When we took Benjamin to Legoland I noticed something in the crowd that really disturbed me.
I remember when I was a kid and Mom took us to Carowinds, a theme park on the border of North and South Carolina, we ran everywhere, we ran to this ride and that ride, we ran all day long and slept really good that night. At home we were always outside playing, either running through the woods or riding our bikes all over the neighborhood, Momma didn't have to carry us anywhere.
And when our kids were younger anywhere we went they walked or ran like I did as a kid. At Six Flags they were all over the place without being carried, now don’t get me wrong if they had been little kids then of course they would have been carried, but not the older kids.
When we took Benjamin to Legoland I noticed a large number of strollers being used, which is fine for the little ones, but some of these little ones were pretty big, and I also saw wagons being pulled by parents with kids that I thought were big enough to be pulling the wagon themselves, I noticed quite a few wheelchairs being pushed by parents, I thought this was great for them to be bringing a child with a disability out so they could enjoy the day like everyone else.
Ok I'll admit that I notice wheelchairs, I notice if the wheels are tilted for stability or straight up to make them narrower. Have the arm rests been removed? I never liked having arm rests on my chair because they seemed to be in my way. Yes I was in a wheelchair for quite some time so this is one reason that I really notice them...but I'm getting off the subject here.
Back at Legoland I began to notice that whenever these parents got to a ride, store, or any other attraction, they would park the chair and the kid would jump out and run like the wind to participate in whatever they had arrived to do. At the end they jumped back in the chair and Mom pushed them down the path to the next attraction. This wasn’t just one individual either, I know that I saw at least three different ones. I’m not talking about a disabled person either, but a child who appears more than capable of walking just fine.
Why are we carting kids around in wheelchairs and wagons when they are perfectly able to walk? Is this making it easier on the kid or you? And if you are simply doing this to make it easier on yourself, then in my opinion you are doing your child a disservice by teaching them that they don’t have to work for anything, because simply running towards something you want in my opinion is a whole lot more rewarding than waiting for Momma to push you over to it simply for your convenience.
Using a wheelchair when you need it is one thing, but using a wheelchair as a stroller is another. When I was using my wheelchair I can say that I was really thankful for it because it was my only option at the time, but once I got to where I had other options I never looked at my chair again.
I do notice other people's chairs now and I was really disturbed to see able bodied kids sitting on their butts when they surely would have been having a lot more fun running around like a lot of disabled kids wish they could be.
Although I have seen some pretty impressive kids who have never let their chairs slow them down, nor stop them from having fun.
I remember when I was a kid and Mom took us to Carowinds, a theme park on the border of North and South Carolina, we ran everywhere, we ran to this ride and that ride, we ran all day long and slept really good that night. At home we were always outside playing, either running through the woods or riding our bikes all over the neighborhood, Momma didn't have to carry us anywhere.
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| Children running as children should be. |
When we took Benjamin to Legoland I noticed a large number of strollers being used, which is fine for the little ones, but some of these little ones were pretty big, and I also saw wagons being pulled by parents with kids that I thought were big enough to be pulling the wagon themselves, I noticed quite a few wheelchairs being pushed by parents, I thought this was great for them to be bringing a child with a disability out so they could enjoy the day like everyone else.
Ok I'll admit that I notice wheelchairs, I notice if the wheels are tilted for stability or straight up to make them narrower. Have the arm rests been removed? I never liked having arm rests on my chair because they seemed to be in my way. Yes I was in a wheelchair for quite some time so this is one reason that I really notice them...but I'm getting off the subject here.
Back at Legoland I began to notice that whenever these parents got to a ride, store, or any other attraction, they would park the chair and the kid would jump out and run like the wind to participate in whatever they had arrived to do. At the end they jumped back in the chair and Mom pushed them down the path to the next attraction. This wasn’t just one individual either, I know that I saw at least three different ones. I’m not talking about a disabled person either, but a child who appears more than capable of walking just fine.
