For all the Parents that uses leashes for your children...

[sdoll]

I owe you a big apoligy!!!!!!!!!! Before I had my DS2 I thought that was the most inhumane thing to do to your child. Now I understand. My son has no fear and loves to be free. He does not care if he is walking with another family, all alone or with Ted Bundy himself. Please don't flame me but as I plan for our Jan. trip I am strongly considering purchasing a leash. I want to be able to let him walk some of the time but I know he will run. I can't contain him to his stroller all the time. Plus we are travelling with my sisters family and he will want to be walking with the big kids. I am hoping that will keep him with us. But if it doesn't work I will be prepared. So to all you parents out there I now understand and I AM SO SORRY I judged you! I understand what it takes to protect your children sometimes you have to get extreme.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I personally have never used the leash....but HAVE been on the panic end of not finding a child at Disney for about 3 minutes....I'd much rather have a leash and let those who are perfect parents keep tabs on their kids at all times than to have them run off or scream in their stroller!!

 

[twoanddone]

Luckily, my kids so far haven't run off (and actually love their stroller!!) but a few years ago a single naive friend commented about those "awful" leashes. ............ . . Her now two year old can get away from her in less than two seconds......... She now "walks" him everywhere
I've always thought they were cute

 

[mommylicious]

I view the leash as something that can go either way. You can use it lovingly to give your child a bit of freedom but stay with them or you can use it as a way to be, for lack of a better word, a lazy parent. Using it the way you are discussing (and I've done the same thing) is using it with love and with respect. We've all seen the Mom sitting reading a book while Timmy has the leash stretched to the max and is rotating around her at the end of it screaming and trying to break free meanwhile others have to go out of their way to walk around Mom and Timmy so as not to get caught in the leash.

I was the same way as you...I swore I'd never use one, untill my second son was born. It took him forever to learn to walk. He was almost 17 months before he started walking but he was running within 24 hours of learning to walk. He still hasn't stopped. When he was 2 we'd use the leash in situations like when we were in a queue so we could put him down or while sitting and waiting for a parade to start. He'd be in my lap but with it on so that he could stand up and wave to characters but not run off (as he tried to do that MANY times on the trip when he was 21 months old), We didn't use it much just walking around as he did like his stroller but if we did, we walked beside him so he wasn't all stretched out with it but he just WOULD NOT hold our hands and walk so this kept him right by us but let him feel like he had some freedom.

I think too many people assume that if you are using the leash that you are a lazy parent. I don't believe that is necissarily true. It's all about HOW you use it.

 

[Gillian]

Welcome to the club.

I think DD 4 is too old for one for our upcoming trip, but she still kind of needs it.

 

[MidgeD79]

Amen!!!! I used a "leash" on my 4 year old grandson ( my dd died and I am raising him) for his first trip to WDW in June '07. He was there for 4 days and by the third day he didn't need to use it.

 

[grlpwrd]

I can relate. I didn't think I would ever use one except it all changed when I had my son and then my 4th dd. They used to run in opposite directions. Ugh. lol

 

[isla bonita]

Before having our children I had these ideas that my children would act accordingly because I was gonna do a much better job than any one.

My first prooved me right for 5.9 years. Still had those ideas really I did.

Then I had my second son. My best friend calls it "second child syndrome"
He has made me take back and then some every comment, thought, idea and reference to bad parenting. Or what I thought was bad parenting skills.

We called him Houdini. The elders in the market would remind me that they had straps in the carriages so he would not stand in the carts while I was quickly grabbing at top shelf items. Baby proofing was almost useless the relatives would ask him to open the draws when they could not. When he was unable to open the stubborn cupboards he would rip them off the hinges. Yes thats correct he managed to tear 2 cupboard doors off. They are not flimsy by any means. He was on a mission to break me and it almost worked.

Use the leash and ignore the looks. Trust me there are so worst things that can happen. You are a great mom and a great person to be able to know whar you made and error and am owning up to it.

Been there done that and he is now 12 and still in one peice.

 

[bellebud]

use it and enjoy your trip. the only ones who look at it as a bad thing anymore are childless people, parents whose kids are clingers and don't run, and older people who don't have the memory anymore of what it's like to have a toddler (i seem to run into these women in the supermarket every time i'm there! )

You can't stop a runner from running without some sort of restraint. I say let them explore and get excercise in safety with the leash. I love the sense of adventure these kids have and wouldn't want to stiffle it (i have 2 and had to find something 'good' about the running)...

they have the cute ones now too w/ the animals on the backpack part.

 

[seashoreCM]

The biggest problem with leashes is becoming entangled with other people who then complain that it is inhumane.

Movie trivia (not Disney, not animated): Who said (approximately), "Whistles are for dogs ...animals and not for children and definitely not for me."

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[mommylicious]

Before having our children I had these ideas that my children would act accordingly because I was gonna do a much better job than any one.

My forst prooved me right for 5.9 years. Still ad those ideas really I did.

I was like that too. DS #1 was the most easy going and agreeable baby and toddler. NEVER a problem. You can still just look at him and he straightens up (or like today you ask a pointed question and give him "the look" and he will admit to digging through the basement and finding his Christmas presents ). I was positive that this was the result of my superior parenting skills. I would see parents of toddlers his age dealing with all sorts of toddler behavior and would congratulate myself on not having to deal with those issues. Then it happened. God decided to teach me a lesson. He sent me DS #2. It all changed then. Now when I see someone dealing with toddler behavior I smile at them with the "been there, done that" smile and just try to be thankful that he's not 2 anymore (and now I add to that a silent prayer that DS #3 will continue to be more like DS #1 ) I've said many times that God blessed me with patience, but then he gave me DS #2 to test it.

