Toddler harness?

[Dis703]

If you are going to use one, I recommend one of the wrist strap tethers vs. The backpack. No so hot, and is closer to holding their hand. Plus it looks less like a dog leash.

I had thought they took those off the market for arm injuries. If not still not the best option as if the child falls it can pull their arm at a bad angle and really hurt them.

 

[teddygurl28]

go for it! just make sure like others said to do a test run. make sure your child cant manage their way out of them.

my mom used to have the wrist ones, until i figured out how to undo the velcro.
- so yeh to those who say its degrading? im not so sure a device meant for safety is degrading? maybe its funny looking, but who cares?
- and these type of things have been around for ages!!

 

[mjkacmom]

Would any of you liked to have to wear one when you were a kid?

Most kids have two leashes built in -- their arms and hands

WDW existed for decades with kids running around before these demeaning things were invented.

I had to stop using them with my twins when we lost one of them, because they both loved wearing them. Try taking twin toddlers for a walk along the sidewalk by yourself without them. Really didn't want them running in the street, or always having to be confined to a stroller! At least they were free to move around - strollers are more confining, like a wheelchair.

 

[Dis703]

Because toddlers walk on two legs - not four - there are two arms available for hand holding. Use those like a good parent instead of leashing your child like a dog.

for goodness sake, even cats have enough dignity not to tolerate this. And of course your toddler won't know that they're being degraded, but that's no excuse to do it anyway. Children can be - and sadly are - degraded in all sorts of ways that they probably won't personally notice due to their age, but that doesn't make it right.

If it sounds like I'm being judgmental, that's because I am. At least in this instance, I'm going to be very judgmental. Say NO to the leash!

People use a leash on dogs for safety. Same reason they are used for kids. And I value my kids safety enough to use harnesses as needed. Nothing degrading about it.

I don't know a single toddler who will willingly hold their parents hand for hours on end. I can't even imagine it would be comfortable to do considering that means holding their arm up all day. And in hot weather hands get sweaty and hard to hold onto.

Kids the age of OPs are at a stage of wanting independence but not able to always have it without putting themselves in danger. Harnesses allow a little of that freedom while maintaining safety. A win win IMO.

Sometimes I'd like to dare someone who refuses to use a harness to take my 3 year old twins (both runners) and their brother to a place like Disney for a day. Harnesses = safety and sanity for our family.

 

[tina.tina]

Because toddlers walk on two legs - not four - there are two arms available for hand holding. Use those like a good parent instead of leashing your child like a dog.

for goodness sake, even cats have enough dignity not to tolerate this. And of course your toddler won't know that they're being degraded, but that's no excuse to do it anyway. Children can be - and sadly are - degraded in all sorts of ways that they probably won't personally notice due to their age, but that doesn't make it right.

If it sounds like I'm being judgmental, that's because I am. At least in this instance, I'm going to be very judgmental. Say NO to the leash!

Since you say you are being judgmental, I suggest that maybe you wouldn't have had those "lost child" moments if you'd used a harness.

As a parent of three active little boys, we've had a few brief "lost child" moments of panic. For those who say "there's no excuse for a child wondering off" - give me a break!

Having been there, if I see a small child who appears to be lost/unattended, I'll intervene, and I would hope a kind parent would do the same for me. There's no reason to be judgmental or embarrased about it - it's just good to lend a helping hand for the benefit of the kids.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3374346&page=5

 

[smiths02]

Because toddlers walk on two legs - not four - there are two arms available for hand holding. Use those like a good parent instead of leashing your child like a dog.

for goodness sake, even cats have enough dignity not to tolerate this. And of course your toddler won't know that they're being degraded, but that's no excuse to do it anyway. Children can be - and sadly are - degraded in all sorts of ways that they probably won't personally notice due to their age, but that doesn't make it right.

If it sounds like I'm being judgmental, that's because I am. At least in this instance, I'm going to be very judgmental. Say NO to the leash!

I don't currently have my two year olds using leashes. But my two year olds poop on themselves and eat their own boogers. Should I not wipe their bottoms or their noses? Does that not offend their dignity?

