did you ever use a child "leash" at DL?

[NotUrsula]

I give him 3 warnings and that is it. There is no need for me to have him on a leash. If he takes off running, he knows what no means. And he knows, what go home means too.

With all due respect, your warnings will be moot if he "takes off running" right into the path of a parade float. Sometimes that first dash can be deadly. With certain children under certain circumstances the only foolproof way to keep them safe is prior restraint.

And BTW for everyone: "leash" is an incorrect term. The device is called a safety rein.

 

[Monkeyfeet]

Actually, I do have a son who is 3. And he mis-behaives all the time. I. And he knows, what go home means too.

There are some great books out there to help. "Playful Parenting" "Easy to Love, Hard to Discipline" Positive Discipline" I have more titles if you would like. HTH!!

 

[kanga24roos]

Actually, I do have a son who is 3. And he mis-behaives all the time. I just had an incident with him not too long ago at Disneyland, where we had to leave the park. When we went back to the park this year, he behaived like an angel. I give him 3 warnings and that is it. There is no need for me to have him on a leash. If he takes off running, he knows what no means. And he knows, what go home means too.

This is great advice for parents of single children but won't work with more than one. If you have a child who stays with you and one who wanders you cannot 1. leave the one child to go chasing the other or 2. leave the park, how would that be fair? I agree children are not dogs I have 2 dogs and 4 children I care enough for my dogs to protect them by putting them on lead when in dangerous situations why should I not care as much for my chilrdren to do anything and everything I need to to keep them safe. That said I personally have never used one but am giving it alot of thought for our upcoming trip.

 

[pixiepoo24637]

With all due respect, your warnings will be moot if he "takes off running" right into the path of a parade float. Sometimes that first dash can be deadly.
With certain children under certain circumstances the only foolproof way to keep them safe is prior restraint.

I agree! Also, in the interest in fairness, what about if you have other children with you? Is it fair to punish them for something their sibling is doing? A leash or a wrist restraint is so much better than the droves that let their kids run around & chase after them.

 

[soibn]

I love the leash. Yes, we use a retractable dog leash on our son. However our DS has autism and he will be gone in a second. I know mom's will say that I should be able to control him, but if they wanted they could spend a day with my DS and they would use a leash also.

In the end, I am the mom and I have to keep my son safe from harm. He doesn't get that a bus will kill him. I use a leash to keep him safe.

Good luck. Remember you will never again see these people anywhere again in your life. Who cares what they think. Do what is best for your child and you.

I kind see, that you definately have an exscuse. I think I would do the same in your case.
Sorry to have offended anyone, but that is just my opinion. I my self, do not believe in them. The only time I have used one, was on a ship. And yes my son, almost went over board. He was only 2 at the time. And yes I had a gentlemen argue with me about it, untill I explained how my son could go over board. Other then that, do not see a use for them. Again sorry for offending you ladys. I personally would rather get the excersise and run my butt off to catch him. It is actually kind of amusing and fun.

 

[soibn]

There are some great books out there to help. "Playful Parenting" "Easy to Love, Hard to Discipline" Positive Discipline" I have more titles if you would like. HTH!!

So shoot the names over here. I would not mind reading them, maybe it might helps some other parents as well. And I don't mean that sarcastically either.

 

[soibn]

With all due respect, your warnings will be moot if he "takes off running" right into the path of a parade float. Sometimes that first dash can be deadly. With certain children under certain circumstances the only foolproof way to keep them safe is prior restraint.

And BTW for everyone: "leash" is an incorrect term. The device is called a safety rein.

Actually my kid is pretty smart, so I think he knows not to run into a float or any other moving device.

 

[soibn]

I agree! Also, in the interest in fairness, what about if you have other children with you? Is it fair to punish them for something their sibling is doing? A leash or a wrist restraint is so much better than the droves that let their kids run around & chase after them.

Very true, I got to agree with you in that respect. But that is what a break is for, maybe perhaps away from the park to show that you are serious. I guess it would be pretty tough with several kids. But usually if one kid is acting up, its like a domino affect the rest go down.

 

[all4fun]

I used one when my ds was between 18mos-3yrs. He had gross motor skill delays and the harness helped us help him keep his balance without us pulling his little arm out of its socket. Also, he did like to run away and went through a phase where he very resistant to holding hands but with the harness on, he would NOT try to run away - so it worked for us. Plus, when he did run, I was always very scared that he would fall and hurt himself - or as has been pointed out already - run right in front of a moving object - forget about the parade floats - think about all the strollers at WDW. And not everyone is looking down towards their feet, so it is very likely for a 2-3yr old to get stepped on.