Why are we carting kids around in wheelchairs and wagons when they are perfectly able to walk? Is this making it easier on the kid or you? And if you are simply doing this to make it easier on yourself, then in my opinion you are doing your child a disservice by teaching them that they don’t have to work for anything, because simply running towards something you want in my opinion is a whole lot more rewarding than waiting for Momma to push you over to it simply for your convenience.
Using a wheelchair when you need it is one thing, but using a wheelchair as a stroller is another. When I was using my wheelchair I can say that I was really thankful for it because it was my only option at the time, but once I got to where I had other options I never looked at my chair again.
I do notice other people's chairs now and I was really disturbed to see able bodied kids sitting on their butts when they surely would have been having a lot more fun running around like a lot of disabled kids wish they could be.
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| Young girl playing wheelchair basketball (Source) |
You hit the nail right on the head when you said "running around like a lot of disabled kids wish they could" . . . It's sad for kids not to use the abilities they are lucky to have.
ReplyDeleteHello Jenny, I am glad that more places are adapting to make themselves handicapped and wheelchair accessible so kids with disabilities can get out and do more things now, able bodied people sometimes don't realize how good they have it.
DeleteI think the stroller thing is to 1. Get places faster as kids sometimes dawdle or walk slower than the parents, and 2. It is a way to always know where the child is. Parents are obsessed with not wasting time, and with worry about losing a child. It is a big disservice to the child. I think back in the day when most parents had more than 2 children and strollers sucked this pushing around was not possible. I cringe when I see a kid in a stroller and his knees are in his chest. I'm with you on this one big time, let the kids walk and run.
ReplyDelete"parents are obsessed with not wasting time" true, but Legoland seems to be the perfect place for slowing down. Take the extra time and enjoy the place with your child. It's not an office with a quota that must be filled.
DeleteHey Joe, Kids with their knees in their chests are some of the situations I am talking about, the strollers are much nicer now and built to go more places than the strollers available when my kids were little, but they are still made for babies and toddlers, you made a good point Joe when their knees are hitting their chests the kid should be walking.
DeleteI agree River, Places like Legoland should be enjoyed by the whole family, have fun with your kids and forget about rushing. Like Joe said let the kids walk and run.
DeleteI think a lot of it is to control their children in a crowd. I used a harness for my son by the time he was around a year old. He didn't want to be carried or pushed and I certainly couldn't let him run loose, he was very fast and absolutely no sense. He loved it when he didn't have to hold my hand and be led.
ReplyDeleteWe did this too! It felt weird but was a great idea. We eventually turned to the wrist to wrist leash. Its a great way for the child to stay with you while getting to walk.
DeleteHey Sharon, A lot of people look down on the harness/leash system for kids, Cindy used one with Tim when he was little and Tim had to use one with Benjamin, I'd rather see this especially while you are teaching a child how to walk through a crowd with you. This is better than keeping up with a stroller that you don't need.
DeleteHello Lisa, You are right it does feel weird at first but the kids learn to stay with you pretty quickly making this a temporary thing at most, I think we only used it once with Benjamin, after that he runs but is always in sight.
DeleteI think putting a hyperactive kid in a harness/leash in a crowded park is brilliant!!
DeleteHello Fran, It actually works really well, especially with a smaller child who hasn't mastered the art of sticking with his parents yet ;-)
DeleteWrong, wrong and wrong. And it may also reflect badly on those children who do need the chair with people expecting that they too can get up and run.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point EC, People in wheelchairs are self conscious enough without adding this insinuation onto them, I also worried that someone who really needed one of these chairs had to do without.
DeleteWhen my kids were younger, my main goal was to get them tired so they would take their afternoon naps (mommy time) and be ready to go to bed at bedtime so we were always active, park, walks, running in the backyard, etc. It is sad to see in this generation a shift where people find it acceptable to let their children "rest" for whatever reason instead of being out there getting some exercise. Makes it a challenge to keep track of them in crowded places, but it is possible to do and still let them explore and run off some energy.
