Baby "leash"!?!?

[CluelessDisFan]

My oldest daughter wore her monkey at WDW and through the airport also she wore it while in Chicago, and she liked it. I didn't always have a hand on the tail, sometimes she liked to hold it herself. Only in real busy situations would I hold on to it. So that way she didn't feel so controlled in every situation. I can imagine a kids going to fight it, if you put it on them and start pulling them around. Give them some chances to wear it first without you holding it. Then introduce the idea of walking next to you in busy areas with out them really realizing you are even holding the tail. If it becomes a pull and tug a war their going to resist and fight it. That's how we use it. Kind of just a safety net. She's four now, and stays by my side and holds on to her sisters stroller without question, now she understands the dangers of cars and getting lost a lot better. We didn't use it in Disneyland last September at all.

 

[Hannathy]

I hate them will never use them and hate seeing them on kids BUT if you like them and use them then the child should be right next to you with them, there shouldn't be any space that you can trip a person with the leash. Also you should not use it to pull your child back in with, that is what words are for. Watched a mother at Epcot let her child go to the end of the leash and then pull them back in while sitting on a wall. also was a tripping hazard for other people walking in the area.

 

[ajwolfe]

Our youngest is a runner, so we used the monkey backpack on several trips to the zoo, etc. I think we may have used it just one day at Disney before he figured out that he needed to stay close due to the amount of people.
I'm curious about all the comments about tripping people with the "leash", our monkey's tail wasn't that long so unless someone was trying to get between us I'm not sure how it would have been a tripping hazard. Unless people are just letting the tail drag the ground, which would seem to be defeating the whole purpose.

 

[NotUrsula]

I hate them will never use them and hate seeing them on kids BUT if you like them and use them then the child should be right next to you with them, there shouldn't be any space that you can trip a person with the leash. Also you should not use it to pull your child back in with, that is what words are for. Watched a mother at Epcot let her child go to the end of the leash and then pull them back in while sitting on a wall. also was a tripping hazard for other people walking in the area.

Well, you know from past history that I disagree on the topic of the utility of safety reins, but I'll agree with you on the length of the rein. Most harnesses marketed in the US have reins that are much too long.

The proper length for a walking rein is just long enough so that if you let go of your end, the end will hit just barely below the child's knees. If it is longer than that, knot it up shorter. This length allows you to hold the rein with your hand down, and will give maybe 2 feet of slack for the child to walk; not enough for anyone else to get between you, or for the child to trip over it if your end gets jerked out of your hand for any reason.

PS: If you doubt us on the issue of length, look at the Gerber harness, which is the top seller in the US. The handstrap rein on it is 48 inches long when adjusted to full length.

 

[momof2buffalo]

We are using one this year because my 1 1/2 yr old fears nothing and will be on top of astro orbiter if we looked away! We bought a wrist strap style instead of backpack because we didn't want him getting sweaty. They sell them for Under $5 at babies r us. We also use tattoos that you can write on if child got lost (you write your phone number on them with special marker they come with). We bought off Amazon and put the tattoo right on inside of our kids arms. They stay on for a few days!

 

[mm1971]

We are going on our family Disney vacation in Dec and our youngest and most energetic will be only 2yrs old. Has anyone seen children on those baby harnesses in the parks. I said I would never use one but the baby always wants to walk and will for sure get lost w/o one.

Never used one. Not really going to judge either way, but you reminded me of the Modern Family show episode when the head to Disneyland. If you haven't seen it, try to watch it. You'll laugh at how they show all of the Disney stereotypes.

I would say if you feel it is needed, I would rather keep my kid(s) safe than worry about what others think. Have a fun trip.

 

[MomtothreeEs]

I never thought I would use one. My DS5 and DS3 would never run far in a crowd. DS5 doesn't even like when he can't see me in a store. However, my 2 year old is nuts. Love him dearly, but he is just a totally different kind of kid than my other two. I am so nervous about letting him walk at WDW, but I can't imagine making him sit in the stroller for hours. So, I decided to try out one of those monkey backpack harnesses. At home, he loves it. We'll see next week if he actually tolerates it in public.

Better to be safe than sorry. Right?

 

[luvmy2babies]

We had the puppy as opposed to the Monkey people mentioned. My son loved that thing. When he no longer needed it, he still snuggled with the puppy a lot. He actually loves his stroller. I just had to use it in situations where we couldn't have our stroller.

If you get the one with the animal backpack, the tail that connects the child to you isn't that long so it isn't likely to trip anyone.

 

[twinboysmom]

I used them for my boys and would use them again if needed. What I never understand is everybody who claims how long the leashes are. I can truly say that I have only seen the short ones used. The monkey ones (and the similar harness type) which are so popular are only about 3 feet. They also aren't like dog leashes either. You can't just push a button and pull them back in. Perhaps the wrist ones are different but I know those are not recommended for safety reasons but the harness ones, nope, never seen one that was long. Off to google and see if I am missing something.

