Would You Allow Your 2-year old to Walk Behind You?

[MIGrandma]

Yesterday we were waiting for the brewery in Frankenmuth to open (at 11 a.m.) so we could have an early lunch and have our DD and her DH's growlers filled so we were just sitting in the car as we still had a few minutes to go.

We were facing the road and as the town is a tourist area there was "people watching" involved. There was a young couple with a toddler, he looked around 2 years old. They were letting him walk behind them. Actually the woman was first, then her husband/boyfriend, then the child. The woman never looked back, but the man did a couple times, I guess to make sure the child was still following.

I cringed because the road is busy, and with some truck traffic too. I would never in a million years allow a child that young to walk behind me. He would be walking WITH me, holding my hand tightly, or he would be carried or in a stroller. The couple didn't have their eyes on the child most of the time, he could have decided to run out into the road and it could have been tragic.

So, if you have a young child do you allow them to walk behind you on the sidewalk? The street was 4 (or 5, can't remember if there was a left turn lane or not) lanes and lots of traffic. Lots of stores, gift shops, restaurants, etc.

 

[usnuzuloose]

If it were me, no way. It is a safety issue.

 

[Magpie]

I would let my child walk ahead of me, or beside me, but not behind. And I made them hold my hand whenever we were near traffic.

Even when kids are older, and it's perfectly reasonable not to keep them in sight at all times, they can still disappear. One of my neighbours has four kids, between ages seven and 11. They were trailing behind her like ducklings the other day and I commented, "One, two, three... you're missing one!" I meant it as a joke, assuming she'd left one of them at home, but she jumped and whipped around, saying, "Wait! What? I'm missing one!?" Fortunately, just at that moment, the fourth child came running around the corner. She'd popped down the side street to check something out, and her mum never noticed.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I'm confused. Was the family crossing the street, or just on the sidewalk?

To answer your question, I mostly had my kids walk next to me, but occasionally they were behind. Niether kid tended to dart or run off and both were very verbal by two so I felt like I knew they understood the need to stay on the sidewalk. I did tend to look back very often if one lagged behind, but I rarely insisted on holding hands, pretty much only crossing a street or in a parking lot,, and even then oldest preferred to hold the stroller or shopping cart over a hand. I did not force stroller use ever. I figured encouraging walking was a good life skill overall

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Yesterday we were waiting for the brewery in Frankenmuth to open (at 11 a.m.) so we could have an early lunch and have our DD and her DH's growlers filled so we were just sitting in the car as we still had a few minutes to go.

We were facing the road and as the town is a tourist area there was "people watching" involved. There was a young couple with a toddler, he looked around 2 years old. They were letting him walk behind them. Actually the woman was first, then her husband/boyfriend, then the child. The woman never looked back, but the man did a couple times, I guess to make sure the child was still following.

I cringed because the road is busy, and with some truck traffic too. I would never in a million years allow a child that young to walk behind me. He would be walking WITH me, holding my hand tightly, or he would be carried or in a stroller. The couple didn't have their eyes on the child most of the time, he could have decided to run out into the road and it could have been tragic.

So, if you have a young child do you allow them to walk behind you on the sidewalk? The street was 4 (or 5, can't remember if there was a left turn lane or not) lanes and lots of traffic. Lots of stores, gift shops, restaurants, etc.

I don't but if I did the child would be holding my hand

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Nope. Until DD was tall enough for cars to see her, I had a strict hand-holding policy.

 

[Magpie]

I'm confused. Was the family crossing the street, or just on the sidewalk?

To answer your question, I mostly had my kids walk next to me, but occasionally they were behind. Niether kid tended to dart or run off and both were very verbal by two so I felt like I knew they understood the need to stay on the sidewalk. I did tend to look back very often if one lagged behind, but I rarely insisted on holding hands, pretty much only crossing a street or in a parking lot,, and even then oldest preferred to hold the stroller or shopping cart over a hand. I did not force stroller use ever. I figured encouraging walking was a good life skill overall

It really is, especially if you live in a walking-friendly kind of town!

We didn't even own a stroller until I had a scare during my second pregnancy, and my doctor said I couldn't lift anything. By that point our firstborn was about 16 months old and accustomed to either riding in a hip sling or walking everywhere. Trying to strap her into a stroller was a nightmare. She would arch her back, scream like a banshee, and try to grab anything she could to pull herself out, including lamp posts and other people's legs. You'd think it was the worst torture she'd ever experienced!

I gave up pretty quick on that idea and settled for just letting her walk. But not behind me!

 

[osopecoso]

Yesterday we were waiting for the brewery in Frankenmuth to open (at 11 a.m.) so we could have an early lunch and have our DD and her DH's growlers filled so we were just sitting in the car as we still had a few minutes to go.

We were facing the road and as the town is a tourist area there was "people watching" involved. There was a young couple with a toddler, he looked around 2 years old. They were letting him walk behind them. Actually the woman was first, then her husband/boyfriend, then the child. The woman never looked back, but the man did a couple times, I guess to make sure the child was still following.

I cringed because the road is busy, and with some truck traffic too. I would never in a million years allow a child that young to walk behind me. He would be walking WITH me, holding my hand tightly, or he would be carried or in a stroller. The couple didn't have their eyes on the child most of the time, he could have decided to run out into the road and it could have been tragic.

