3yo DD who likes to "take off"...

[pbharris4]

My DD, who will turn 3 the day before get there, loves to just run amok. As soon as her feet hit the pavement she takes off..not looking where she's going, not checking to see where we are, etc. The "come on mommy's leaving" thing doesn't work with her. What do you do with your children who are adventureous and independent at WDW? I'll try to keep her in the stroller n the parks (unless going on rides) and let her walk around the resorts. It's going to be crowded too. I refuse to get one of those leash things as well. Any pointers? My older DD (10) was more clingy and it was never an issue with her. TIA!

 

[Panna]

I know you said you wont get "a leash thingy", and I equate those with the Harness's. I had something similar to that for my DD3 when we went to Disneyland for the first time. It was basically a Hand Holder. It velcro's around her wrist and mine. I felt more comfortable with that as she wanted to explore so much. That way, if she got behind me (sneaky devil that she was and still is), or tried to run off in another direction I didn't panic because she'd be smooshed or lost. She liked to walk behind the stroller pushing all of the stuff but boy when she was done and wanted to go, she would just go!

Besides hoping that you will always be able to keep her in the stroller or hold her hand, or carry her, I am not sure what else can be done.

 

[3mickeys&me]

I am not one for the leash thing either. My ds#2 was alot like your dd. I tried to keep in him the stroller but in less crowded areas I let him walk or carried him. He actually was well behaved and I didn't have any problems with him at all. I think he was just caught up in all the cool things going on around him. He was just too buys to misbehave LOL.

 

[ardig123]

I just bought the "hand holder" also... haven't tried it yet... but plan on using it for WDW. I figure worse case it cost less than $5 so if it doesn't work out..oh well! I am also not a "leash" person and would not use it on a normal day, but the crowds at WDW are an exception and I would rather be safe than sorry. I just hate having to keep DD2 in the stroller all day, but I also don't want to chase around the park all day either!

 

[Evil Queen]

Never was a leash Mom,but I would consider it for WDW. Only thought being, hate to lose a youngin'.

That or strap her in the stroller,to me, if she wants to be on her feet, more "cruel" than a leash.

 

[rparmfamily]

If your child doesn't stay with you then I think the obvious answer is either a harness or the stroller or alternate between them. I don't think carrying them is really an option, I know my 3 yr old weighs over 30 lbs. Umm..no thanks!! LOL

My son is this way, we use a stroller and I'll probably pick up a backpack looking harness (Target) as well. We work on staying with me, but it is not sinking in yet. (I've been working on it since infantcy!) Holding hands with me is still a fight.

 

[DVCLiz]

I agree, you have no idea how easy it will be to lose her quickly if she scampers off. If you're near a crowd of pople she can be away from eyesight in an instant. I'm not a "bad things will happen at WDW" kind of person - I believe it's extremely safe. But it would be a hassle and very upsetting as well to lose her - it's not even like you're in Target or some big place like that. Please reconsider the hand holder leash or you'll have to keep her confined to a stroller (and strapped in in a way that she can't remove) the whole trip.

 

[Hannathy]

I have another idea three is not to young to be told you either stay with me or we don't go to Disney. Tell her you will be practicing before you go and if she can't learn to stay with you no Disney. I agree with you I absolutely hate kids on leashes. I've taken both my kids to Disney when they were 2 1/2 - 3 and had no problems but we practiced at the mall,airport flying to grandma's, fair etc.

 

[pbharris4]

Thanks for the tips!! I didn't know there was a Hand Holder. I was referring to the harness type and I wouldn't want one of those. It's just not for me. The hand holder sounds like a good idea and I'll probably get one of those to take with us. What a great idea! I never noticed them before at WDW. I'll keep her in the stroller around the crowded areas and then let her out in the not so crowded areas. Last year it wasn't a problem, but she JUST hit this independent streak the last couple of weeks. SHe got mad because Dora went to a commericial and she's bossing me around..and tried to bite...seems like every hour she's in time out. I think it's a cross between trying out her independence and the last 2 molars coming in. Normally, she is really polite and sweet.

 

[pbharris4]

Forgot...where can I get that Hand Holder?

 

[Mom to Jordan]

Just to let you know that the hand holder is very easy to take off. I received one for a shower gift and really never used it as I had one of those rare easy toddlers. WE did however play around with it a few times and DS could just unvelcro it and drop it by the way.

Sounds like you really are going to have to think a lot about safety. It is so easy to loose a child that wonderes in WDW. I would check out all the differnt security leashes and see if there is one that might work for your family. Also maybe consider one of the alarms that sounds if she wonders too far off. Be sure that you put idenification on her ( I like the dog tags in the shoe string idea), and take a picture of her each morning with your digital camera so you will have a quick shot of her in the clothes she has on in case you have to search for her.
Not to mean to scare you but it sounds like some safety measure need to be in place to help keep her safe and you sane.

