Those with wee ones advice re: buggies/pre-school/grandparents..

[big bear]

Hi there

My son will be 2.5 next month & my daughter is 6 months. I live in London & don't drive so have to get the bus/walk everywhere. I haven't been able to take them both out as the wheel fell off my double Graco & to be honest it was too heavy to push. I either have to leave the baby at home with her Dad, or wait till son goes to grandparents & take baby out. This is no good as I want to be able to take them both out.

The little one is too heavy to carry in a carrier but I've got one. I was thinking of getting a buggy board but son still has a nap in the middle of the day & if we're out he'll have no where to sleep. Also I'm worried about him jumping off & running into the road or something...we've the terrible 2 problem.

Should I get a double stroller like a McClaren?? or what would your advice be.

The 2nd thing is my son got his place in pre-school 2 afternoons a week. He starts September, we'll be entitled to 15 hours free from December...should I put his name down for another pre-school to make up the hours or is 2 afternoons enough???

Thirdly, how often do you wee ones see their grandparents (if they live locally) My son goes down to them 2 days a week as he used to when I was working part-time, now I'm thinking 1 day should be enough. It's just he's being really naughty & plays me & his Dad off each other & then we've got my MIL interferring.

I'm thinking it's not good for him as she just buys him all the time & he doesn't know the value of anything & expects this. I want him at home so i can start discipling him before he starts pre-school. I'm worried when he goes to school he'll be a wee bully as he says no to everything & pushes his little friends. Does this stop when they go to nursery/school?

Thanks guys sorry post is so long but didn't want to do separate posts.

 

[CornishPisky]

Hi there! Well, regarding the free 15 hours of pre-school, I used them up immediately I qualified for it. My son went for the full 15 hours a week, & it was brilliant. It would give you some valuable time with your youngest, whilst giving the older child some really good basics in gently introducing them to the rigours of a school day, which they need to start getting used to, plus they are mildly disciplined there too (or at least mine was!). He learnt that adults are in charge & children should listen when adults speak. He developed super friendships with others, learned sharing, basic numeracy & literacy, & had the very best preparation for school, very gently at first but built up slowly into a really good grounding for school. Personally, I highly recommend it!

 

[Beegee]

Re the buggy - I had the same dilemma and got a Smorph buggy pod from Kiddicare (should come up in a search) which was a seat you could attach to the buggy and fold it up when you weren't using it. It would be easy for you getting on and off a bus as that's virtually impossible with a double buggy. I don't think you could sleep in it particularly comfily but as long as your kids don't sleep at the same time you'd be ok.

Re pre-school, I am starting my son with 2 mornings to get him used to it. I did the same with my daughter but quickly increased her mornings as she settled so well. She ended up doing 3 mornings in one school and 2 in another. I think my son will be more of a challenge so 2 mornings is more than enough for him at the beginning.

Grandparents - my parents live about 15 mins away and I see them maybe fortnightly, sometimes less, sometimes more. I don't leave the kids with them though, they don't do any childcare, it's purely a family visit.

HTH!

 

[Shirleen]

That smorph buggy looks fab!

 

[big bear]

Beegee - they look great but my son is about 2.5stone so not sure if he'd be too heavy. He's not fat just really stocky & strong...

 

[Happy Holidays]

Re the buggy can you buy a second hand one.

My son used to see his grandparents for an afternoon at least once a week & 1 hour a day. Now he's older its different obviously.

Re your son playing you off against each other, you & OH need to set rules about how you bring up your son, i.e. what you consider is right & wrong. When I thought one of my children was playing us off I'd check with OH first. And sometimes if OH had agreed to something I didn't think was right I'd go along with it anyhow, that way showing our children as parents we didn't bicker about them. Sometimes you have to go along with something even if you don't want to.

Remeber who is in charge here, & it's not the 2 year old

 

[Beegee]

Beegee - they look great but my son is about 2.5stone so not sure if he'd be too heavy. He's not fat just really stocky & strong...

You could always put your daughter in there. I think you can use them from when they're 6 months. I wouldn't recommend it for hours on end, but it depends how much you're likely to use it. It would also be easier to push if your son was in the main buggy - it can get quite heavy!

 

[Lukasmummy]

How did you manage to break a Graco pushchair? We have had 5/6 different ones and found them indestructible lol. Have you tried emailing them they might be able to fix it for you. Mothercare replaced there stroller when the wheel came off even though it was nearly a year old. No help when it comes to nursery since it's been so long since I had to think about it (my oldest is nearly 9 and youngest is nearly 2) and mine don't see any of their grandparents except great great grandmother. My mum and stepdad don't want to know, my dad lives in Scotland, Hubby's mum is dead and hubby's dad is too busy with his new girlfriend to even remember he has 4 grandsons and 1 grandaughter (2 are ours others are hubbys siblings kids). Good luck with the nursery and everything else. Hugs Crystal xx