 

[dis-happy]

The biggest problem with leashes is becoming entangled with other people who then complain that it is inhumane.

Movie trivia (not Disney, not animated): Who said (approximately), "Whistles are for dogs ...animals and not for children and definitely not for me."

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Mary Poppins said it, except that she was Maria at the time, of course.


OP: Welcome to the world of parenting and choking on those words said BC (before children). We've all done it!!!

 

[Drewsmommybear]

You know, I was part of the non-lash crowd too--until our very self-reliant, very curious son was born. When he started to walk, I got him a leash that is actually a monkey. It's kind of like a backpack and the monkey's tail is the part that you hold on to. When we went to Disney World, at first we decided not to use it. But we quickly changed our mind.

We were waiting for the bus at MK and he was sitting in his stoller. I turned around to say something to DH and heard someone say, "Oh my goodness." I turned back (it was just a split second) and HE WAS RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET, IN FRONT OF A BUS. Thank God the bus was very far away, but after that moment, anytime we were not in our room, he wore the monkey. Every picture of him includes the monkey on his back. We had a funny moment when one of the villians from Pinnochio picked up the leash (while we were in safe areas, I would let the leash lay) and started to walk away with our son! He was laughing and saying "Bye, mommy. I go with this cat."

The fact of the matter is, I know he's safe. He can have some freedom. It's good for both of us. Plus, we were able to load up the backpack with goodies. We are going again this year. Will we use the leash? I'm not sure yet because he's a year older and listens. We'll pack it though.

I say buy one, bring it, and use it if you need it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I call it a harness, b/c that takes part of the weird "leashes are for dogs" sting out of the word. PLus, I have the one that goes around the chest, so it IS a harness. Harness and lead.

My mom used them on us, and she did so because she loved us and wanted us to be safe.

Going back on the "don't talk about dogs" thing, she had leads on our malamutes too, b/c she was only one woman and there were two kids and two malamutes. She didn't want any of us to run off and get taken or hit or drowned (they were usually used when we were at the beach).

All that said, my guy gives me a really hard with the harness. I'm fairly sure that I inhaled enough malamute fur while growing up that I managed to pass along sled-dog genes, b/c he acts like the lead dog breaking the sled out of the ice. He runs and SLAMS into the end of the lead, then leans waaaaaaay forward. Oh what fun!

But I'm going to have to use it at the airport on Wednesday, b/c I can't Ergo him anymore, and he's unpredictable in crowds. Wish me luck that he doesn't pull my shoulder out!

 

[shokzm]

I was like that too. DS #1 was the most easy going and agreeable baby and toddler. NEVER a problem. You can still just look at him and he straightens up (or like today you ask a pointed question and give him "the look" and he will admit to digging through the basement and finding his Christmas presents ). I was positive that this was the result of my superior parenting skills. I would see parents of toddlers his age dealing with all sorts of toddler behavior and would congratulate myself on not having to deal with those issues. Then it happened. God decided to teach me a lesson. He sent me DS #2. It all changed then. Now when I see someone dealing with toddler behavior I smile at them with the "been there, done that" smile and just try to be thankful that he's not 2 anymore (and now I add to that a silent prayer that DS #3 will continue to be more like DS #1 ) I've said many times that God blessed me with patience, but then he gave me DS #2 to test it.

I am 100% with you guys. I my 1st son is a piece of cake. No problems and stayed close by but 2nd son. Ahhh!!! He is a strong head, set in his own ways kid. As I was reading everyones comment about the backpack harness. I just now purchased one. We leave in less than two weeks for WDW and I believe it will be very handy... I thank you all for this thread.

 

[kmaclou]

I don't have kids, but the little backpack leashes crack me up. I think they're perfect for controlling the munchkins. I know some adults who could stand to have a leash on.

 

[jenrose66]

I feel the same way you do. I used to turn my nose up and feel sorry for kids on "leashes" but I have a 15 month old and plan to put him in a "child restraint device" this spring/summer as we start to do theme parks etc...You truly don't understand certain things until you have a baby yourself.

 

[PrincessPoohsMom]

I always feel so much better reading threads like this. My 14 month DD is also a totally fearless child, who loves people, and will NOT hold hands. I found myself snatching at the back of her jacket and coming up with air one too many times, and went out & bought a "harness" (I agree it feels better to put it that way) and lead. It's actually a very cute across-the-chest model with a little "purse" attached to the side...since she's made getting my purse out and walking around with it on her shoulder into a great game, I'm hoping she'll be pretty accepting of this. Since she's getting close to figuring out the buckle on her umbrella stroller we'll definitely need to employ it on our trip in April; I'll never understand how little hands are able to do so much damage in such a small amount of time!

 

[eeyore3847]

oh I hated parents with those. Then I had my third child NICHOLAS! He is not like his 2 older sisters. he is a running machine. So we use his "monkey" in big situations. it is a monkey leash. and then at grandma's he has a "bear". Grandma can not run as fast as him and when he goes to the park w/ her it is added security!
I am now the "LEASH MOMMY"

Lori

 

[HannaBelle]

So what is it with the 2nd child?

My DS was such a perfect toddler! You could give him a stern "no" and he would be in tears...

My DD (2nd child) was quite literally h3ll on wheels...she was (and still is) so strong willed! She could go from standing next to you to GONE in about 3 seconds. We used a harness in certain circumstances and did not worry about the looks! Avoiding the absolute terror of losing a child in a crowd is worth every second condescending know-it-alls! Unfortunately...I know...

Besides...it was so precious for our DS (5 at the time) asking if it could be his turn to walk his sister....