At what age do you think a child should no longer be carried?

[Macaela25]

Specifically, how old were your children before you stopped carrying them and had them walk 100% of the time? Is there an age you specifically think it should stop?


(For Julie DB ) Assuming that the child was perfectly healthy and able to walk under normal circumstances (not running from a fire, for example).

[JulieDB]

I guess it would depend on the child and the circumstances. At about age 2 or 3 for my daughter. She was too big after that to be carried.

[Gnorga]

Arianna is 2, her birthday is in May.
If its crowded, I carry her.
If I need to get to where I'm going quickly, I carry her.
If we are crossing a street or crosswalk, I usually carry her.

She usually likes to walk and be "down". If she asks to be carried...she's scared or something and I'm not going to make her walk.

She's only two though. I won't be toting her around when she's older. I don't know how much OLDER she will be before I stop though

[cintinative]

I try not to carry my four year old too much but sometimes I do because of convenience/safety and by his request. My six year old I almost never carry unless we are somewhere a long time and he is super tired from walking. Usually I have a stroller in that case but a few times we have been without one and my dh and I have ended up carrying one each. However, both my kids are small. My oldest is still under 50 pounds.

[amylynne01]

Maradee, my DD2 is 2 and born in May as well. She's a peanut at barely 25lbs, so she gets carried a lot. She is also a snuggler and a mama's girl who often needs to be near me if there's a lot of people around. I would still carry DD1 more (she'll be 4 on 12/22), but it's getting harder with my big old belly in the way.

I think even if I wasn't pregnant, I would be done carrying by age 4. DD1 is nearly 40lbs, and that's a lot to lug. But in extreme cases I would carry her (injury, trying to get out of a really crowded area, etc).

[Gnorga]

here is a picture of the kid i'm talking about.
I can't imagine carrying anything much heavier than her

[CW&M Mom]

I put 2, but that doesn't mean they are good at walking by themselves in places. I totally believe in strollers......

I like not having to run after my children..so 85% of the time my 3 year old is still put in a stroller but no way on earth do I carry her unless she's asleep or I'm picking her up for a certain reason.

[CW&M Mom]

My 5 year old we still put in a stroller for certain occasions as well...he won't run off though.

[Troop1379]

2. I am a toddler teacher and that is my age group. If your child is in a day care setting in the 2 year old you they are drinking out of a cup with no lid. they wash their own hands and feed them self. So why can't they walk. I mean if it is busy and you are in a store yes by all means hold them.

[IntoTheMystic]

I can think of two occasions I had to carry my sons when they were technically "too big" to carry. 1) We were backpacking and DS6's little legs couldn't keep up- I carried him, and my pack. My fault for overestimating his abilities and underestimating how tough the trail would be for him. 2) We were at Sea World the summer before last (August) and DS (then age 9) was bordering on heat stroke. I did throw him on my back and got out of there as fast as I could. I think it's very easy for people who are not parents to judge ("Oh, he's too big to be carried"), but when it's your own child, you just do what you have to do.