 

[ardig123]

I purchased mine from Ebay... here is the link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Baby-Buddy-Todd...yZ100221QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[livyzmom]

I AGREE WITH THE " IF YOU DON'T LISTEN WE WON'T GO IT REALLY WORKS FOR US WITH 3YO DD. SHE WAS A WANDERER ALSO. ALSO MAYBE EXPLAIN THAT MOMMY WOULD BE REALLY SAD IF SHE DIDN'T LISTEN OR DIDN'T STAY WITH YOU. THIS MAY SOUND HARSH BUT WE TOLD OUR DAUGHTER THAT WDW IS A VERY BIG PLACE AND THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT SHE STAY WITH US BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T WANT TO LOSE HER BECAUSE MOMMY AND DADDY WOULD BE SCARED IF WE LOST HER .
ANOTHER THING WE DID (JUST IN CASE) IS EVERY MORNING WE TOOK A DIGITAL PICTURE OF OUR DAUGHTER IN THE HOTEL ROOM, THAT WAY IF SOMETHING HAPPENED WE HAD A VERY CURRENT PICTURE OF HER.
SHE DID GREAT I THINK THE WHOLE OF WDW IS OVERWHELMING TO THEM SO THEY ARE REALLY GOOD ABOUT STAYING PUT

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I'm a bit worried about this too with my wild child, who will then be 3 years old. Hopefully he'll stay in the stroller and not try to run away! LOL!

 

[mdhkitten]

I got a "monkey backpack harness" from Wal-Mart. It's very cute and my daughter loves it. Where you hook it in the front looks like the monkey's "arms" are hugging onto your child, and the part that you hold on to is the "tail". It's the only thing that I've seen that didn't bother me to put on my daughter. Here's the link:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4532497


Oh, and they come in a dog, too!

 

[mdhkitten]

Ok, and here's a link to a dog one at Target:


http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...ew=custReviews&asin=B000EBITU8#R2IA8A9WUOJ98H


I didn't see the dog one at Wal-Mart online, so I thought I'd share this one with you. Target also has a bear one, but I think it kind of looks like the monkey, but the monkey is cuter!

 

[Mainebound]

I AGREE WITH THE " IF YOU DON'T LISTEN WE WON'T GO IT REALLY WORKS FOR US WITH 3YO DD.

I agree too.

Having been 3 times in 3 years with my 2 young sons (ages 1-5 over the years), who were also wanderers, I decided they were not getting "chances" like at home. It is just too serious. ONE walking away from me, even if that meant from the hotel room to the bus stop, and it was back to the room, no TV, for several hours. And I followed through (miracles happen, LOL).

It KILLED me to do this - especially when DH, other DS, and Grandma went off to the parks, but you know what? That was the end of running off for the trip. We have done it two times, once with each son, on different trips (not to scare the OP, age 3 seemed to be the worst year for both of them, LOL) and they BOTH remember it to this day!

I would also suggest starting the zero tolerance rule at home. I tend to give lots of chances at Target or wherever because I must get certain shopping and errands done and to take them home would mess up the whole day. But, even though it is not easy, I think if you start being more firm about it at home, you may not need to do the drastic thing on the trip.

On the other hand, WDW is so exciting and wonderful that we have generally had great behavior because our boys are so happy on these trips (and we tend to stick to our regular sleeping and eating schedule which seems to work for us, YMMV). So wandering was not even as big an issue at WDW as at home, because they were so interested in what we were doing.

I hope this helps. You will have a great trip!

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

Just to let you know that the hand holder is very easy to take off. I received one for a shower gift and really never used it as I had one of those rare easy toddlers. WE did however play around with it a few times and DS could just unvelcro it and drop it by the way.

I was wondering about that, glad you mentioned it. I did get a harness last year for Disney, (I am NOT a fan either, BUT at Disney it is a different story!!) and it came with a wrist one as well, and I KNOW DS would be able to get that off without a problem.

 

[justhat]

We got a leash type thing from www.inventiveparent.com and it's a set of fanny packs. The kid wears one and I wear the other and there is a retractable string that you can attach from the mom's to the kid's, but take it off when you don't need it. My daughter had no problem wearing the fanny pack at all but she was so light at the time (she was 14 months old and about 19 pounds) that everytime she got to the end of the 'leash' she'd fall over. I haven't tried it since then because she's generally not bad about staying close now, but I imagine it would work a lot better than it did before since she's close to 25 pounds now and much more steady on her feet.

Oh, 1 thing I do to get her to stay close by is to have her hold onto the stroller (when she's not riding in it obviously). She feels like a 'big girl' cause she doesn't have to hold mommy's hand, but is still right where I want her to be.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm going to say what you don't want to hear, but you have to ask yourself why you would ask such a question when you don't want to hear the obvious answer: I suggest you try to get over your general dislike of reins, and find a design that you can live with.

Your child is a runner, and she is nearly 3. By your own remarks, this is a recurring problem, and you were concerned enough about it to post a question here re: what to do about it. I would say that if your efforts at breaking her of the impulse so far have failed, she is not going to learn the lesson easily, so if you don't restrain her you will be taking a chance that she will get away from you. You really don't want to take a chance at WDW, and if you can't take a chance, your only real choice is reins, and probably harnessed reins at that. Strollers only work where you can take them, and you cannot take them into ride lines. A little one can dart under the rails and into the crowd in an instant, and unless you're a hurdler, you can't follow very fast from that position.

Reins don't cost very much. Buy a set and try them out at home. She may love them (some kids like the security); on the other hand she may hate them. I'm a 1st generation immigrant, and where my family comes from, reins are a standard safety device, just like a gate at the top of the stairs. Everyone uses them, so I never had any doubts about them at all. My DS liked them when he first started walking, but he decided he was too old for them when he was just about 3. We made a deal--if he remembered the rules, the reins would stay in Mommy's bag, but if he forgot, he would have to wear them for safety for the rest of the outing. I'll tell you, this kid has a memory like a sieve, but he respects the reins. I'll tell you something else, too -- DH & I still carry them at theme parks, because those are the only places so distracting that DS still needs the reminder. (He's 8.)