ReplyDeletebetty
Hello Betty, You are absolutely right it is a challenge sometimes especially when you have multiple children, but I figure if we can keep up with five in a county fair situation then it can be done.
DeleteLike you said it is really better for the kids if you let them run off some energy, it sure makes naptime easier.
Yeah, I have to echo what has already been said. While my own family has never used wheel chairs to get around faster during our visits to the Disney parks, we sure rushed around from one attraction to the next in an attempt to "experience" the entire park. I've seen other families as well trying to do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand the laziness--my word--issue goes beyond simple pushed wheelchairs for kids. A few years back during one of our Disney trips the local Orlando news was reporting that completely healthy adults were renting the battery-powered wheelchairs so they didn't have to walk in the hot and humid Florida weather.
This was creating such a demand for the battery-powered wheelchairs that some truly disabled people couldn't afford or simply get one because they were all rented out.
I think we have all witnessed able bodied adults taking or renting the power scooters leaving none to be had by actually disabled people, we actually had this happen when I was in my wheelchair at a theme park Cindy talked me into renting a power scooter rather than have her push me all day or for me to have to pump the wheels. Needless to say there were none available and I simply stayed in my own chair.
DeletePart of the reason might be so the kids don't run off too far and get lost or snatched up by kidnappers, but surely it's easy enough to teach your children to stay close enough to always be seen.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I remember the local show was held in a nearby town and we three kids would get on the train along with every other kid in town and go for the day by ourselves. Many parents also got on the train, but like us, a lot of kids got handed money and looked after themselves and each other all day until time to get the train home again. The distance was only about 18 miles. No one thought of kidnappers back then.
Hello River, I agree that we need to teach our children to stay in sight of us, rather than to resort to keeping them in a stroller or wheelchair.
DeleteYes kidnapping is a bigger concern now than when we were younger, but as you said training our kids is a lot more healthy than latching onto them.
I imagine that parents wish to keep an eye on their children, which is admirable. Still, my concern is that there may not be enough wheelchairs available for those disabled people in the park who may need one, due to illness or disability and therefore ruining their experience. That being said, you also bring up a good point, that kids don't go out and run like they used to. Very rarely do I see play tag, or hopscotch or anything like that. They are usually on their phones.(lol) Hope you had fun! Hugs...and Happy Friday! RO
ReplyDeleteHey RO, Parents should keep an eye on their children that is for sure, like you my concern is having a chair available for those who really need them.
DeleteI miss seeing kids outside playing like we used to do, rarely do You see this anymore. As my mom says "It's a sign of the times".
Times certainly have changed since my day. I don't think pushchairs were around then and I hate to see them around now. Kids should be taught not to run off - Oh and now I remember 'losing' my Mom who was teaching me a lesson by hiding behind a hedge. It worked. I might have lagged behind but I never let her out of my sight. It wasn't long after that I began to go it alone.
ReplyDeleteHello Valerie, Kids should be taught not to run off and I think most parents try and teach this, I just hope that what I saw with all of the older kids being carted around does not become the new Normal.
DeleteI can just see your mom hiding behind a hedge and watching while you try to find her, this is a great way to teach a lesson and I just bet you never lost her again, she sounds like a smart woman.
What the heck? I've seen plenty of adults in wheelchairs who are just too lazy or obese to walk, but I have not seen this with children. Aren't wheelchairs really expensive? That's just nuts!
ReplyDeleteHey Bijoux, Yes wheelchairs are expensive from my experience with them, but the ones I saw were rentals offered at Legoland, I am not sure of the rental fee though.
DeleteThis is interesting because yesterday I passed the Mennonite school and saw children at play. They do not have swing sets or monkey bars. They were running, running, running. Some were kicking a ball and some were just going around in a large circle like a running track. Their community stays busy and they are a fit group of people. I doubt we would ever see them pushing their children in strollers.
