Child harness?

[DizKarAzy]

Ok, so I am really NOT a big fan of the child harness or "leash" but I am really worrying about how I am going to keep my 2 year old "runner" from getting away from us. He is not a big fan of the stroller. I havent been to WDW in 15 years so going w/ kids is a completely new experience. Do a lot of people use the harness w/ their kids in the parks? I will be ordering an id bracelet for my kids. I am a bit paranoid when it comes to my kids and I just dont want to spend the entire time having mini heart attacks if I lose sight of him for a minute.
Any ideas out there for me?

 

[kohlby]

You care enough about your pets to keep them safe - don't you care about your child even more? If you need a child harness, then use one. I have one for my son. I have only used it a few times - in a crowded airport when I was pregnant and my husband wasn't travelling with us, and at Disney. We went when my son had just turned 3. I made him wear his harness the first two days in the parks. I started by having him hooked up. He did a great job of staying nearby so I told him he had a choice of being hooked up or staying with us. I kept the harness part only on him since that's all he needed.

However, on the flip side, I've seen parents pull their child along with the harness. That's not how it should be used - and I'm not sure how well that would work anyways! I always hold my son's hand when the leash part is on. My hand is plan A and the harness is plan B.

*A hint about the stroller that worked for my son: My son hates the stroller - so much that I had to carry him in a sling until he would walk. We brought a stroller to the parks with the idea that maybe DD would use it. (We found out she hates strollers too though). Our son would sit in the stroller as long as we had the front piece taken off so he could get in and out without any help. Of course, only do this if you know your son wouldn't try to get out while the stroller was moving. My son jumped in and out of the stroller only when we stopped and it worked really well.

 

[DizKarAzy]

Thanks Kolby,
I agree w/ the harness being plan B. In fact, I think I will get one and maybe he will surprise me and end up in the stroller. I am hoping the fact that there is so much to look at will help with this.
Just a side question, not that it is going to influence my decision:
Did you get a lot of bad looks/comments from people who dislike the idea of a child harness?

 

[Va-bear]

Ok, so I am really NOT a big fan of the child harness or "leash" but I am really worrying about how I am going to keep my 2 year old "runner" from getting away from us. He is not a big fan of the stroller. I havent been to WDW in 15 years so going w/ kids is a completely new experience. Do a lot of people use the harness w/ their kids in the parks? I will be ordering an id bracelet for my kids. I am a bit paranoid when it comes to my kids and I just dont want to spend the entire time having mini heart attacks if I lose sight of him for a minute.
Any ideas out there for me?

I used a harness for both my sons at the age appropriate time and it was WONDERFUL!!!!! It allowed them the freedom to walk and move about with some free will (both were quite active and didn much like their stroller.) I loved that they also werent sitting all day..... I am quite tall and trying to stay stooped to hold their hands was hard on my back plus they were SO much happier being able to "wiggle" some!

(Many people use them and several people asked where I'd gotten mine...they'd look sad when I said it wasnt in the park.)

Have fun!!!

 

[Va-bear]

Thanks Kolby,
I agree w/ the harness being plan B. In fact, I think I will get one and maybe he will surprise me and end up in the stroller. I am hoping the fact that there is so much to look at will help with this.
Just a side question, not that it is going to influence my decision:
Did you get a lot of bad looks/comments from people who dislike the idea of a child harness?[/QUOTE]

I forgot to address that...we got a couple of comments over several uses... BUT got a LOT more positive (the people asking where to get one, and two sweet sisters from Germany who were SO happy to see it...appearantly they are a lot more common in Europe? They said how nice it was to see my son so happy and not "sitting, like all the other American children".... Oh well, glad to make them so happy )

 

[MousekaMaddi]

we used one for our then 18 month old while in disney, we loved it, whe had no issues with it but we got lots of rude comments on it to which I happily replied myown opinions to! It worked great and was easy and convenient!

 

[lyzziesmom]

I never had any rude comments, in fact I have police officers, security guards and other parents everywhere we go tell us what a great service I am doing for my child. I was a nonbeliever until my little firecracker Emma came along. I'll put up a few pictures of her enjoying herself while wearing her harness:

Waiting to bolt to see the Main Mouse here in Kansas City:

Having the freedom to chat with Mr. Mouse with the dignity of being upright.

Anyone who thinks kids don't like harnesses, please look at this face.

Can't even SEE these from the stroller!

Running ahead to see Mickey in Toontown. Thanks to the leash, this is different than running AWAY to see Mickey in Toontown.

In this particular picture, her sister was holding her leash. In another one, Wendy was holding it.

Can't play with ants from the stroller!

And here is what happens when she doesn't have her leash and must stay put:

That is my pictorial argument in favor of a harness and leash. They work very well for a certain type of child.

 

[pbharris4]

I was debating it too this past summer. Everytime we'd go to the mall my DD would dash down the corridors. I was wondering how'd she do at WDW (she was fine the year before and the year before that she wasn't walking).

