I have a runner!

[melindae10]

Yesterday we went on a trip to the local aquarium and I found out my DS2 is quite the little runner! He doesn't care where you are he just goes where he wants to go. My DD was never like this, she just stayed right next to you and always was aware of where the adults were. I am thinking that we need to do something about this before WDW in about 2 months. Anybody deal with this? We will have a stroller in the parks but I know we can't use them all the time, in line, at the water park, etc. I really don't want to be chasing after him the entire trip and I really would rather not lose him Anyone else have this problem? Solutions, ideas, anything? I was thinking maybe taking him to the park, children's museum, etc. and working with him?

 

[growinupdisney]

luckily I never had this problem, but I would do what you suggested and start working with him....I did though, when my ds3, take one of those back pack leash things just in case but we never ended up needing it, but was nice to have the security of it when he wasnt in the stroller.

 

[DisNikki]

I've seen others recommend the temporary tattoos with your cell phone number on them which could be good especially at the water parks. Other suggestions for "labeling" your kids like a tag on their shoelaces or in a lanyard wouldn't be great at a water park. Of course that's just a fail safe for if you do lose track of him, which hopefully won't happen! I'd really try to impress upon him how important it is to stay with his family! I know that sounds obvious but I think reminding him even when you're at a regular park or on a walk in your neighborhood that if he runs ahead too far that you can't be right there to help him if he falls down so it's important to stay with you. Practice holding hands everywhere you go

 

[Lisa71]

My sister was a runner and I am only 4 years older but remember her at the zoo getting lost. My parents used a harness until she understood and would not run off . Some parents judge those who use them but since my sister was found by the alligators my Mom never looked back.

 

[Sarahlovy]

When we went last year with our 2.5 yo runner, we either held her hands at all moments, strapped her in the stroller, or my husband carried (all 35 pounds of) her. It was a pain, but we were used to it. Over a year later we are just starting to he able to not hold her hand every single moment we are in safe places in public.

 

[AJRitz]

My son was three when we took our first trip to WDW, and he was a runner (and, at the time, had undiagnosed ADHD). We started putting a harness on him when we went out to public places at home. He HATED it. By the time we got to WDW, we didn't need to put it on him anymore. All we had to do was put the harness in our park backpack. We would make a big deal with him when we first got to the park each morning that we were getting the harness out. He would BEG not to have to wear it. We'd make a show of telling him the if he started to take off even once, he'd be wearing the harness for the rest of the day.

With occasional reminders when we saw him getting fidgety, we only had to actually put the harness on him once (at which point he was WAY overtired anyway, and was too exhausted to fight it).

 

[ForMyBoys]

While the back pack baby leash seems like you are walking your child, it is so worth the safety factor in large public places when you have a fearless, runner child. We use a combination of stroller, baby carrier (I have a beco) and a monkey backpack/leash. We also let him run free from time to time, but have to keep a careful watch and we end up doing lots of running ourselves

 

[ElenaRN]

We bought the back pack harness for our trip in Oct. DD was 21 months old and def a runner. We put it on her one day in the hotel before we went to the parks and she hated it. So we played that to our advantage and told her she would have to wear it if she didn't stay close to Mama and Daddy.

We never had to use it.

There is always a lot of debate about the harness, but noone knows your child like you do.

You have to do what you have to do to keep your child safe.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

When my son is on the ground he MUST hold my hand. He hated this for the first several weeks or so of hand holding training, but he no longer fights it and is a great hand holder. Whatever you decide to do just make sure you are consistent and there will be no battles after a while. 2 months should be plenty of time to train him to hold hands.

 

[melindae10]

We have one of the backpack harnesses from when my daughter was little. I bought it for a roadtrip when she was about 15 months old, we never really used it because one, she stayed near us, and two, she was so small that if she did try to pull against it she would just fall down. But, I tell ya, I felt so much better with her in it while we were at the Grand Canyon! We still have it, my kids use the back pack part as a toy, I don't know where the tail went?? I might just bring it just in case. I am also going to work with him. Funny thing, yesterday, while I was working my husband took the kids to the Harley dealer to get some parts and I guess my son just stuck with him the whole time, he never tried to run off! So , it just must be me! I am the one home with him all the time, go figure! Maybe I will just put my impatient DH in charge of him, we will see how long that lasts!

 

[Linas]

Our DD2 is a runner and I bought her a backpack with the leash attached at Baby R Us. Just be careful with these cuz my DD2 figured out how to undo the front snap so she now can get out of it.