ReplyDeleteHi Annie, From what you are describing it is no wonder that they are a fit group of people, it wouldn't hurt for a lot of us, me included to be a bit more active like that. It is good to see a group of active children like this.
DeletePulling me around in a wagon would never have occurred to my mom :)
ReplyDeleteHey Rick, Like your Mom mine wouldn't go for this either.
DeleteOnce my kids were old enough to use their feet, they did! It helped that, with the exception of the youngest, and she loved to do everything "by myself!", by the time each was one 1/2 or two, there was a younger sibling being carried.
ReplyDeleteHello Mimi, It sounds like you had a group of active kids, that is a good thing I like it when they hit the ground running so to say, makes it a challenge to keep up with them but keeps life interesting also.
DeleteI don't know how I missed this post until now. My take on children in wheelchairs is this: They cost so much and take so much time to get a child fitted to a chair that I have to be charitable and believe there is a reason beyond convenience for them to be in one. Kids like adults can have diseases that limit their energy so it doesn't surprise me that some can get out of the chair for a short time, but they may pay for the exertion later on.
ReplyDeleteI do think strollers and wagons for kids who can walk are used to keep kids close by in a crowd...less worrying about child kidnappings and getting lost. I also think parents are on the go with young families more than they used to be due to all the kid travel gear available. So, comparing now and then isn't quite the same thing. Families back when I was a kid stayed closer to home until kids were much older than they take them on the go now days.
Hello Jean, You are absolutely right, wheelchairs are expensive and especially those fitted to a particular person, mine was one of those so I am familiar with that expense. I realize now that I failed to mention in the post that the chairs I saw appeared to be rental chairs offered at Legoland and not personal property of the people.
DeleteThere are definitely a lot of scenarios that limit a persons mobility, and some parents are overprotective which is not a bad thing to a certain extent, but when able bodied people use up resources intended for those who are disabled and those with the limitations that you mentioned, I really have a problem with that.
I think parents do it more now days thinking it will protect the child from kidnappers. Its sad they have to be so protective now. But I agree, Let them run and roam. Kids are more lazy than they used to be and parents are partly to blame. We were wild and crazy at Carrowinds. Like you, we ran from ride to ride. We never got tired.
ReplyDeleteLisa
Hey Lisa, That is most likely the reason for it, people really have to be more protective of their children now than when we were younger,, but still I think I would rather have them running and enjoying themselves, as an adult we can teach our kids about dangers and have them stay close without strapping them in.
DeleteI always liked Carowinds, I just may have to go there again next time we come home ;-)
I've noticed this too. You and I are on the same page here.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
Hello Sandee, I really hope this is not becoming the normal thing to do.
DeleteA great day to you also.
We don't go to many events where we would notice something like that.....that said.....I think parents do this for their convenience so that don't need to worry about their kids getting out of their sight.
ReplyDeleteHello Delores, This is actually what I was thinking, even though I wouldn't do it myself it appears people are simply doing this as a protective measure to keep from losing the kids.
DeleteYou make some very valid points Jimmy. It is very disheartening to read that people use wheelchairs this way. What happens when someone genuinely needs a wheelchair and there are none available? My pet peeve is when I see perfectly healthy people taking up handicapped spaces in parking lots.
ReplyDeleteHello Denise, What actually happens when someone who genuinely needs one and none are available is they either wait for one to be turned in, make do with what they have, or do without. These are their only options and deep down the exact reason why I wrote this.
DeleteI am appalled that parents would put a healthy child in a wheelchair denying that same chair to someone who needed it. No wonder we are developing into an obese nation.
ReplyDeleteHey Patti, You make a very valid point, when we train a perfectly healthy child that it is OK to use a wheelchair in a situation like this only helps that child become lesser active in other areas. And denying someone who really needs it the use of that chair is a crying shame.
