What do you think about putting children on a leash?

[KPeveler]

I was a runner - so I was definitely leashed. My dad was in the Navy, so he was off busy saving lives in Somalia and the Phillipines after natural disasters... So my mom was with just me at age 3 and my infant sister... and I was a runner!

I plan on using them with my children if they are runners! I am in a wheelchair and if they run off a sidewalk (not even saying into traffic, just off the curb on Main Street USA! ), I have to go around to a curb cut to get to the street! For me, it is a safety issue (I know I can go as fast as them - my chair can go up to 8 mph).

[Ress76]

As I told my niece, who is scandalized by the little cords and backpacks and leashes, if you have a "runner", about the second time you lose them, you won't mind a leash.

Now, I wouldn't have the kid wear it morning-til-night every day, but in certain situations, I have no problem with them. At times, I'd like one for my husband and said niece.

[selina4disney]

Disney must be naughty too. They leash all those poor performers to the floats!

Please don't judge...you don't know the child or the parents or any circumstances leading to them being leashed or tethered or whatever term you wish to use. Only YOU know your child and can decide what is best to keep them safe... My Child #2 was a runner. He had a wristlet with a leash that let me keep him safe in large crowds. I only used it in places where it was very crowded like the State Fair or Disney World and he could get away and I wouldn't necessarily be able to see where he went since he was about knee high. In the middle of Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back he dove under the seat ahead and went up three rows before he popped out and ran for the exit with DH desperately climbing over people in our row to catch up! (Solution for this kid: As long as we didn't run out of popcorn he would sit through ANY movie. Run out of popcorn, he was escaping. Church: no popcorn, not so easy...) I had three other kids that were not runners and stuck close by and I never used the wristlet on any of them. Just depends on the kid, and frankly, I'd rather see them leashed than lost.

[Angela Kay]

Better than a milk carton...especially if you have runners!! Kids are fast...and even creepers go to WDW!

[MissLiz]

I've always been one of those people who looked at parents with kids on tethers and said "No way would I do that".

My first child was great. She would walk with us (she still holds hands in parking lots at 7) and sit in her stroller fine. No problems.

My second child is only 11 months and she already squirms to get down off of our laps and wants to be on the move. If she is heading somewhere she shouldn't, we say no in a stern voice. What does she do? Laugh and crawl faster to it.

It's starting to change my mind about tethers because I want her to have the freedom to move around, but I want her to be safe. I have a feeling that she will not be happy with hand-holding in the future.

I guess it's a decision I'll have to make, but in the meantime, I'm not going to judge anyone because I don't know their child's temperment or history.

[mjkacmom]

Originally Posted by JDUCKY

Personally, I think it's completely ridiculous and actually find it abhorrent.

Why? I see you only have 2 children, with a very wide gap in age. Even if you had a runner, it probably wouldn't have been too difficult to manage. If it makes it easier for parents to take their children to crowded places, or if it makes it easier for a parent to get out of the house with a bunch of little kids, why is it ridiculous? How about kids with special needs? The kids don't mind, their parents don't mind, so why be offended? I'd much rather my child get some freedom from the stroller and be able to walk, even when very young and impulsive.

[Lizziejane]

I've used one on my son. I had to travel from Canada to England alone with him when he was 18 months old and he was a runner from day one. I had a big diaper bag, a purse with travel documents, fold-up stroller, etc. so I needed to be sure I wouldn't "loose" him.

So I bought the type that fits around his wrist. We came out of the store at the mall and I immediately put it on him to try it out before our trip. He threw himself to the floor and had a full-blown temper tantrum while yanking at the "leash". Some guy comes up to me and starts berating me, telling me he should report me to Child and family services, the child should be taken away from me, etc. etc. Literally 45 seconds into this guys speech, I realize my son has freed himself and is now half-way down the mall. I look at the guy and ask him, "care to go catch him for me?" He was speechless all of a sudden!

I actually don't understand the whole hoopla about leashes - I grew up in Europe, and "reins" were commonplace.

[JDUCKY]

Originally Posted by mjkacmom

Why? I see you only have 2 children, with a very wide gap in age. Even if you had a runner, it probably wouldn't have been too difficult to manage. If it makes it easier for parents to take their children to crowded places, or if it makes it easier for a parent to get out of the house with a bunch of little kids, why is it ridiculous? How about kids with special needs? The kids don't mind, their parents don't mind, so why be offended? I'd much rather my child get some freedom from the stroller and be able to walk, even when very young and impulsive.

My gf has 3 little ones, closer in age. She's been to DL countless times with them all (plus with littles ones from her friends). Her youngest is much more active and resistant but just being a vigilant parent is all that is needed.

Now, if the parent is in a wheelchair (such as a PP stated), I could possibly see the need for some assistance with with a little one.

[katiebear]

Wow am I glad you brought this up. I just bought one of those backpack leashes for my 2yo DD after she ran off on me for about the millionth time. It was actually an impulse buy after my friend and I were frantically looking for her in Target. She is my fourth child, and I never had the need to use one before. She climbs out of the cart or carriage, she has been wiggling out of the straps since she was 6 months old (I used to call her Baby Houdini), she has run out the door of stores into parking lots, and then she wants to run around the parking lot. I have left my DS4 alone in the cart countless times to chase DD.

I was feeling like a jerk for using it until I read about all the other people who have used them, too. Don't feel quite so bad now!

[ccgirl]

No need to feel like a jerk. Some people feel like they know everything and can't appreciate the fact that the parent knows best. It's not like we're tying our children up to trees. We do this for their safety. I wish people can respect others opinions, you don't need to agree, just respect. What is right for one person may not be right for another. By the way, you can store little "things" in the backpack. It is really convenient.

[ntikos]

I personally do not like them and never used them.

[X and G's mom]

My DS13 ASKED to be put on one He is much faster than any of us. Maybe it's the new cool thing, but he wanted one last December and is asking me for one this summer.

BTW, I'm not going to get him one
But, I can see why some parents of the younger ones do! If it works for you, go for it!

[TerrytownGrl]

I had not considered a leash/tether for our dd's first trip to WDW when she was 3, but in hindsight, it might have been a good idea.

Our first day, in the MK....we caught the stage show at the Castle forecourt. All was great until the Wicked Queen from Snow White came on stage. My dd turned and ran screaming through the crowd. My DH didn't notice at first. I dropped my purse and dodged through the crowd after her. Very scary. I never thought she would be afraid of a character enough to run from them!

So, I have nothing against leases or tethers. As pp have said, we must do what we can to ensure our children's safety.

[Ducky4Disney]

I used one for DS at WDW when he was about 20 months old. That toddler phase can be tricky. They want to walk but not always in the direction you're going!

I had a simple blue harness with a tether on it. We were in Epcot one day, around the Mexico pavillion, and we were going left and he wanted to go right. Well, the tether put us at an impasse. I kept telling him no, we're goingt this way, and he finally fell to ground in a heap and had a fit. Some young kid, late teens/early 20's, walked by and mumbled "Poor kid". I looked up and quipped back, "Poor kid? How about poor Mom!" Forget about losing your kid; what about the possibility of an ECV vs. small-kid collision? OUCH!

Are outlet covers, cabinet locks, and safety gates ridiculous too? How about child safety caps on medicine? Or the child lockout feature on car doors? Boy, there sure are a lot of child safety products that could be done away with if we were all just "vigilant" parents!

D4D

[Weegl]

Better than putting them in a cage...much more portable