Children Harnesses/Leashes

[disneychrista]

What is it that some have problems with these? I don't get it. If your child is prone to wondering, is it better to let them wonder off, get lost (or worse)?

I know some think of it like as if it means we are treating the child like a dog. Which it may be but then again. We leash our dogs to keep them safe too.

So what is wrong with having a child on a harness/leash?

 

[LisaZoe]

The people who are outraged by these are the people who've never had to use them. I bought one and tried it with my DD but the velcro closure didn't hold up to her lunges. Since I'm a single parent and she's an only child, it was easier to just hold her hand while she was an age where she wouldn't stay with me. Luckily, she's gotten very good about holding my hand and only needs reminders from time to time.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't have a problem with them at all, and I don't have kids.

I think when you are going to be i a place where the crowd could get enormous and your small child could be "swept away" in the crowd in a flash, they are a wonderful idea.

I can remember being at WDW one time at the fireworks in the MK and the crowd was so big that they actually opened the gates about 1/2way down Main Street USA (off the little "side road) to let people out to ease some of the congestion.

I would have no problem with someone harnessing/leashing a child in a crowd like that. They could be gone in an instant.

 

[mickeyfan1]

My mother raised 4 of us from birth. My younger sister would never stay in the family crowd, so she had a harness and leash. Back in the early 60s it was pretty normal. If I was in the same situation, I would do the same thing. I have seen the velco wrist band that the child and the parent wear together with a lead between, no one seems to mind those.

To me what it boils down to is personal choice. I don't know what antone elses situation is with their child. If a parent has to "Leash and Harness" their child to keep them from wandering off, who am I to say it's a bad thing? I don't know that the child is made to eat from the floor and do their potty business outside. To me, that is being treated like a dog. Using something to keep your child safe in a crowd doesn't seem bad.

 

[dzneelvr]

As with anything, the "outrage" comes from a personal perspective of the individual. Maybe that person had to be on a leash as a child and it was used as punishment or the parent made fun of it. I just don't like to see it because it does remind me of an animal on a leash plus, there was a family situation in my town in the early 1970's where this wasn't handled correctly by the parents, thus my perspective.

My DH and I didn't do the extensive travel until DS was 6 and DD was 4, so we avoided the young years. It was my decision--I just wasn't going to WDW until the diaper bag was OUT and a fanny pack was IN...
Try not to be too harsh to judge..there may be a reason behind the feeling. (can you tell I'm a Libra??)

 

[dg39]

As we all know kids can disappear in a heartbeat. If this or any other product keeps them safer, than who is anyone to complain about it. Some kids stay close to the parents and thats great, but, others don't. If the leash/harness works then I would without a doubt use it and could care less what others think about it. Peace of mind and a safe child is my only concern.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by dzneelvr
As with anything, the "outrage" comes from a personal perspective of the individual.

I'd never use a harness or leash, but I don't have a problem with others using one.

 

[auntpolly]

It's interesting that you are talking about them today. I just got back from vacation and I met a woman from the UK that espressed perfectly why she used one when her son was small. I had always thought that they were really a mistake, but it made me realize that there are different reasons for using them and that they're no big deal.

I like Disney Doll's quote, though, and I think that it kind of sums up what I see as a <i>potential</i> threat for overuse of child harnesses: "Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child." I just think that parents need to try to make the child ready for the world in every way possible, and depending <i>too much</i> on a harness isn't working toward that goal. If you need it - use it. Anyone who is outraged about them doesn't have enough to worry about.

 

[nativetxn]

When my son was one year old, we went to Niagara Falls and visited Goat Island. There were no rails, all it would have taken was for me to let him out of the stroller and for him to slip or step into that raging river. I was terrified the whole time. I wouldn't have been able to save him from the Falls if that had happened. I decided then that if we returned while he was still small , I would use a harness, a leash, whatever it took, to keep him safe.


Another place that is terrifying to me for anyone with toddlers is the Grand Canyon.

I would have done anything I had to do to keep my child safe. I have no problem with using safety harnesses with children.

Katholyn

 

[mudnuri]

I dont use them, always think of it as a "dog on a leash" type thing. I've got 2 DD's and I guess I lucked out that they just learned not to run around...

We've always had the rule- when in busy public places, "your feet dont move unless your hand is in Dad or Mom's hand"..

We brought DD8 to Niagra Falls when she was 14 months and I was 8 months pregnant with DD7, and I never thought twice about letting her walk.

i dont know, I just have an issue with them that I cant explain. They are not very common here in VT..

Brandy