Just some thoughts. I think you should do what feels right to you. You can always bring it and play it by ear - you only have to use it if you feel you really need to. As for the Dog comments (and the like), the only place I've heard those are on boards like this where people obviously feel comfortable making rude statements like that. None have ever been made to me IRL. I suppose those are the same people that won't discipline their child at all, for fear of treating them like a dog (ie "sit", "stay", "come here" etc) JK of course!

ETA: Oh and of course, just because a child has a safety harness on doesn't mean you can't hold their hand too. Usually when our ds had one one, he was more willing to stay by our side and hold our hand. I suppose with the physical boundary the rein provided, he knew he wasn't going to get very far anyway.

Hth.

 

[dbmarie]

When my dd6 was little I would use the stroller if she did not listen. However I had to be consistent if she did not hold my hand and stay by me she had to go into the stroller. I can't judge about using a leash as I have never used one but I would worry about my child getting hurt when they reached the end of the leash. A dog has good balance (with 4 legs) and do not generally get knocked down but a child would be.

 

[Gillian]

I guess for something like this I don't care what others think. It's not hurting anyone, and it might help keep a child safe.

My older child is not perfect by any means, but he responds to normal discipline techniques. My daughter is another matter. She is very fast, very strong, impossible to hold onto if she doesn't want to be held, etc. If I only had one child, or none, I would have no idea what it would be like to have one like DD.

As for running, it's wonderful, but not always practical. Do you leave your other child(ren) while chasing down the runner? What if, like me, you are not able to run?

Anyway, we have used the harness kind. It's very secure, and not uncomfortable.

 

[Monkeyfeet]

So shoot the names over here. I would not mind reading them, maybe it might helps some other parents as well. And I don't mean that sarcastically either.

ITA, I think all parents could benefit from some good parenting advice. If you go to Mothering.com and look under Gentle Discipline, at the top in a sticky is a book list. I have found that very useful! They are books geared to be gentle to your children (trying not to yell, humilate, or physically hurt). It is a GREAT resource!

 

[Gillian]

When my dd6 was little I would use the stroller if she did not listen. However I had to be consistent if she did not hold my hand and stay by me she had to go into the stroller.

Good idea, except that my kids can get out of anything. When they want to, of course, not when it's convenient for me, LOL.

We do that at stores now, stay by the cart or go in the cart. It's difficult for DD. She gets upset. She is so stubborn!

 

[soibn]

I guess for something like this I don't care what others think. It's not hurting anyone, and it might help keep a child safe.

My older child is not perfect by any means, but he responds to normal discipline techniques. My daughter is another matter. She is very fast, very strong, impossible to hold onto if she doesn't want to be held, etc. If I only had one child, or none, I would have no idea what it would be like to have one like DD.

As for running, it's wonderful, but not always practical. Do you leave your other child(ren) while chasing down the runner? What if, like me, you are not able to run?

Anyway, we have used the harness kind. It's very secure, and not uncomfortable.

Alot of you have some great excuses, but keep in mind that alot of people out there do not. They just do not pay attention to their children very well, so they compensate with a leash. My comments are meant for those kind of people. And yes, if you only have one child. Why the heck do you need a leash? Again there are excuses out there, but I have seen in many cases where it was not necesary. I my self prefer a stroller, that way I know my kid is safe. But everyone has a different opinion.

 

[va32h]

I have three children, ages 10, 6, and 3. I am almost always the only adult with them, as my husband travels a lot for work. I have taken all three of them to DL, alone. They are neither especially well behaved or especially bad, like most kids they can act before thinking, and disobey and run around.

I've never used a leash, and have plans to start.

I say all this only because anytime someone says they don't use leashes, everyone jumps on them and says "you don't have kids" or "you only have one" or "you aren't trying to take care of them alone," or some other reason why their opinion isn't valid.

If other parents want to use leashes, it is absolutely none of my business. If it will improve your park experience and make things easier for you, buy it, use it, and don't worry about other people's comments or looks. It's their problem.

The only things I would caution people using leashes about is making sure it isn't too long, so it doesn't get tangled up on objects or other people and making sure you don't walk too fast so the child doesn't trip while walking with you.