So, if you have a young child do you allow them to walk behind you on the sidewalk? The street was 4 (or 5, can't remember if there was a left turn lane or not) lanes and lots of traffic. Lots of stores, gift shops, restaurants, etc.

Me, no way. Depends on where we are. On a busy street, they are holding my hand. At the beach/park, she takes off and just runs.

 

[NHdisneylover]

It really is, especially if you live in a walking-friendly kind of town!

We didn't even own a stroller until I had a scare during my second pregnancy, and my doctor said I couldn't lift anything. By that point our firstborn was about 16 months old and accustomed to either riding in a hip sling or walking everywhere. Trying to strap her into a stroller was a nightmare. She would arch her back, scream like a banshee, and try to grab anything she could to pull herself out, including lamp posts and other people's legs. You'd think it was the worst torture she'd ever experienced!

I gave up pretty quick on that idea and settled for just letting her walk. But not behind me!

I had a stroller from the get go--but my oldest prefered to be held, facing out or walk (and was walking early). My aunt wanted to get me a double stroller when I was pregnant with number two (born shortly before oldest turned 2) and I politely declined becuase oldest was already refusing to ride in one so there probaly would be no need. We rented one a time or two at WDW but otherwise never missed having one. My youngest was happier to ride and did tend to end up behind when walking---back when he was little he was very pokey. but I kept looking back and forth to keep tabs on the one walking ahead and the one walking behind lol

 

[scrapquitler]

I most likely would not allow my child to walk behind me on a sidewalk next to a road. If we were on the local walking trail or something, I likely would. However, each parent knows their own child. Some children wouldn't wander off or dart into the road, and would likely be okay in this situation. My children would likely not have been okay in this situation.

 

[Daniela Rose]

I won't even let my 2yo dd walk on the street without holding my hand! She's a runner!

 

[wenrob]

We always made a "sandwich," adult, kid(s), adult. Still do out of habit even though they're all quite capable of navigating on their own now. I always used a stroller with the younger two when on my own, otherwise it was like herding cats. Anyway, my answer is, no, I wouldn't let a little one walk behind unless I had another adult bringing up the rear.

 

[gotomu212]

When my son was 2, sure. He was an insane rule follower and he knew that you stayed on the sidewalk. At that age he was in Montessori school and they went on walks around the town every few days-15 of them holding onto a rope and there were no problems.

My niece at 9, ummmm. She's one that I need to have eyes on her at all times or who knows what will happen.

Also you said he "looked two". My neighbor looks two and is actually turning five next month.

 

[MamaLema]

I work with toddlers and they are very unpredictable. They could go right into the path of traffic because they saw something shiny on the road that caught their eye. I would never let them walk behind me, not even on the sidewalk

 

[Magpie]

When my son was 2, sure. He was an insane rule follower and he knew that you stayed on the sidewalk. At that age he was in Montessori school and they went on walks around the town every few days-15 of them holding onto a rope and there were no problems.

My niece at 9, ummmm. She's one that I need to have eyes on her at all times or who knows what will happen.

Also you said he "looked two". My neighbor looks two and is actually turning five next month.

Even Montessori kids always have an adult bringing up the rear, because kids are unpredictable and even the most dedicated and reliable rule follower might suddenly drop the rope and dash into traffic. Or trip and fall off the curb.

Good point about "looking two", though. Some kids are tiny.

 

[Feralpeg]

I've seen many times at Epcot, parents walking through the parking lot with their children following behind. I'm talking little children. Often, the parents are a good ten to twenty feet ahead of the kids. I just keep an eye on them as I follow, just in case. Eventually, one of the parents glances back, usually to yell at the kid to hurry up. Crazy!

 

[ronandannette]

No. I always kept mine in front of me, unless we were holding hands. Funny, but DH does that with me too, if for some reason we can't walk side-by-side.

 

[wenrob]

Even Montessori kids always have an adult bringing up the rear, because kids are unpredictable and even the most dedicated and reliable rule follower might suddenly drop the rope and dash into traffic. Or trip and fall off the curb.

Good point about "looking two", though. Some kids are tiny.

There's this small road that you cut through that is technically residential on the way to my Target. On one side houses, the other apartments then further down the YMCA and across from that a park and library. No light or corner between those just a crosswalk. Speed limit is 25 but people zip through there at much higher speeds. Anyway, they take kids from the Y over to the library or park quite often, usually 30-40 looks to be about 4-5 year olds. You have one person on the sidewalk across the street leading, one at the crosswalk, two in the street on opposite sides, another at the crosswalk and one bringing up the rear. You can tell these kids have done this a million times but still you see one or two veer a little bit every time. You also have to factor in that kids will be 99% regimented at school in a billion different things but have a tendency to loosen up quite a bit with their own parents.

On the age thing, yeah, it's hard to tell. My kids and my nephew who is the same age are tiny kids. I'm always taken aback when I go to school functions. All the kids in their class seem like giants and my kids are in the older range (born in Nov) for their grade. They're 11 but it's only been the last year or so someone would see them in their review mirror in a parking lot.

 

[mjkacmom]

Nope, 5 kids close in age, they walked in front of me.

 

[jevs]

Nope, not behind. They're just so unpredictable at that age.