I just had to add the first 30 I looked at on amazon were all short non "dog leash" type. Not sure where people are seeing these long retractable child leashes.

 

[kellyjeanie]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. I think we will get her use to it now then when we go it won't be a big deal.

This is a great idea to get her used to it. My oldest was fine with the backpack harness but he wasn't a runner. My middle child (DD) wasn't really a runner but hated the harness. And now my youngest is a runner but won't wear the harness.

 

[Hannathy]

I used them for my boys and would use them again if needed. What I never understand is everybody who claims how long the leashes are. I can truly say that I have only seen the short ones used. The monkey ones (and the similar harness type) which are so popular are only about 3 feet. They also aren't like dog leashes either. You can't just push a button and pull them back in. Perhaps the wrist ones are different but I know those are not recommended for safety reasons but the harness ones, nope, never seen one that was long. Off to google and see if I am missing something.

I just had to add the first 30 I looked at on amazon were all short non "dog leash" type. Not sure where people are seeing these long retractable child leashes.

I never said retractable. and 3 feet is long enough to trip someone in a crowd if you let your child get 3 feet away from you with a leash stretched inbetween and people are walking down the sidewalk. Or if you are sitting and they are 3 ft away.

 

[mhfrau]

I hate them will never use them and hate seeing them on kids BUT if you like them and use them then the child should be right next to you with them, there shouldn't be any space that you can trip a person with the leash. Also you should not use it to pull your child back in with, that is what words are for. Watched a mother at Epcot let her child go to the end of the leash and then pull them back in while sitting on a wall. also was a tripping hazard for other people walking in the area.

I never understand why people hate them so much, and think the whole "words" being superior thing is so funny. I have a substandard kid I guess, who was a headstrong little spitfire as a toddler, and I would have leashed him like a dog if I had known about them then OP, if it helps you with safety, then I say go for it and be glad they are an option! These threads always make me think of the Modern Family episode at Disneyland.

 

[LindseyLou2222]

Ugh, my substandard 2 year old will enjoy her 27 inch leash come September! Nope, she hasn't mastered the whole listening thing yet, but by golly she will be safe!

 

[GotLabradors]

We used the puppy one from Target for our two younger ones when we were in places with large crowds. (Busch Gardens and college football games mainly) The puppy was a back pack they both liked to put their blankets in instead of dragging them on the ground. DH or I would loop our end over our hand and then hold our kid's hand, so their was no reeling in or pulling on the child. It was mainly meant as extra protection just in case when we were in large crowds where even the most perfect parent could lose sight of a child quickly.

 

[GotLabradors]

I never understand why people hate them so much, and think the whole "words" being superior thing is so funny. I have a substandard kid I guess, who was a headstrong little spitfire as a toddler, and I would have leashed him like a dog if I had known about them then OP, if it helps you with safety, then I say go for it and be glad they are an option! These threads always make me think of the Modern Family episode at Disneyland.

I often feel sorry for parents who think words are superior. What kind of funny stories are they going to be able to tell in 20 years at the family dinner table when recalling their first trip to Disney with kids?!

 

[PartOfYourWDWorld]

Definitely do whatever you need t do to keep your child safe. I'm not a fan of the leashes, though. Like others have mentioned, there is a tripping hazard. And honestly, when we're waking a long distance (not just ride to ride), I want my little ones in strollers. It's safer and faster. I also use the Ergo back carry position at that age.

 

[twinboysmom]

I never said retractable. and 3 feet is long enough to trip someone in a crowd if you let your child get 3 feet away from you with a leash stretched inbetween and people are walking down the sidewalk. Or if you are sitting and they are 3 ft away.

I just measured ours and they are 30.5 inches so 2.5 feet. Pretty small amount of space to separate a child from a parent. If an adult feels the need to cut in between the 2.5 feet between a child and a parent then perhaps they should be paying a little bit better attention. This tripping thing is really blown out of proportion. I have lost track of how many visits my DH and I have had to wdw with and without our kids but it's now over 50. Seen a lot of kids on leashes. Not once did I think I was endanger of tripping over a leash.

 

[eskimopie]

We used one when DD was 2 and it was a lifesaver!!

 

[ipuffyheartdisney]

We used the monkey backpack last year for my DS who was two at the time. He is a super fast runner and will take off without any notice. Any time he was not in the stroller he had it on.

The first time he took off in a sprint I wasn't fully prepared and yanked back. He came flying back to me and luckily I was able to catch him, so watch out!!!!

I can see what others were saying about tripping, because my son would weave in and out of people before we got the hang of it. We did a lot of apologizing that day. I would suggest trying it out before hand with a crowded place. We used it in less crowed places before and it just wasn't the same.

As for negative comments, we actually had the complete opposite and had offers to buy it off of us from parents carrying their children!!!

 

[elainer]

I made something similar to the "Hold on Handle" out of ribbon. I tied a long ribbon into a loop at each end. One loop went on the stroller and the other my DD held onto. It was a fraction of the cost.