I think I have a leash baby!

[tiff211]

I have never had to use a leash for my 3 oldest. They would either ride in the stroller when we went anywhere or would hold my hand. DD18 months, HATES to ride in the stroller while everyone else is walking around her and she refuses to hold anyones hand. I can't think of anytime she has let me or DH hold her hand as she walks. If you take her hand, her legs become jello as she crumples to the floor. So, we can either let her walk right in front of us or pick her up. She prefers the first one of course.

we are heading to the world next month and I know she is not going to be happy in the stroller. There are way too many people to let her walk without holding our hand so I am thinking of the backpack leash. I see people with. I have never ruled them out or felt like one was treating their child like an animal.

Do you use the leash for your child?

 

[Gillian]

Welcome to the club! It's a fun group. DD "allowed" us to put her in a harness that zipped up the back. Probably she would have liked one of the backpack ones. You may find that she tires and wants to ride in the stroller.

Even at 3 1/2 I have a hard time getting DD to hold my hand. She runs ahead, while DS 6 lags behind, finding stuff to look at, and I just don't know what to do.

Good luck and have a fun, safe trip!

 

[SunflowerTigger]

I just bought one yesterday for my DS 3. He is the same way. Won't hold hands and won't sit in the stroller. I am so paranoid that I'm going to loose him while at DW. I broke down and bought it and he's just going to have to wear it. I don't want to have to put him in it but what are you going to do?
Glad I'm not the only one.

Thanks.

 

[Juliet25]

OMG, my DD *invented* the "wet noodle" move!

Seriously, any time I took her out, she would be running off. Refused to sit in a stroller. If I grabbed her hand, she did the move, making it seem like she was being dragged. It was quite dramatic.

The good news is, she's almost 4 and much better. She'll take my hand and doesn't run off any more. But those years between 18M-3.5Y were HORRIBLE for going out in public.

Yes, definetely use the leash. Anyone who gives you a dirty look has never experienced a spirited child.

 

[2 princes 1 princess]

I'm with you! My youngest is nothing like his older brother and sister. This kid is adifferent story all together! I never needed a harness for the other kids, but this one will take off like a shot if the mood strikes him. I need to be casual in the way I catch him too...If he knows I'm chasing him he thinks it's a big fun game and runs even faster. It's too hard trying to keep him safe. The harness has saved his life and my sanity.

 

[labdogs42]

I have one for my 2 year old. He pulls the same moves -- limp as a noodle if you hold his hand and stiff as a board when you try to sit him in the stroller! I haven't used the leash yet, but I have it for our upcoming trip in May! Gotta do what works for YOUR kid and keep them safe!

 

[MommyPoppins]

You might want to PM UtahMama. She just got back from DL and used a "leash" on her 2 year old DD. She told her it was a "kitty leash" and they praticed beforehand and pretened to be a "kitty". She really liked it!

 

[Disneyforus]

I've used one before, and plan on bringing it to Disney for our 18 month old. I never got any bad looks, and actually had a few "wow, that's pretty smart" comments. I quess if you are keeping your child safe, and happy who cares what anyone thinks.

Have fun!!

 

[NU2WDW]

I've never used one but I don't have anything against them. Do what you're comfortable with.

BTW, are those your kids? What a gorgeous picture!

 

[tiff211]

I've never used one but I don't have anything against them. Do what you're comfortable with.

BTW, are those your kids? What a gorgeous picture!

Thank you! Yep, all 4 of them!!

 

[mamaprincess]

What a beautiful family!!!

Do what you have to do to keep your little one safe.

 

[tigerdragon]

DS used to have to be on a leash. If he wasn't able to climb out of his stroller he would scream and cry until we let him out. Then if we held him he would squirm umtil we put him down. Then when he was down he would try to run away from us. The only option was to leash him. We never got dirty looks from other parents but occasionally a teenager would smirk or laugh. Just wait until they become parents, they'll understand. Now when I see a parent with a leashed child I try to give them an understanding smile because I know what they are going through.

 

[all4fun]

Love the wet noodle comment - ds was a master at that trick! We used a safety harness at the World with DS on the trips when he was between 18mos and 3yrs. Our last two trips (Sept 3.4yrs & Dec 3.8yrs) we did not use it but there were still a few times I wished that I had it with me!! Seriously, he's gotten much better over the last several months about holding our hands but this is one thing that the learning curve has been really long on. I actually felt the harness helped a lot because when he had it on, there was a physical boundary that he could perceive and he was much more compliant about holding our hand than when he had total freedom. So for us it really worked.