DeleteI am no stranger to Carowinds, I used to go every year but after high school it's more every now and then.
ReplyDeleteHey Adam, We went to Carowinds the very first weekend that it opened it was great, they were still building the monorail at the time but seems to me everything else was good to go, although a lot has been added since then.
DeleteI wonder if they do this to get in front of the line for the rides. Is there a rule to allow people in wheelchairs to go to the ride first?
ReplyDeleteHello John, I didn't think of that but yes in most theme parks there is an entrance for handicapped that puts them at the front of the line.
DeleteIs it possible parents don't give their kids the free rein they once did through fear of kids being snatched?
ReplyDeleteYes Stephen, I think that has a lot to do with it, a lot of bad things going on and you know parents are scared to death something may happen to their child. It is a different world now than when we were kids.
DeleteMaybe some of these parents just don't want to hear their kids whine. Kids these days seem to get bored quickly, and start begging to go home because their rarely-used feet hurt. Or it's too hard to walk around while texting or playing games on their phone.
ReplyDeleteHey Val, I think we tend to make life easier for our kids and then they make it easier for theirs and so on and so on, which gets us to where we are carting our kids around so they won't have to walk. Sounds about right that it is too hard for them to walk around texting and playing games.
DeleteOh this is quite weird to me because where i live (asian country Pakistan ,small city) when children start their school(mostly 4 years age) they can explore surroundings by themselves though if they want to go play ground which are not many here and mostly occupied by elder kids and boys so they need to be carried by father or elder brother .
ReplyDeletei saw in big cities kids are very smart as they wander around alone or with friends of their age ( though it scares me little as i am too possessive mom) .
i wonder why people use chair for kids who can walk by themselves .
your first para reminded me lots of childhood memories ,
our childhood back in lashing valley like village was smae ,beautiful and carefree
Hello Baili, Where you live sounds like the way things were when I was growing up, children were safe to be out and about back then but not so much now. Children today are very smart, a lot smarter than I was at that age.
DeleteIt does disturb me to see children in a wheelchair when they should be and can walk, I couldn't do that with my grandson, I enjoy seeing him running and having a good time instead.
"Disturbing" is how I see this stuff too. Then the parents wonder why their kids won't sit still.
ReplyDeleteHey Abby, I am really hoping this was just some random incident or that I just didn't have the whole story, but seeing multiple people doing this with the kids jumping out and running freely off and on all day long is what disturbed me about the whole thing.
DeleteHi! New to your blog!
ReplyDeleteThat would disturb me too. (and I live very close to Legoland!) :)
Hi there Silver Willow, It's great to have you join us, that was our first trip to Legoland, it was excellent for the grandson but really tiring for me ha ha, we really had a good time though, I just hope those kids who were being carted around had a fun day too.
DeleteI hope to see you again soon.
I can't comment on using wheelchairs for able kids, but my youngest son used the stroller for a long, long time. Not quite knees-hitting-his-chin long, but a long time. The reason? When I had to shop for stuff, he was bored out of his mind and I was afraid he'd wander off the minute I tried on shoes or looked at a dress. He wanted to sit in the stroller and read (he read at a very early age). So yes, I got some weird looks, but I got the shopping done, he got the reading done, and it was all relatively without stress. Better (and cheaper) than leaving him with a sitter.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise...? Let them get tired!!! :-)
Hey Lady, I can see shopping like this as one thing, but at a theme park specifically designed for kids like you said "Let them get tired"
DeleteIt's always good to have them start reading at an early age, as long as his knees wern't hitting his chin then you were doing good ;-)
Really?! Shocking. I raise a disapproving eyebrow when my son-in-law carries my grandson. 'He walks when he's with us,' I say pointedly.
ReplyDeleteHello Liz, I believe that it is better for kids to walk, run, and enjoy their surroundings, protecting them from hazards is one thing but for anything else you saying "he walks when he is with us" is the right thing to do.
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