Harnesses for Kids

[MattM]

I'm glad that you feel comfortable doing so.

I think the point is that some children and parents might feel the need to use the leash appropriately. It's not treating your child as a dog to use it. It's an extra safety measure.

You can disagree with using the leash for your child (and seriously, kudos to you for not needing it!) but please don't compare children to dogs.

If you would re-read my whole post, you would see that I was quoting Mrs. Toad, who actually compared children to a dog. You should have sensed sarcasm in my response to Mrs. Toad, because I think it is a ridiculous comparison.

 

[MattM]

Why do you think astronauts wear leashes while they're working outside their spacecraft? Yes, technically, they're called tethers, but it's the same principle.

The tethers provide life support and keep the astronauts from getting lost in space.

And what could be more appealing to a 2-year-old's imagination, than to be a "Mickeynaut" tethered to the "Mothership"?

So, to my mind, if it's good enough for America's finest -- our intrepid astronaut corps -- then it's good enough for my child.

Oh, by the way...

Opinions (or "opinoins") are like boogers -- everybody has them, and sometimes, they should just keep them to themselves. Please don't use this forum as your handkerchief.

And that's MY opinion!

Not a great analogy.

 

[maxiesmom]

Know what my grandparents used to do with me (age 5-9) when we'd go to our camp on the bayou? They'd tie a rope to me and to a post on the cabana that stood over the bayou and let me at it.
The solution to your problem is easy, move away.

My brother in law remembers being tied with a rope to a tee in his front yard when he was little. And his parents are just about the nicest people you could know!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I am probably going to TOTALLY be flamed for this but...

I love the references about kids on harnesses looking like dogs being walked, and leashes should ONLY be for animals, not kids. If you all feel that strongly, then I don't think dogs should be allowed to wear clothes or shoes for that matter... THEY'RE DOGS!!!! And what about all those times when a person gets taken out by a rouge dog on a leash? Those people should have more "appropriate" control of the dogs or not have them at all!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Sorry, couldn't help myself. This thread is getting ridiculous... there is no right or wrong answer here. If having a harness makes the parent feel more comfortable about travelling, by all means, use it. My family does and my son actually asks to wear his "monkey" when we are in busy places. It makes him feel better. Would I drag him by it? HECK NO! But one idiot on YouTube does not a community of harness-loving parents make.

 

[momtoprincess A]

My first son was on the go from day 1. He was walking at 9 mos and running by 10. He loved to push his stroller around the mall, but as soon as he saw shoes (in shoe store) he would take off running. When he was 14mos I was pregnant with his brother, we tried a wrist harness for him. He through himself on the ground and I swear if he could have chewed his hand off ~ he would have.

When my second son was born ~#1 was 22 mos old. I had to walk across a busy parking lot to get to our townhouse. One day as I was getting them out of the van #1 took off running. Thank goodness there was a old lady there that I knew. I kind of dropped #2 at her feet in his carseat and chased #1.
After that I got a leash. You know what ~ he loved it. He wouldn't leave the house without it. He didn't like to hold hands because he liked to carry a pine cone in each hand. I didn't drag him a long, we went at his pace. If I had to be in a hurry, he rode in the stroller.

I've seen people holding their child's hand and just dragging them a long. There are good and bad parenting skills everwhere.
I'm not pro harness or anti harness ~ I'm for parents being able to make the best decissions for there family and not having to feel bad about it.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Correct, that's why my reply said "IF", as in "If I saw a child tied to a table," in other words, if the poster proposed tying a kid to a table, what would be the result? That was my answer.

That's not the part of your post that I was referring to. You also said this:

For every parent that uses a harness responsibly, you have 10 parents dragging kids through a store, tying them to a table, and otherwise abusing the harness (and the kid).

That was the flying leap.

Again, this really isn't about you. I'm glad you're so lucky. I've seen all of the things you mentioned. Maybe I just get out more.

Um, it's not about you, either. You are the one who started posting about your personal observations, yet I'm not supposed to post about mine? And while I highly doubt you "get out more" , even if you did, you made a claim of ratios. Even if you've seen 900 out of 1,000 parents using child harnesses abusively, and I've seen zero out of 100, we have had very different experiences.

It's very obvious we live in different worlds, with different ideas of what is abusive to children. That's part of why I find the disboards so interesting, in a cringe-worthy sort of way.

Well, at least we agree wholeheartedly on that point!

I know there are some pro-harness people that won't stop until the rest of the world is either all on board with leashing children, or has at least cowed the anti-harness bunch into silence.

Until people can use harnesses appropriately, I don't think it's ever going to happen. Especially now that we have message boards and YouTube...

