Stroller for 6 year old! Yikes!

Payback is a bitch.....I am buying my daughter yet another stroller and I am sure it is because of all of the judgmental looks and thoughts I gave a family in Babies R Us over 6 years ago.  I was shopping for my first stroller and a family came in with a 6 year old looking for a stroller.  Even the person helping them was like "for her???".  I thought are you kidding me?  She must be the most spoiled and lazy kid ever!  It never occurred to me that she might have a medical reason or they lived in the city and walked everywhere and she couldn't keep up.  I thought the worst.

With that said my daughter now 54 lbs has grown out of her stroller.   I took her to the park the other day and was worried the wheels on our current stroller were going to come off.  I have an Uppababy that I LOVE but is only rated for up to 50 lbs.  So I am stroller shopping and thought I would share my research.

When I first started writing this post I decided that I was not going to invest another $600 in a stroller and go with a relatively inexpensive Jogging stroller rated up to 75 lbs.  I wasn't totally convinced this was the best option so I decided to find out what other people in similar situations did.

Boy, did this put thing into perspective for me.  First off, I think I can say with certainty that my daughter will not need a wheelchair.  It also made me realize that when she is older she will not want to be in a stroller.  She will want to be more independent and want to do what her friends are doing.  Right now she is happy to ride but when she is with her older cousins she doesn't ride unless she needs to.  It made me think that when she is older and still has trouble walking she will probable want something that gives her more independence like a walker.

I also found out that insurance may pay for an adaptive stroller.  (Word of caution:  if you think your child might need a wheelchair at some point make sure you ask your insurance if they will pay for both not just one or the other.)  They base the decision on medical necessity and typically you have to buy the stroller through a medical equipment company that they use.

So, for now I am waiting on my insurance to decide if they are going to pay for an adaptive stroller.  I have no idea how long this takes or what we are going to do in the meantime.....  Right now we are avoiding going places where we need a stroller.  I might look into renting a stroller or borrowing one if I get in a jam.

I am including my picks for a regular stroller since I already did the research.  I am not including picks for an adaptive stroller because I don't know what my insurance is going to tell me.  There will be a follow up post!

Here is my original blog.....

When searching for a stroller for an older child you need to consider a few things.
First off is this for a special needs child.  There are Adaptive Strollers out there for a child with a physical disability but they are expensive.  I found a site that had a few jogging strollers between $700 - $900 but I have no idea of the quality.  Most other strollers/ wheelchairs  were well over $1,000.  They do go up to 100 lbs., 200 lbs., and more.  So depending on your child's disability it may be worth investing in a more expensive stroller that will grow with your child.  
http://www.1800wheelchair.com/asp/view-category-products.asp?category_id=519&filter_130=1202

Second, what are you going to use the stroller for?  Running/walking, rough terrain, shopping malls, city walking, amusement parks.  This is still an important consideration.  When my daughter was younger we lived in the city so we used the stroller for everything.  Now she is older and we don't live in the city our needs have changed.

Third, weight limit.  How long do you think you are going to use the stroller.  I am not sure there is a concrete answer for that as I never thought we would outgrow the Uppababy.

Lastly, cost.  If you want to spend a lot of money great!  The stroller world is your oyster, take your pick!  I however have already spend around $800 on strollers and am looking for the most cost effective option!  The prices definitely go up with the weight limit.

I am feeling hopeful that my daughter will only need the stroller for a few more years.  I have not yet resigned to buying an adaptive stroller.  Financially, maybe not the best decision but mental it is the only one I can handle right now.  So I have decided to look for a stroller that goes up to 75 lbs.  I need something that I can use when I am walking to the park/beach (when on vacation), moves easily in crowded areas like the city or an amusement park and folds easily and compactly.  In my opinion the Uppababy failed in the last two categories.  When we bought the stroller those things were not important to me but now they are.

These are some of the strollers I am considering.  There are lots of choices out there but these are the ones that I think give you the biggest bang for your money.

Top Pick - Joovy Zoom 360 Swivel Wheel

This retails for around $250 and has a maximum weight of 75 lbs.  It also has attachments for a kick stand for an older child.  It folds fairly easily and compact.  The back wheels come off to give you more room in your car.  It is wide so not as compact as I would like but found for the price and weight limit it can't be beat.

Close second - Baby Jogger City Mini.

Retails for around $240.  I say this is a close second because of the size and price but it has one major flaw the weight limit.  It only goes up to 65 lbs. If I had purchased this instead of my Uppababy I would be in good shape but I worry that my daughter will out grow this stroller too.  Unfortunately, children with mobility issues also have issues with weight.

Third, Baby Jogger Fit

Retails for around $299 but I did find it on sale for $279.  The major pro for this stroller is the weight capacity and ease of folding.  It goes up to 75 lbs. and is easy to fold.  The major con is the front tire.  It does not swivel which makes tight spaces like city walking and malls difficult.

My last pick is the Bob Revolution SE

Retails around $370.  The price of this stroller is a bit high and the capacity is only 70 lbs.  It is one of my picks because I know they are easy to maneuver and fold.  This stroller also has a swivel tire so easy to move in compact spaces.