Toddler leash

[BLAZEY]

DD had a Pink Poodle backpack type one I used when she as little. It gave her the freedom to explore and walk, and gave me the piece of mind that she was never out of reach. She was reminded that she needed to stay close to us.

 

[Dis703]

I used one with my oldest exclusively for big crowded places like Disney and then for my twins I had to use them just about any time we went out when they were little. We used the little animal backpack ones. I think someone already mentioned it, but I would not recommend the ones that attach to the wrist as if they fall or if it gets pulled accidentally it can cause serious injury. Once upon a time they used to almost all be attached on the wrist but this changed for good reason.

Make sure you practice using it before your trip so your LO gets used to it, but we found it very helpful in the parks. My oldest wasn't a runner but it gave me piece of mind and gave him some freedom. He did not want to be in his stroller at that age and didn't like holding hands. So it made him happy but kept him close to us. My twins were runners and still are. I wish I could find ones that would fit them now because I'd totally use them rather than deal with having to chase them and sometimes lose them. They are so fast it's insane!

As for what others think, who cares. If you feel your child is safer and you are less stressed using it that's all that matters.

 

[Dis703]

Some kids are just runners, regardless of how awesome the parents are at discipline. Consider yourself lucky that apparently you didn't have one. Have you seen the backpack leashes? They are very short, and it's basically impossible to trip others with them.

Agree with both. I have twins both are runners, but one worse than the other. I would love to just dare someone to try and "teach" my boys to not run because it would be comical to watch. They've been disciplined, we've spent countless hours explaining what is expected of them, why it's dangerous, etc. They simply don't care. They have had time outs, been taken home early for not behaving and staying with us, lost toys permanently they still run. They've escaped our house and taken off and been lost. Didn't scare them. One was picked up by the police 5 blocks away and given the riot act by the officer who brought him home. Didn't phase him in the least. They have run in front of moving vehicles like it's nothing. Punishment doesn't phase them, rewards for good behavior don't interest them. One has been this way since toddlerhood, has sensory processing disorder and his neurologist suspects he may have ADHD, ODD, or both. The other isn't quite as bad with it, but I'm starting to suspect a milder version of ADHD or ODD as well.

My oldest was super obedient and for a while I thought we must have been awesome parents because we taught him so well. Lol, turned out personality probably had way more to do with it.

And for the several years we used the harnesses I can't recall a single incident of anyone tripping over the very short leash. They'd have to be really invading your space to get in between parent and child using one of these.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm in the group that says if it helps you, use it. I would be cautious though, as if the parks are hot the backpack will be really hot.

 

[Bmh4796]

Never used one, but I don't see any reason not to if you think it will work.

I have a friend whose mom put her in a leash when she was a toddler, and it saved her life. The family was visiting a canyon and had stopped at a look out spot. She was so small; she slipped right under the safety fence, and fell off the cliff face. Her mother was able to pull her back up by the leash. Very scary. Without the leash, the fall to the canyon floor would have killed her.

Oh my gosh! I’m just picturing that scene! My heart. So scary! Her guardian angel was in her monkey backpack. Praise God!

 

[Bmh4796]

Agree with both. I have twins both are runners, but one worse than the other. I would love to just dare someone to try and "teach" my boys to not run because it would be comical to watch. They've been disciplined, we've spent countless hours explaining what is expected of them, why it's dangerous, etc. They simply don't care. They have had time outs, been taken home early for not behaving and staying with us, lost toys permanently they still run. They've escaped our house and taken off and been lost. Didn't scare them. One was picked up by the police 5 blocks away and given the riot act by the officer who brought him home. Didn't phase him in the least. They have run in front of moving vehicles like it's nothing. Punishment doesn't phase them, rewards for good behavior don't interest them. One has been this way since toddlerhood, has sensory processing disorder and his neurologist suspects he may have ADHD, ODD, or both. The other isn't quite as bad with it, but I'm starting to suspect a milder version of ADHD or ODD as well.

My oldest was super obedient and for a while I thought we must have been awesome parents because we taught him so well. Lol, turned out personality probably had way more to do with it.

And for the several years we used the harnesses I can't recall a single incident of anyone tripping over the very short leash. They'd have to be really invading your space to get in between parent and child using one of these.

Glad I’m not the only one who is a good mom but has had an adult bring my toddler home. We have 5 kids. During Christmas, the extension cord goes under the front door so if the olderkids went out the front door and I hadn’t noticed to bolt lock itthe cord for the lights would keep it slightly ajar. TWICE during Christmas, our then 2 year old made it down the sidewalk 2 houses down. I didn’t notice he had left. I was doing laundry in the back one of the times and the other time helping Ac older child with math. I was horrified and humiliated and grateful all at the same time. I have since explained to all of the children that if this keeps happening, authorities will take them away and split them up. They now are sure to lock the front door and keep the gate closed when in the back yard just in case! One of the people who brought him back was very upset with me and judged me tremendously. The other was nice and understood. I was grateful to both - even the one who disgusted by my not even knowing my 2 year old was gone. I explained that i understood his feelings and assured him that life with 5 children in a 3500 square foot house is complicated. Everyone always assumes someone is watching out for the toddler. And if I’m tutoring my teen and our 8 year old in charge of gagging out with the toddler while i tutored but 8 year old got distracted by a guppy having babies in the fish tank, then it’s possible for toddler to go on a stroll down the street without anyone noticing. Does it make it ok? No. Did i vow to do better? Yes. My point in this long story is ligebis complicated and there’s a lot of gray area. Every kid is different and the more kids you throw in the mix, the more complicated things get. The whole “well i thought you were watching him” happens more often than people realize. You’d think that the more responsible people in your party, the more safe a child would be from disappearing. But it can sometimes be the opposite because everyone assumes the other is watching.