Pro-harness? I can only speak for myself, but I'm not pro-harness, I am pro-choice with respect to harnesses.

I love my kid and my dog. Should I put my kid in the kennel every night before I got to bed so I know he won't get in to anything and stay in bed?

If you ever put your child into a crib or a Pack 'n' Play, it's the same idea, isn't it? Have you ever used a baby gate for your child? What's the difference between that and a pet gate? They make doggie strollers and car seats now, should we stop using them for kids so they don't look like dogs?

Similarity of products doesn't not turn a child into a dog, or vice versa.

If you would re-read my whole post, you would see that I was quoting Mrs. Toad, who actually compared children to a dog. You should have sensed sarcasm in my response to Mrs. Toad, because I think it is a ridiculous comparison.

For someone who so obviously misunderstood my post, it's funny that you tell someone else what they "should have" sensed in yours.

I didn't compare a child to a dog. I compared the desire to keep them both safe. What I didn't say before that I will now, is that most people love our kids much, much more than we love our pets. That's why I find it odd that sometimes, people will make a greater effort to keep a dog safe than their own child.

One situation in which we used to use the child harness was going hiking. Can't really take a stroller on those trails, and the backpack is awfully confiing to the child after a while. We run across so many families who let their young kids run ahead and dart off the trail into the forest, while they hold on tight to those dog's leashes. We've seen more than one child slip and fall down an embankment, getting scraped up pretty badly. Luckily, we haven't seen worse.

 

[MattM]

If you ever put your child into a crib or a Pack 'n' Play, it's the same idea, isn't it? Have you ever used a baby gate for your child? What's the difference between that and a pet gate? They make doggie strollers and car seats now, should we stop using them for kids so they don't look like dogs?

Similarity of products doesn't not turn a child into a dog, or vice versa.

You're picking and chosing what parts of my post you respond to that you think you can counterpoint. So I'll ask again. Should I have my son neutered so he doesnt run around the neighborhood impregnating girls when he becomes a teen?

I'm not talking about "pet gates." I'm talking about a fully enclosed cage. I do this to my dog so he wont chew on things or pee all over the place at night while we're asleep.

And I agree with your point. Dog strollers, clothes, etc are completely riduclous. It's just a dog.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Mrs. Toad, you truly are the grande dame of "out of context" posting.

eta: some days I wish I was pms'y and not on a deadline so I could pick apart all the inconsistencies and incongruities and continue the silly battle, but shucks, today, I'm happy and busy so .

 

[BayouMickey]

Should I have my son neutered so he doesnt run around the neighborhood impregnating girls when he becomes a teen?
.

Must.... resist... temptation...









(just a joke, laugh)

 

[Mrs.Toad]

You're picking and chosing what parts of my post you respond to that you think you can counterpoint. So I'll ask again. Should I have my son neutered so he doesnt run around the neighborhood impregnating girls when he becomes a teen?

I'm not talking about "pet gates." I'm talking about a fully enclosed cage. I do this to my dog so he wont chew on things or pee all over the place at night while we're asleep.

And I agree with your point. Dog strollers, clothes, etc are completely riduclous. It's just a dog.

OK, no, I don't think you should have your son neutered so he doesn't impregnate girls. Sorry, I didn't think you seriously wanted an answer to that question!

I know you weren't talking about pet gates, but I wasn't talking about kennels, either. If you (and others) are going to compare child harnesses to pet leashes, at least be consistent. Baby gates and pet gates are more similar to each other than are pet leashes and child harnesses (especially the cutesy monkey ones).

The real comparison is that both child harnesses and pet leashes are used to keep our toddlers or pets close to us. The way I see it, this is motivated by our desire to protect them, though for some agressive pet owners, it may be more about their desire to protect other people from their pet. No one is equating children with dogs, other than some of the "anti-harness" people who can't seem to look at a child wearing a harness without thinking "dog".

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Mrs. Toad, you truly are the grande dame of "out of context" posting.

eta: some days I wish I was pms'y and not on a deadline so I could pick apart all the inconsistencies and incongruities and continue the silly battle, but shucks, today, I'm happy and busy so .

LOL! Nice attempt at deflection, yet you obviously found time to "continue the silly battle" by trying to puff yourself up and put me down!

Thanks, though. You know you've proven your point when the other side can't come up with a rational response and resorts to the infamous "I'm so busy and important and happy" line, while they continue to post on the same message boards as the rest of us, unimportant, unhappy, idle folks.

