Child Leashes

[SeaShelley]

I don't mind the leashes as long as there is a responsible parent at the other end of it.

Case in point:
In Animal Kingdom last Feb. I saw a little girl who looked about 3 on a leash being led by another girl who looked to be about 6-7 (guessing). The little girl fell and the other child was oblivious and started dragging the the little girl. The parents never looked back.

That is a good point!

 

[cardaway]

Nope, unless you've got a dog that bites, the leash is for the dog's safety. they could run out in the street, get attacked by another dog, any number of things could happen.

Must be different there.

Around here the laws exist, or are being voted on, because people want to be safe from other peoples dogs when they go out in public.

 

[Feralpeg]

Easy to pass judgement when you've never been in the situation.

 

[beattyfamily]

Easy to pass judgement when you've never been in the situation.

I don't see any judging.

I see differing opinions. I haven't seen one person say people who choose to use a leash are bad parents just that they don't use them or won't use them.

People who haven't had first-hand experience with certain issues can still give their opinions; doesn't make it any less valuable or real, IMHO.

 

[disneymom3]

Well, first off, you never know what your kids will be like sooooo....Having lost my youngest on the Disney Cruise line, I may in retrospect should have been using a leash, and spared myself the trauma of what felt like a very long time period.

However, I wanted to share a funny story about hte "child leash" My sister has a son who was very....spirited....when he was little. She took him to DL and had a leash--endured the dirty looks and figured she had to do what she had to do. WELL, they were watching the parade with DS in front of her and all the sudden she looks down and DS is GONE! He had unhooked the leash from his wrist and clipped it on the little girl next to him and too off!! So, her security didn't do her any good. The reason it is a funny story is because she did find him pretty quickly and he is now a happy healthy (if mischevious) 14 year old.

 

[TSR6]

As for the "so popular "running leashed child, oblivious parent" syndrome"...well, that street can go both ways. It's my experience that these leashes aren't so long as to put much space between parent and said "running leashed child" that someone walking by without children might notice the leash and not try to walk through it. Unless, of course, it was someone walking around the MK with the "I'm the only one here that matters syndrome."

Just my opinion....for what it's worth.

By the "running leashed child, oblivious parent" - this incident happened at MGM a couple weeks ago, I was stopped on the sidewalk over by RRC, and the child and mother came from behind me, child went on one side of me, the mother went on the other side. Hello! Mother was walking with the leashed child while looking at a map. The child was "running" with the leash at full snug. I wasn't doing the whole walk like "im the only one that matters" - I was just standing there. The mother didn't even notice until I was all "watch out!"

I can't count the times that I've seen a child fall on the leash, and the parents take a couple steps before realizing the child is on the ground.

When I was little, I spent my days either on my dad's shoulders, or holding one of their hands.

 

[swilphil]

Discuss......

I don't have a child, but if or when I do, the child would not be leashed. Personally, I beleive that it's a child, not your dog, so save the leash for your dog. Most of the parents who use leashes just use it as a way to let their kids run around while the parents do their own thing.

They are becoming more and more popular at WDW, and you see them all the time. I've become tangled in the leash with the ever so popular "running leashed child, oblivious parent" syndrome several times.

So comment, I want to hear what ya'll have to say.

If you don't like seeing leashed children running and "oblivious parents," then I suggest you find another vacation spot besides Disney. There are plenty of adult-oriented resort options for you.

 

[puffkin]

No kids yet, but I see nothing wrong with leashes. I leash my dog to keep him safe (not other people, because he is harmless), so I don't see why a child is any different. Now, if I am lucky enough to have a child who doesn't need a leash, then I won't use one, but I have no problems with them if need be.

As for people complaining about them in Disney, we usually go in the hot, crowded summer, and people using leashes have NEVER been a problem for us. I actually don't even recall seeing that many. I think people who complain about them don't like them to begin with, and are just looking for something to complain about. I think toddlers roaming in crowded paths more than a few feet from their parents are more of a problem, I can't tell you how many I have almost run over cause they were under my field of vision.

Just a funny leash story, but my younger brother could disappear faster than anything! My mom never used one on my other brother and I (we were twins) but our younger brother was a different story (and she usually had 3 pairs of eyes watching him). He would climb up inside the clothing racks at malls, so you couldn't even see his feet poking out. Well she leashed him and he wasn't happy at first. His leash was one that went around the wrist. He walked down the mall screaming, "it's choking me, it's choking me". Got lots of nasty stares, but solved the problem of losing him in every department store.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

OT but Puffkin, I LOVE the expression on your dog's face!! He's looking at the cat like, "WTH??!!!' Too funny!

 

[MELSMICE]

Ya lost me when you said "I don't have a child, but when or if I do...". I could write a book about the things I said I would/wouldn't do before having kids. Good thing I don't have to eat all those words, or I wouldn't fit thru the front door!

That's too funny!

Never say never. I am not a huge fan of them, but I did use them. I also talked my sister into getting one for my nephew. I used the wrist ones.

