This thread is reminiscient of similar discussions I remember from years ago when my youngest was at that harnessable age. I guess the debate never changes.
I have 3 children, DD (19), DS (15), DS (9). I certainly will not profess to be an expert on childrearing, but I have been there, done that and will say with confidence that each of my children were unique individuals, learned boundaries and parental expectations in different ways and at different times in their maturation process.
My first, the only girl, and proud mother that I was, I would never have considered such a thing as a harness for her. She obeyed from the moment she was born She was sweet natured, compliant and would never think of such a thing as straying from my side. I thought all children should be just like her if they were taught right! The next, a boy, much more rambunctious and precocious than his sister, but in a crowd would willingly be content in the stroller or holding my hand. I had a hand for each child at this point, we were still OK. I was lucky, read on!
Now along came that 3rd, another boy. He arrived in this world independent, determined, a mind of his own and determined to prove it. I'm still the same parent, I discipline the exact same way, there is no teaching this kid about rules or boundaries at an early age. He is the strongest willed of the 3.
We take our first 3 kid trip to WDW when the youngest is 18 mos old. Let me tell you, that child was a holy terror. Getting the biggest chuckle out of running from Dad just to see if he would follow. He could unbuckle that stroller buckle in a blink of an eye and be gone before you could even open your mouth to say stop! The next trip we take, you bet, he was hooked up to Dad every step of the way. They made a game out of it, let's not lose Dad! DH had so many envious Dad's begging him to tell them where they could get one, as they were huffing and puffing after their own 2 yo!
So, in my opinion, whether to harness or not to harness is not about boundaries or teaching children to obey or how good a parent you are. Each child has their own unique personality, some are compliant at that age, some just aren't. They all mature and respect rules at different times and in different ways. This little guy of ours has grown out of that defiant stage and become a charming, obedient, polite little man. But I'm sure glad I had that harness during those trying years when he needed as much help as we could give him to keep him safe from harm at a place as vulnerable as WDW. It was either use the harness at WDW or not go. We chose to go, use the means we had to assure our child's safety, and we felt that it was also teaching him at the same time what our expectations of him were. We weren't still using the harness at age 6. In fact I don't really remember when we stopped, but he learned eventually and all is well. Please, use your own best judgment and don't let others opinions and comments cause you to question your own conscience.
I think the person that wrote this....."I just think that a person who is treated like an animal tends to act like one. Maybe the reason the child won't listen without a leash is because it was never taught how to behave. Putting a child on a leash does not teach him to respect boundaries, it teaches him that the only way to have someone behave is at the end of a leash...like an animal."....deserves to have a little boy like my 3rd little angel. His tune may change! LOL!