What I did was bought a monkey backpack/harness from Target and kept the receipt. Our plan was to let her walk more at the resorts etc. and then do both..walk and stroller at the parks. If we needed the harness we'd use it. It turns out that it was so hot and crowded she didn't want to walk as much. She rode in her stroller mostly and walked as well, but holding our hands or with our hand on her head. We never had to use the harness and took it back.

i think it was because of the heat, crowds, and newer type place she wanted to stick by us more. You could buy a harness and take it back if you don't use it. It is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Tink n Poohbear]

My mom just got the BEST harnesses ever for my twin dds20mos from Walmart. One is a little stuffed monkey backpack and the other is a little dog; the tails are the "leash." They absolutely LOVE them and wear them around the house all the time. I didn't plan to use a harness for my ds4 because he won't run off, but when he saw the girls' he got jealous and insisted on wearing one!

I think they are only $10. I highly recommend them!

 

[lyzziesmom]

Here's what I don't understand about the animal backpack-type leashes. Do you have to take if off every time the kid gets into the stroller? My DD was in & out of her stroller all day, sometimes in, out, and in again in a matter of minutes. With her harness, we could just leave it on her and tuck the leash behind her back. It took up very little room and didn't bother her at all, and was quick and easy for us big people. I did not worry that she would bolt between taking the leash off and getting into the stroller, or vice versa, because we left it on.

Just remember the harness is a tool to keep your child safe, just like a stroller is. My opinion is, the child does not get a say on issues of safety. If the harness, whichever type you decide to use, makes YOU feel better and safer, then by all means use it. Your kids will come to love it as soon as they realize the freedom it gives them.

 

[RRBB]

I was dead set against a leash or harness for DS. But the fact that he loves to run and that he often gets tired of sitting in his stroller had me rethink that.

We got him the monkey harness and he loves it. I put it on DS one day before our recent trip to see how he'd do and he wouldn't let me take it off, so I knew it was a hit.

At the parks DS had a choice, either wear the monkey and let me or DH hold the tail or sit in the stroller. More often than not he chose the monkey. I liked that he got to walk around/stretch his legs without the fear that he'd run off, while DS was proud to be a "big boy" walking around on his own.

Here he is about to take off, but I wasn't worried because I knew he couldn't get too far ahead of me while I was holding the monkey's tail.

When he got tired and wanted to sit he often wouldn't let us take the monkey off. It was kind of a pillow behind his back/neck and he seemed quite comfortable with it still on. He even insisted on wearing it on rides and at meals sometimes.

(The other day DS found the monkey in our closet and insisted on wearing it around the house. I guess he didn't tire of wearing it even after nearly 2 weeks at WDW. )

 

[lostmom]

I have the same type of harness for my two kiddos and they love them! Walmart sells em for like 10 but they are hard to find. Look in the baby section!

 

[DizKarAzy]

Thanks to everyone! I love the pictoral argument! She definitely looked happier when she was free to run!
I also love the monkey harness idea. I am going to look into that one!
Thank you all!

 

[RRBB]

Thanks to everyone! I love the pictoral argument! She definitely looked happier when she was free to run!
I also love the monkey harness idea. I am going to look into that one!
Thank you all!

If you can't find the monkey or puppy at walmart, we got ours at The Right Start for $15. http://www.rightstart.com/global/store/product~item~5755.html

 

[Addicted2TheMouse]

I'm using one for my DS2.5. He hasn't sat in the stroller in months and I'll be flying alone with him. I think it will suit him perfectly because it'll let him feel like he's got freedom. He gets tired of holding hands and I can just picture myself chasing him through the airport with my hands full. The harness is the perfect solution.

I bought the Elmo harness on Ebay but now that I've seen the pics of that monkey one, I wish I had gotten that one instead. That's adorable.

 

[rileysmommy]

My almost 15 month old ds currently does not walk but I'm sure that's about to change in the next few weeks. We are doing the Disney cruise and WDW in 5 weeks and I plan on bringing the harness and leash. If he is beginning to walk he's going to want to walk, not ride in the stroller. If he rides in the stroller all day then he's not going to get tired. I used it on my dd when she was little and I plan on using it for my ds too. Better safe than sorry, in my opinion.

 

[kohlby]

Did you get a lot of bad looks/comments from people who dislike the idea of a child harness?[/

With the exception of one time, I only got positive comments/looks. The funny looks were in the airport when DS was 2.5 years old and decided he wanted to be a cat. He then got down on all fours and started meowing. I was a bit embarrassed that the harness definately looked like an animal leash then, but DS was having a blast.

 

[pbharris4]

Target carries them too. Near the Eddie Bauer baby Stuff.

 

[tanyaandallie]

I just returned last night and we saw tons of little ones with harnesses on. I would not worry about "looks" from others! They are not the ones chasing your child! The ones with the little animals on the back are adorable!!

 

[Va-bear]

Thanks to everyone! I love the pictoral argument! She definitely looked happier when she was free to run!
I also love the monkey harness idea. I am going to look into that one!
Thank you all!

Heck, if you dont find one I'll mail you mine! Now that the younger DS is almost 4 we have retired it....its plain and boring though (looks like the blue one in the pics!)