Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

So does your toddler hold your hand when you walk together??? If so how old is he/she??? Mine flat out REFUSES to hold hands, and won't walk next to me, so I feel like I have to confine him to the stroller for his own safety whenever we're out. He's a runner too, as soon as I let go of that hand he's off to the races. The leash doesn't work, he has perfected his protest move - yells and plops down on the ground and becomes dead weight
We live in Queens so it's really not safe to just let him run and try to keep up with him, he's too fast and I have visions of him running into the street

Anyone have any tips/tricks/techniques and/or Valium to share??? What worked for you????

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

We live in Brooklyn, I have no qualms about keeping DS on a leash, when we are walking around.

He's proving to be very active, the kid can barely sit up on his own all he wants to do is run, those feet don't stop. I'm seriously scared.

eta: I didn't read your post too carefully, I don't know, bribe him into wearing it? Sorry I'm a naive new mom, I don't know any better.

Message edited 8/19/2010 7:17:05 AM.

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

no advice, DS is exactly the same. He's pretty much in his stroller at all times, and we even moved out of the city. If I open my front door he's gone, just like that, halfway down the street.

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

GIven the choice Peyton will usually choose holding my hand over sitting in the stroller. Those are the only 2 options. She is also a runner. She is 2 yrs 4 months.

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

DS is "easy" but he has his moments and essentially I give him no options.

Like, either you put sunscreen on or we don't go out. So he used to fight at first and I would wrestle with him and I would say "ok, we can go out now, you have your sunscreen on".

Battle for hats/helmets: used to have the same issue. So it's a hat to go out, we remove the hat the minute we are in the car, store, etc.. Horseback riding/bike: helmet on and removed as soon as activity is over.

I usually try 1 time. He fights. I stop and just tell him we cannot do..[insert activity] because we need to... [insert what needs to be done 1st]. I wait 10 seconds in silence. then I repeat. I say, let's go ride our bike. Let's put our helmet on. Usually that does the trick.

I do the same for food. I give him 2-3 choices. He may reject all of them. I put them to the side. We go back to it a few minutes later. I ask him again!


You could try while you have the stroller at first. Start with Kid in stroller. Take him out of the stroller and tell him he must hold your hand. If he does not listen. Put him back in the stroller and tell him why. Wait 5 minutes and try again! That's how "I" would approach it.

That may not work for your child.

My kid is a big on "incentive". If he does what I want, he gets to do what he wants. You have no idea what I can get out of my kid for ONE fruit loop.

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

Posted by smdl

DS is "easy" but he has his moments and essentially I give him no options.

Like, either you put sunscreen on or we don't go out. So he used to fight at first and I would wrestle with him and I would say "ok, we can go out now, you have your sunscreen on".

Battle for hats/helmets: used to have the same issue. So it's a hat to go out, we remove the hat the minute we are in the car, store, etc.. Horseback riding/bike: helmet on and removed as soon as activity is over.

I usually try 1 time. He fights. I stop and just tell him we cannot do..[insert activity] because we need to... [insert what needs to be done 1st]. I wait 10 seconds in silence. then I repeat. I say, let's go ride our bike. Let's put our helmet on. Usually that does the trick.

I do the same for food. I give him 2-3 choices. He may reject all of them. I put them to the side. We go back to it a few minutes later. I ask him again!


You could try while you have the stroller at first. Start with Kid in stroller. Take him out of the stroller and tell him he must hold your hand. If he does not listen. Put him back in the stroller and tell him why. Wait 5 minutes and try again! That's how "I" would approach it.

That may not work for your child.

My kid is a big on "incentive". If he does what I want, he gets to do what he wants. You have no idea what I can get out of my kid for ONE fruit loop.

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

Funny, cause I was talking to my father (alexs grandfather) about this.
I walked with her the whole mall, her holding my hand-not an issue. She HATES the stroller and does worse in there. The condition is you MUST hold my hand or I get the stroller. This is also a process since DD is HIGHLY active and likes to run but last year she was in the stroller and would flip but I take her out and it was a game for her to try and run or drop to the floor. I NEVER made an issue out of her droppping since that is why she had a huge smirk on her face but now at 2 she gets it and as long as she is following the hold my hand rule no stroller.
GOOD LUCK!! It is tough and every kid is different. See what works for you and your child. For me it was either walk holding my hand or throw a fit in the stroller. Again, it took until 2 years to hold my hand but she is so happy walking around and yes it makes trips a little longer but she is also learning to stay with me and hold my hand.

Re: Walking with toddlers... does ANYTHING work??

agree with the previous post. Hold mommy's hand or get into the stroller. I also make it a point that if we are outside (not at home) he has to hold my hand and be consistant. Whenever you are outside or a public place hold his hand.