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

If they had those when my son was a toddler, I'd have happily gotten one. That boy was a runner.

We would lose him constantly because he would not stay with us or within eye sight of us and he would not hold hands - he'd sit and scream if you tried to do that and he didn't want to.

He always liked to wander off - in Cub Scouts they left time to find him at every outing.

We got him his first cell phone at 11 years old just so we could call him and ask where he was in stores. That boy could move!

 

[mirak]

Since you say you are being judgmental, I suggest that maybe you wouldn't have had those "lost child" moments if you'd used a harness.



http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3374346&page=5

Ooohh - you got me! Not really. As I said, I've got three little, active boys. I'm not some person without kids, or grown kids, looking down my nose at other parents who are struggling to wrangle the circus. I know EXACTLY how hard it can be. And I would rather have a few occassional moments of panic rather than leash my kids like dogs.

 

[jk and ek]

i have a very, very active and very fast running 2 year old who will try to run off and explore at any opportunity and we are still an anti-leash family (and we leave for disney in 4 days).
i personally feel like learning rules and boundaries via holding our hands or being patient while sitting in a stroller or waiting for us to go to a location/activity as a family is more important than the ease of putting a leash on.
i definitely see the appeal of the leash, though! we live in a big city and we just cannot allow darting off to be something that is ever encouraged...it's just not safe in our everyday life. i'm afraid a leash at disney would give a false sense of security and possibly lead to problems when we got home.

 

[mirak]

People use a leash on dogs for safety. Same reason they are used for kids. And I value my kids safety enough to use harnesses as needed. Nothing degrading about it.

Again, keep making this kid - dog comparison. You're really making my point for me!

"I mean, hey, why not put a leash on my kid? I put a leash on my dog!"

 

[OZMom]

I used one once with my DS1, he thought it was a fun game to run to the end of the rope part and bounce back. Needless to say it didn't work for us.
Still I say do whatever you feel necessary to keep your kid safe.

When we went to WDW in November DS1 was 5, no longer a runner and very good about sticking to his family like glue. First day there we got stuck in a crowd in the Osborne lights, even with my holding his hand, he got separated from us. Instead of people stopping and helping my screaming child find his parents, people pushed him out of the way and he got further and further from us. I finally had to literally shove people out of the way to get to my kid. I will never care what other people think again. The only one who cares when your kid gets lost is you, no one else should have any say in how you decide to keep them safe.

I would test before going, and totally ignore the judgemental people. If your little one runs off and you have to chase them, those same people will be complaining you need to "get control" of your child.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Aren't parenting topics on the Dis great

 

[Dis703]

Ooohh - you got me! Not really. As I said, I've got three little, active boys. I'm not some person without kids, or grown kids, looking down my nose at other parents who are struggling to wrangle the circus. I know EXACTLY how hard it can be. And I would rather have a few occassional moments of panic rather than leash my kids like dogs.

See I find the risks of a child being out of my sight and the dangers that can occur far more concerning as a parent than appearances. Different priorities I guess.

 

[Dis703]

Again, keep making this kid - dog comparison. You're really making my point for me!

"I mean, hey, why not put a leash on my kid? I put a leash on my dog!"

You were the one making the kid dog comparison. I simply stated the purpose of the use is safety. Why should I be more careful about a dogs safety than my own child? Seems absurd.

 

[3Gsandme]

My youngest dd is super skinny and could slip out of the stroller in a five point harness and be gone before we knew it. So, harness it was. Sure, some jerk probably thought I was lazy but I don't care very much about what jerks think. You're free to hold hands and enjoy short periods of your child being lost. I don't like the latter.

 

[Magpie]

WDW existed for decades with kids running around before these demeaning things were invented.

You're wrong. So very wrong. When my Grandmother joined my Grandfather in Okinawa, Japan, she was pregnant and shepherding two toddlers. They would not allow her on the troop ship unless her children were leashed at all times on deck, for their own safety.