 

[marymac123]

I told my hubby about buying a harness for our daughter for DW. Well, we got into a tiny argument about it last night-he remembers when we used it last at the zoo...All the dirty looks, etc.

Well, today at the mall in the children's place I was on line to a Quick refund-my daughter started to play with all the older kids...AND...She's GONE!!! I was frantic calling her & looking everywhere for about 2 mins. I had to finally ask the 2 idiots behind the counter 3-yes 3-times for them to help me look for her! NONE of the other moms even looked up from their racks!!! Nobody helped! Until one of the older(12 yrs or so) pointed out where she was. The kid saw me going crazy & said nothing till I asked for help. No offering to close down the doors-nothing! At a store that sells only baby & kid clothes-don't they have a system in place? I managed a Jrs shop for over 10 yrs-we would lock up & make announcements. Not have to be told what to do. Don't you help someone looking for their kid under racks & stuff? I always do!

I know it was my fault for not making her stay with me...but that was the worst 2 or so minutes of my life!

So, I am glad I ordered my Minnie Backpack harness buddy from Kohls last night!

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Don't you help someone looking for their kid under racks & stuff? I always do!

Heck, I help someone looking for an earring under the racks and stuff! I can't imagine people not helping you look for your child!

I'm sorry you had to go through that.

 

[kissthemouse]

They make doggie strollers and car seats now, should we stop using them for kids so they don't look like dogs?

No, but we should stop using them for dogs cuz that just looks silly.

 

[Jakesmom1]

I bought one of these for DS for our upcoming trip http://www.target.com/Eddie-Bauer-H...wse=0&index=target&rh=k:monkey harness&page=1

Can I get your feelings please? Have you used them in the past at the parks? How did they work for you and your little one?

My DH is now 15, but when he was little I used the wrist harness, It worked for us.

Of course I kept an eye on him as well, the harness did not replace good parenting it was just in conjunction with it. We were on a ferry when he was very small and wanted so to look out of the side with out being held, becuase he had the harness on and I was standing right next to him he was able to feel like a big boy.

I wish they had the monkey when he was young, he probably would have loved it.

My DH is my life and I would do anything to keep him safe and I have. He never got tangled up with other people, nor did his little arm or wrist get pulled on. He was able to walk next to us with out any problems, and in Disney like any where else in the world you have some adults that will act like jerks and have no respect for children. We were at Fantasmic one year when DS was about 5 yrs old and when the show was over, my DS was holding my hand and this man in his 50's pushed between me and my son so hard that we got seperated. I was so angry that an adult could be such a jerk at Disney. I was very lucky that my DS didnt get lost.

I would use one on my DS now if I thought it would keep him safe.

 

[freepixie]

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

LOL! Nice attempt at deflection, yet you obviously found time to "continue the silly battle" by trying to puff yourself up and put me down!

Thanks, though. You know you've proven your point when the other side can't come up with a rational response and resorts to the infamous "I'm so busy and important and happy" line, while they continue to post on the same message boards as the rest of us, unimportant, unhappy, idle folks.

No, really, that wasn't it. You're just not important enough to argue with. And this is me putting you on "ignore". Congratulations, you are my first in three years of posting.

 

[Millermom0606]

I can't believe I'm reading this! Do you know how dangerous it is to other kids and people for you to be using a leash in the waves. If I saw this I'd be getting the life guard immediately. You can take out some other poor child or persons feet and dump them in the wave and next thing the innocent person is under the water tumbling in the surf. I have been caught by someones boogie board strap and that is bad enough let alone a leash! I am astounded. If they can't stay by you in the water then stay at the edge of the water. There are other children than yours in the world.

Do you see anywhere in this at ALL that I said I just let them bob in the water alone?!?! NO, I simply said that I put it ON their little boats, thats all.... besides, have you ever SEEN one of said 'leashes'? You'd have to be WAY too close for my comfort to me and my kids. You are assuming untrue things about me.AND for that matter I DID ASK A LIFEGUARD BEFORE I USED IT LOL the boogie board straps are longer than the like 2.5-3ft strap on the harness..... and I have one on my wrist and the other end on my child, so if you get 'caught up' in it, you are coming between me and my child, which would be rude and unsafe of YOU to do. You need to keep your assumptions in check cause that ones way off.

 

[Millermom0606]

No, but we should stop using them for dogs cuz that just looks silly.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

No, really, that wasn't it. You're just not important enough to argue with. And this is me putting you on "ignore". Congratulations, you are my first in three years of posting.

YES! My first ignore! (That I know of anyway!) And I can't think of anyone I'd rather be ignored by!

This is the worst case of "can-dish-it-out-but-can't-take-it" I've ever seen!