As someone else pointed out, kids can feel independent and parents can take comfort knowing their child is not running loose & getting lost.

 

[TSR6]

If you don't like seeing leashed children running and "oblivious parents," then I suggest you find another vacation spot besides Disney. There are plenty of adult-oriented resort options for you.

I understand that they aren't completely bad if the parent is responsible about the leash. More so after reading some of the posts on here. I will admit that.

Kids and oblivious parents don't bother me at all. Trust me, I'm at WDW enough that I'm used to it. It's just that lately it seems that the parks have more and more of these child leashes. Maybe it's just a recent thing, being the end of summer rush before kids go to school? I do not know. I will just say that I am concerned over their use though.

I'm also not trying to judge people. I realize it's your kid, not mine. I'm just making statements about what I have witnessed, and my personal opinion.

 

[SeaShelley]

By the "running leashed child, oblivious parent" - this incident happened at MGM a couple weeks ago, I was stopped on the sidewalk over by RRC, and the child and mother came from behind me, child went on one side of me, the mother went on the other side. Hello! Mother was walking with the leashed child while looking at a map. The child was "running" with the leash at full snug. I wasn't doing the whole walk like "im the only one that matters" - I was just standing there. The mother didn't even notice until I was all "watch out!"

I can't count the times that I've seen a child fall on the leash, and the parents take a couple steps before realizing the child is on the ground.

When I was little, I spent my days either on my dad's shoulders, or holding one of their hands.

After re-reading my post, I'm sorry it sounded sarcastic. As a parent you do what is best for you and your child, for each situation. My son was not a fan of holding our hand for any length of time, so the leash was a good option for us. Looking back, it couldn't have been comfortable for him to walk around with his arm up in the air all the time and when he wanted to stop and go "dead weight", what did I do....pull on his arm!! Not too bright in retrospect. It had to hurt!

Anyway....the point I was trying to make (before hearing your side of the story) was that everyone should be attention to where they are walking. It's VERY easy to get distracted in the MK with so much to look at. No doubt the mother should have been paying better attention!

One last point before I step down off my soapbox. Try not to make all the decisions about your style of parenting until they lay the baby in your arms. We all go in with the best of intensions about what we absolutely will and will not do as a parent. Be flexible. You will soon discover what works for your child may not have worked for others and vice versa.

 

[Lisa F]

I'd do whatever I had to keep my child safe, regardless of what other people thought.

I don't have kids yet but that's about how I feel about them. Some kids are just so fast and so independent, I'd rather get dirty looks from "perfect" mothers than have my kid yank his hand out of mine on a hot day when we are both sweaty in a parking lot and run in front of a car (the incident that caused a friend of mine to get one of those things for her toddler).

 

[powellrj]

we used one of the harness types with my oldest DS who is now 22 when he was a toddler. We never used them with our younger 2, because they never had the "wander gene" their DB had. It was great!! The strap was very short so we didn't get in others way, it fastened like a backback harness on his back so his arm didn't get tired, and he was able to be free instead of holding our hands all the time!

 

[luvdzny]

Problem with them is that to protect your child you create a safety hazard for other children and adults.

People walking around theme park shouldn't have to be on the lookout for running into other people's leashes. It isn't a dog park.

I agree! I am a mom of 2, DD was VERY active but we never used a leash on her, I just don't think a child should be "walked" like a dog.

 

[MosMom]

I don't have a child

Yeah.

I can't tell you the number of things I swore I wouldn't do with my children and ended up doing.

 

[Pam]

I was leashed when I was a toddler and it didn't affect me one bit except for barking now and then at my DH and teens!!!

Don't forget about that nasty habit of yours - drinking out of the dog's water bowl, either!!

 

[Pam]

Child leashes are great. Places such as WDW can get so crowded and a child can become seperated from the family very easily. It happened to me a few times when I was younger. I'd be using one if I had a child

I never used one on either of my children. Now that they are teens and have driver's licenses, hormones, etc. - the leash thing doesn't sound so bad.....

 

[totalia]

I'd have said the same thing before my sister had my nephew. Now, I often find myself wishing I had one with him. Better to keep him safe.

This is not about walking them like a dog. This is about keeping them by your side rather than letting them run off. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen frantic parents running around looking for their young children that ran off.

This is about keeping them safe.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I used to work in a theme park and was apalled by leashes - but that would have been my daughter you saw on one in Disney last October!

I didn't have to use it a lot - it was really more of a threat - she knew if she couldn't stay with mom and dad - she was going to have to wear it -

she actually would ask for it sometimes -

my favorite was when she asked for it - I put it on her and then she told me she would hold it for me - yep - you guessed it that child stayed next to me as if I was holding it - she was stopping herself from running away -

odds are - you are more concerned about how that leash is affecting the child than the child is

and for those of you who are annoyed b/c you get tangled up in the leash - odds are those people would be annoying you no matter what - b/c they are not being aware of their surroundings and you would be getting your ankles smashed by their strollers or their kid would knock you down as they ran past you - the leash has nothing to do with why they are bothering you