Also, from the 1940's:

1953:

Disneyland, 1974:

Because toddlers walk on two legs - not four - there are two arms available for hand holding. Use those like a good parent instead of leashing your child like a dog.

for goodness sake, even cats have enough dignity not to tolerate this. And of course your toddler won't know that they're being degraded, but that's no excuse to do it anyway. Children can be - and sadly are - degraded in all sorts of ways that they probably won't personally notice due to their age, but that doesn't make it right.

If it sounds like I'm being judgmental, that's because I am. At least in this instance, I'm going to be very judgmental. Say NO to the leash!

Ooohh - you got me! Not really. As I said, I've got three little, active boys. I'm not some person without kids, or grown kids, looking down my nose at other parents who are struggling to wrangle the circus. I know EXACTLY how hard it can be. And I would rather have a few occassional moments of panic rather than leash my kids like dogs.

Have you got something against dogs?

Anyway, my cousin also had two active little boys, who were 3 and 5 when I visited them one summer. Her eldest was severely autistic (as in, nonverbal and prone to running away). Trying to put him in the stroller would cause him to melt down and begin screaming inconsolably. This was back in the 80's and you'd darn well better believe she used a leash with those little boys! Anything else would have been irresponsible.

Thanks to the leashes (the three year old had a backpack monkey, which he only used occasionally, while the autistic five year old has a wrist tether which was used constantly), she was able to take them to places like the zoo and the park on her own and even give them some freedom to roam. Otherwise, they would have been shut up indoors all the time.

Your "a few moments of panic" could easily have been her tragedy, if her eldest had succeeded in making a break for it. (Even now, as an adult living in a group home, the cops have his picture and know to keep a look out for him if they're alerted he's gone missing.)

 

[maxiesmom]

Ooohh - you got me! Not really. As I said, I've got three little, active boys. I'm not some person without kids, or grown kids, looking down my nose at other parents who are struggling to wrangle the circus. I know EXACTLY how hard it can be. And I would rather have a few occassional moments of panic rather than leash my kids like dogs.

And you are entitled to your opinion. As judgmental and wrong as I think it is.

People chose to parent differently than others on a million different things. There really is not need to be nasty about it.

 

[Nata]

I have 3 little and very active kids too. I would be scared to put my toddler on a leash. Disney is very crowded, some people walk very fast. I would be scared that someone would trip on a leash and hurt my child. I get very nervous in a crowd and unless I can hold my child's hand or have him in a stroller, I would not feel safe. In the places where it is less crowded and you can allow your child to walk without holding your hand, you have to follow him anyway and keep your full attention on him, leash or no leash.
Plus, puppies need to be trained to walk on a leash, my guess that this is true for toddlers too

 

[maxiesmom]

I have 3 little and very active kids too. I would be scared to put my toddler on a leash. Disney is very crowded, some people work very fast. I would be scared that someone would trip on a leash and hurt my child. I get very nervous in a crowd and unless I can hold my child's hand or have him in a stroller, I would not feel safe. In the places where it is less crowded and you can allow your child to walk without holding your hand, you have to follow him anyway and keep your full attention on him, leash or no leash.
Plus, puppies need to be trained to walk on a leash, my guess that this is true for toddlers too

I know I wouldn't want to have to hold a child's hand all day long in the parks. Nor would it be comfortable for them. As long as the parent is well aware of their child and keeps an eye on them, then a leash is no hazard. It is only when it is used as a substitute for keeping an eye on your child that it becomes a tripping hazard.

 

[ShayBells]

IMHO...

I think leashes look ridiculous. I do. I can't help it.

Saying that. If you want to use one do it. I bought one of the wrist ones when my kid was two cause he was a runner.

Squirrel.

It was bad at home so I thought there it would be worse. So I got the kind with the wrist to look less ridiculous.

I never needed it. Never used it once. He stayed in the stroller and held my hand when needed. It was amazing lol.

So from someone who agrees it looks ridiculous you do whatever you think will make you feel safer. In my opinion though and a little advice. If you do bring one. Try it without first. You might be pleasantly surprised. But if you aren't you will have it with you to slap on. :