anyone thought I didn't have compassion for those people

 

[wm49rs]

And we're not even to the Summer Solstice yet....

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I want to ditch our stroller once DD2 is in the age 5-6 range. While I love having a big stroller while our kids need it, I really hate lugging it around. DD4 already walks a lot, but I will say this... while some people actually need the stroller (i.e. special needs) and others are just fostering a lazy lifestyle- I think many people are using it for the following two perks 1) you move through the park MUCH faster when your your children are in a stroller 2) your kids can't wander off if they're in a stroller.

 

[Krack]

Are kids today just getting lazier that the parents feel it is needed?

This has nothing to do with the children. This is entirely the laziness of the parents. The fact is kids get tired when they get up early and walk a couple miles in the heat. Rather than go back to the hotel, or take a break by a pool somewhere, it's easier for the parents to stick the kid in a rolling bed (we call them strollers) and wheel them into the ankles of strangers. No kid wants to sit in a stroller; ask them, they hate it. But "no stroller" means mom doesn't get to wheel around every item she might conceivably want to have at some point in the day in a shopping cart (we call them strollers) for 14 hours.

The increase in strollers is because of the adults, not the children.

 

[maggiegrace1]

My daughter will be 6 in August and we will still use a stroller, she is only 28lbs and 39 inches and her lil legs can not walk long periods of time.

I think you can use a stroller as long as you feel is needed..though I do think when the kids are hanging out of the stroller or look like they are stuffed in it then they should walk or get a bigger one...haha

We will also use it as much as we can as I do not like to use the kids backpack leash things and she is little and could wander off in a crowd

Oh and also..it is for her..not us..because we still take many breaks for her and us when she or us need them and we are not a commando kind of family..we do Disney leisurely..

 

[Duke of Disney]

4-5 years old. It doesn't make sense past that and it's just plain lazy. America has an obesity epidemic for reasons like parents pushing 10 year olds around all day, then wondering why the kids can't sleep. lol. Let them walk and sleep soundly like the rest of us.

 

[HeatherK]

My first trip (in end of June / early July 1993) I was 5 & my sister was 9 and we didn't have a stroller.

Most times I feel like I don't even see kids in strollers. I just see merchandise. Though yesterday I saw a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 who was somewhat large & she was the only child in a double stroller and took up the whole thing. The other child, maybe 8 or so, had a single stroller all to her self too. :shrug:

 

[TiggersPooh]

I have seen children who look 12 in strollers...with their feet dangling and dragging on the ground.

 

[matt_taylor1985]

I first went to the World in 89 at the age of 4 and have never had a stroller - changed times I guess.

 

[sublimesting]

My first trip was when I was 4 and I walked. When our daughter is 4 she will walk too.

 

[WDW_Emily]

I stopped using the stroller when I was around 5/6. The only time I complained was walking around World Showcase.

 

[danpam1024]

:sohappy:

This has nothing to do with the children. This is entirely the laziness of the parents. The fact is kids get tired when they get up early and walk a couple miles in the heat. Rather than go back to the hotel, or take a break by a pool somewhere, it's easier for the parents to stick the kid in a rolling bed (we call them strollers) and wheel them into the ankles of strangers. No kid wants to sit in a stroller; ask them, they hate it. But "no stroller" means mom doesn't get to wheel around every item she might conceivably want to have at some point in the day in a shopping cart (we call them strollers) for 14 hours.

The increase in strollers is because of the adults, not the children.

:sohappy: My thoughts exactly!

 

[mickey2008.1]

My kids, all four, walked the parks at age 5. Its all up to the parents. If you want to go have fun at the parks, then you have to walk, and when youre tired, we will go back to the room.

 

[Chevross]

I don't even remember ever being in a stroller. I think I either walked when I could, or was carried by my parents when I was a toddler.

 

[njDizFan]

Took my daughter her first time at age of 4. No stroller, and that was in August. Just need to pace yourself a little and they will be fine.

 

[CamiLyn227]

I was never allowed to ride in a stroller. I either walked or didn't go. I was not carried either. My first trip was when I was 5 years old. When I got tired and could not walk any more we went back to the room. My parents always said that having a stroller would be too inconvenient.

 

[scout68]

I came out of the womb walkin' and no, I don't need no stinkin' fast past.
:animwink:

 

[Korfar]

Once our kids were able to walk well the stroller was gone. We have never used on in Disney. We took our Daughter when she was 6 and she walked the entire week. We then waited to go until our son was 4 and he walked the entire week. Personally we didn't want to have to deal with a stroller there so we waited to take them until we knew they could walk all day every day.

 

[davidc1578]

We went back in March with our Daughter 6 and son 2 1/2 and never used a stroller for either one of them. Took afternoon breaks every day back to the room and several breaks in the parks. We did carry our son a little bit but not because he was whining, just because of certain crowed areas such as TSMM at park opening. He never has liked sitting in strollers anyway.