Of course, make sure that the strap isn't so long that it could become a tripping hazzard between your dd and another guest.

 

[momdisney]

I was in an airport with DD on leash. She was loving the freedom it gave her. No more holding Mommies hand or sitting in stroller. A woman started yelling at me about the leash and I tried me best to ignore her but she just got louder. After a min. or two of yelling ,she yelled again "Why do you have a leash on your child." I looked at her and
said, " Because I left the cage at home." Needless to say it got a big laugh from everyone and it shut her up.
Keep your child safe and have a great trip.

 

[*Wish*Upon*A*Star*]

I was in an airport with DD on leash. She was loving the freedom it gave her. No more holding Mommies hand or sitting in stroller. A woman started yelling at me about the leash and I tried me best to ignore her but she just got louder. After a min. or two of yelling ,she yelled again "Why do you have a leash on your child." I looked at her and
said, " Because I left the cage at home." Needless to say it got a big laugh from everyone and it shut her up.
Keep your child safe and have a great trip.

A serious question, though -- do your DC(s) actually wear the leash without doing the wet noodle dance? Just curious -- I have a 14 month old who flat refuses to hold DH or my hand... He's still pretty good in the stroller, but, of course he prefers to be walking *running!* on his own. We're headed to WDW in May (he'll be 17 months) and I'm thinking about getting one for him.

 

[northriver]

I just bought a leash last night at Walmart! Ours has Elmo (First Years) on so DD thinks it is cool. It has the swivel attachment which is a great feature. This one also has just hand leash. I got one last week at Babies R Us that did not have the swivel or the hand leash, but surprisingly it was the only one they had. They were the same price - Elmo is MUCH better in many ways. Hopefully we won't really need it but I don't want my toddler to get away from my parents - she moves faster than they do!

"Because I left the cage at home" LOL!!!

 

[kty1]

Your children are beautiful!-your little one has that free spirit look in her eye like my middle dd has!! I had to use a leash with her, after I had this scary experience I really had no choice. I stopped at a local deli just to buy milk & knowing my dd I held her hand the entire time in the small parking lot as I managed her older sister & held the infant carrier for her younger brother. As we got to the car for a split second I let go of her hand & told her to please stay & went to unlock the car--(the days before the remote) & she ran!! The car next to me started to back-up just as my dd went behind it thank God for my loud mouth as I yelled stop & the woman heard me & stopped and my dd laughed- she was having fun having mommy chase her. I can still see this clear as day 7 years later. I would not ever worry what anyone thought about me as long as I knew that my kids were safe. Also I never had anyone in DIsney or anywhere say anything to me when she was on the "leash." Good luck!

 

[tiff211]

I was in an airport with DD on leash. She was loving the freedom it gave her. No more holding Mommies hand or sitting in stroller. A woman started yelling at me about the leash and I tried me best to ignore her but she just got louder. After a min. or two of yelling ,she yelled again "Why do you have a leash on your child." I looked at her and
said, " Because I left the cage at home." Needless to say it got a big laugh from everyone and it shut her up.
Keep your child safe and have a great trip.

Great comeback! I think she will be happier because of the "freedom" as you say!

 

[labdogs42]

I just bought a leash last night at Walmart! Ours has Elmo (First Years) on so DD thinks it is cool. It has the swivel attachment which is a great feature. This one also has just hand leash. I got one last week at Babies R Us that did not have the swivel or the hand leash, but surprisingly it was the only one they had. They were the same price - Elmo is MUCH better in many ways. Hopefully we won't really need it but I don't want my toddler to get away from my parents - she moves faster than they do!

"Because I left the cage at home" LOL!!!

Oooh...I'll have to look for the Elmo one, too. I have the crappy blue one from BRU and I don't really like it. Thanks for the scoop!

 

[crisi]

I could have done ONE child leashless....but mine are only a year apart - one darter, one dwaddler. One would be from the front gate to the castle while the other one would be still putting her card through the turnstyle "by herself."

The are much older now and things haven't changed, but we don't have to leash them anymore.