 

[SweetMissy]

My son was 2 for our 1st trip and he was quite the toddler! It was because of him that I never recommend taking a toddler, lol. My daughter was completely different at that age. We just dealt with it. His main issue was he was used to getting a nap every day, well at disney that doesn't happen. So he was cranky and thought he could just do what he wanted. GOOD LUCK! Have fun!

 

[cart-mom]

My middle son took off once at Hershey Park. Luckily he wasn't far but it was scary not knowing where he was for what seemed like forever (probably about 3 or 4 minutes). I have 4 kids and we used to go every year when they were little. I used to just remind them that if they should get separated they should stay where they were until we found them or to look for a cast member. Hard to do when they are really little, I know. We also made sure they knew they needed to look out for each other in case one wandered off and speak up. Also made them wear our information on a lanyard in case we did get split up - resort info, cell phone.

It's not easy being a parent and keeping your children well behaved. We used to go out to eat every weekend - just one day - so our kids were always used to being in public places. It's amazing how some kids behave these days. I think it has helped them to be the well mannered young adults I am proud of. You do what you feel is right for your children. Good luck.

 

[ManyMinnie]

Keep him in the stroller or hold his hand when he is out of the stroller.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I would get the lease. I would for sure start working with your little guy on holding hands and not walking off BUT you never trust a toddler...EVER. No matter how well you have done, their little brains just can not block out Mickey waving at them. You must have an eye, and often a hand on them 1000% of the time and that is hard. I am not sure what the crowds will be on your trips but all the crowds levels have been up this year and when we went in January, I found I had to hold my 5 year old's hand a LOT more than normal just so I would not loose him and he would NOT wonder off. Heck, I grabbed my DH and DS20 a few times!!! My recommendation is the back pack but still hold his hand to keep him close to you and teach him to stay close but yet protect him if he breaks away. I would also be sure that you have a comfortable stroller and lots of "motivation" to ride most of the time!

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I would take the leash and at the first sign of running on goes the leash. Better to have it and not need it.

 

[Idreamofmickey]

We just returned from an eight day trip and I can tell you that the mickey mouse backpack harness was a lifesaver. Our DS( just turned 2 last week) is very active and does not enjoy the stroller so this allowed him to walk with us. We got many compliments on how well behaved he was( and he's usually a crazy man it seemed like when he wore it he knew he had to be calm and stay with Mommy because the other option was stroller. I think having the harness made our trip enjoyable for everyone( oh and he slept great because of all the exercise

 

[richkaryn]

Ours always got hot in the backpack harness so we found an elastic-type wrist strap at toys r us before we took him to Disney the first time. When he did want to get out of stroller we made him put it on (and I swore I'd never use a "child leash" prior to having kids!) and it worked great. He had just enough "freedom" to move about but couldnt get too far. And the elastic allowed it to flex so it wasn't a quick "jerk and fall" like the harness if you had to wrangle him in.

 

[Timandalicia]

Yesterday we went on a trip to the local aquarium and I found out my DS2 is quite the little runner! He doesn't care where you are he just goes where he wants to go. My DD was never like this, she just stayed right next to you and always was aware of where the adults were. I am thinking that we need to do something about this before WDW in about 2 months. Anybody deal with this? We will have a stroller in the parks but I know we can't use them all the time, in line, at the water park, etc. I really don't want to be chasing after him the entire trip and I really would rather not lose him Anyone else have this problem? Solutions, ideas, anything? I was thinking maybe taking him to the park, children's museum, etc. and working with him?

Harnesses, tethers, or basically leashes are humiliating and socially inappropriate. Our active boy took active parenting. I would scoop him up all of the time, carry him while pointing out all that there is to see. The moments we could get him in the stroller we kept him occupied with food toys and again, all of the stimuli. Sometimes we could point him in the right direction. The good news was for our guy is that he would tire himself out and cash out in the stroller. That let us relax for a while. Good luck.

 

[twinboysmom]

Harnesses, tethers, or basically leashes are humiliating and socially inappropriate. Our active boy took active parenting. I would scoop him up all of the time, carry him while pointing out all that there is to see. The moments we could get him in the stroller we kept him occupied with food toys and again, all of the stimuli. Sometimes we could point him in the right direction. The good news was for our guy is that he would tire himself out and cash out in the stroller. That let us relax for a while. Good luck.

And here we go.......