 

[Gillian]

The only things I would caution people using leashes about is making sure it isn't too long, so it doesn't get tangled up on objects or other people and making sure you don't walk too fast so the child doesn't trip while walking with you.

This is a good point! We haven't used ours a lot, but when we do, DD walks ahead of us, making it easy to see what's going on. I have the kind with a harness and the "leash" part is on the back. It's not stretchy. We control the length.

 

[jessica52877]

I have never used a leash, my son is now 4 and he'll ride in a stroller (which I prefer) BUT if it worked for me then I would not hesitate to use a leash what so ever. Knowing where your child is and peace of mind is so much more important then others opinions!

 

[Gillian]

Again there are excuses out there, but I have seen in many cases where it was not necesary. I my self prefer a stroller, that way I know my kid is safe. But everyone has a different opinion.

I am glad that a stroller works for you. I know for my son it was wonderful.

I don't think that you can ever really tell if it's necessary. If the child is perfectly behaved with the harness, it might look unnecessary, but it could be that is the only thing that works. If a parent looks healthy and able to sprint off at any moment, perhaps that is because he/she chooses to take it easy and not run. I know you understand what I mean. There are many hidden disabilities in both kids and adults, and you really may not be able to tell.

Honestly, I do not know anyone who would use a harness for their kid if they didn't need it.

 

[abookworm]

I am so against these, children are not dogs period. Unless of course you are going on a ship or boat, I don't think a child should have to where them. If you kid runs off, then you run too period. No one ever said it was going to be easy raising a child, so you better run. Besides running is good for you and keeps you in shape.

The problem with your logic of "if your child runs, then you run too" is that most 2 yr olds are small and can run thru people easily whereas I am an adult and would have to push people down and dodge around them to get at him directly-not exactly an option. And I'm not some lazy out-of-shape person either (nice implication on your part)

I also have 2 other children I need to watch and even with my Dh we are outnumbered. My older 2 certainly will not run off but crowds can separate people quite easily so i still need to be able to keep my eye on them at all times too.

And to imply that I think parenting should be easy is rather rude and obnoxious. It's hard to imagine anyone having 3 children and thinking parenting was a bowl of cherries.

As for your discipline tactic of "if he misbehaves then we leave" well that's just not happening since we're only there for a few days and my 2 other kids want to enjoy the park. I'm not going to spend a few thousand dollars on a trip then not stay at the park because I'm teaching my 2 yr old a lesson that he can't fully understand yet anyway. If you can afford to do that then more power to ya.

I knew people would have a strong reaction to this post which is why I mentioned it at the beginning, but I also was directing it at those that had needed to use them.

While holding his hand is an option for short time-there is a bit of height difference and I'd actually have to lean over a bit and his arm would be stretched up which would not be good for hours at a time.

I also should not have used the term "leash" since I think that is what gets many people in a tiz anyway. They obviously are not around their neck like a pet.
They are child harnesses or wrist leads if that helps take the sting out of it.
They are for safety just like life preservers or training wheels. Unless you don't think people should use those either and just sink or swim?

 

[karibritt01]

Alot of you have some great excuses, but keep in mind that alot of people out there do not. They just do not pay attention to their children very well, so they compensate with a leash. My comments are meant for those kind of people. And yes, if you only have one child. Why the heck do you need a leash? Again there are excuses out there, but I have seen in many cases where it was not necesary. I my self prefer a stroller, that way I know my kid is safe. But everyone has a different opinion.

When I used a leash for my son, he was an only child, and we have no disabilities for 'excuses.' However, we took him to Busch Gardens Williamsburg at the age of 22 months. My son was never the type to ride in a stroller, and was miserable if we tried. In theory, we should have been able to chase him if he ran off. In reality, his little body could wedge through openings that we couldn't. Also, people will step aside if a child pushes on their leg, but block an adult. Fear of line cutting, maybe? I do know that the leash made it easy for all of us to relax and enjoy the day. We didn't have to worry he would get away, and he didn't have to be constantly reigned in from enjoying his first park visit. My DD is a whole other matter, and we have never had to worry about her wandering away, and so she has never been leashed. We also did not leash DS except when we felt it truly necessary, such as parks, state fair, Christmas parade. My DS never minded his leash, as it gave him the freedom to check things out within our boundries. BTW - we didn't buy the harness or the wrist leashes. We used a 6' retractable, and hooked it to the back of an overalls strap. We didn't have to worry about it dragging, and we worried he could remove the wrist one.