 

[SteveH]

We never needed them with our kids but I understand why parents use them. My only 2 cents is to use one with a solid leash not one with the spring type. I've been wrapped up twice in one of those. My encouragement is the leash that you must hold on to, not one that pulls on your wrist or one that is attached to your belt as what I've seen is that parents don't have control over the child as they do with a solid non-expanding leash.

This is the type I would recommend, as you have immediate control over your child and they are within a couple of feet of your hand.

In my opinion, these are the type to avoid as your child has to much freedom and can ensnarl an unsuspecting guest in mere seconds

 

[Tink_83]

We never needed them with our kids but I understand why parents use them. My only 2 cents is to use one with a solid leash not one with the spring type. I've been wrapped up twice in one of those. My encouragement is the leash that you must hold on to, not one that pulls on your wrist or one that is attached to your belt as what I've seen is that parents don't have control over the child as they do with a solid non-expanding leash.

This is the type I would recommend, as you have immediate control over your child and they are within a couple of feet of your hand.

In my opinion, these are the type to avoid as your child has to much freedom and can ensnarl an unsuspecting guest in mere seconds

Whenever I read theses posts I’m always thinking of the first type. And my opinion is that if you get between me and my kid on that small leash they deserve to get entangled! I will agree the second one is very long and while it may be ok for some places Disney is not the location to use a leash that size at.

 

[tinkerjo]

I wish I would have had one when DS was little. We were at Sea World and we started going past a coaster he thought we were going to put him on it ( he was way too little but he didn’t know that, the older kids were talking about the coaster) and bolted. I looked like a fool and was scared to death chasing a 2 year old across Sea world but dang he was fast!!!! This was before they came out with the cute backpacks or he would have had one!!!!! Disney is crazy busy. Do what you need to keep your lo safe. It only takes a second.

 

[maxiesmom]

Whenever I read theses posts I’m always thinking of the first type. And my opinion is that if you get between me and my kid on that small leash they deserve to get entangled! I will agree the second one is very long and while it may be ok for some places Disney is not the location to use a leash that size at.

Please. I have seen women at the mall standing on one side of a walkway with their child on the other, and the leash in between. Unfortunately some parents use them and then think they don't have to pay any attention to their child.

 

[mjkacmom]

Glad I’m not the only one who is a good mom but has had an adult bring my toddler home. We have 5 kids. During Christmas, the extension cord goes under the front door so if the olderkids went out the front door and I hadn’t noticed to bolt lock itthe cord for the lights would keep it slightly ajar. TWICE during Christmas, our then 2 year old made it down the sidewalk 2 houses down. I didn’t notice he had left. I was doing laundry in the back one of the times and the other time helping Ac older child with math. I was horrified and humiliated and grateful all at the same time. I have since explained to all of the children that if this keeps happening, authorities will take them away and split them up. They now are sure to lock the front door and keep the gate closed when in the back yard just in case! One of the people who brought him back was very upset with me and judged me tremendously. The other was nice and understood. I was grateful to both - even the one who disgusted by my not even knowing my 2 year old was gone. I explained that i understood his feelings and assured him that life with 5 children in a 3500 square foot house is complicated. Everyone always assumes someone is watching out for the toddler. And if I’m tutoring my teen and our 8 year old in charge of gagging out with the toddler while i tutored but 8 year old got distracted by a guppy having babies in the fish tank, then it’s possible for toddler to go on a stroll down the street without anyone noticing. Does it make it ok? No. Did i vow to do better? Yes. My point in this long story is ligebis complicated and there’s a lot of gray area. Every kid is different and the more kids you throw in the mix, the more complicated things get. The whole “well i thought you were watching him” happens more often than people realize. You’d think that the more responsible people in your party, the more safe a child would be from disappearing. But it can sometimes be the opposite because everyone assumes the other is watching.

I’m a mother of 5 (had them all within 7 years), had a 2 year old escape artist brought back by neighbors, ended up putting alarms on the doors. Every single time we lost a child while out was when we were with a group. I took them out all of the time by myself (stores, zoo, park, walks....), never lost anyone.

 

[Tink_83]

Please. I have seen women at the mall standing on one side of a walkway with their child on the other, and the leash in between. Unfortunately some parents use them and then think they don't have to pay any attention to their child.

I’m going to hold to you shouldn’t cut between me and my kid, especially for such a small distance. Walk around the parent and child, that’s what I do. If I’m out with my own kids or can’t walk around safely I say excuse me and the majority of people grab their child and make room. I think the majority of people are trying their best.

 

[KenHutch]

Several years ago one of my friends had one of those major runner types. They had seen some of the disapproving looks that people gave other parents but they had to do something because he thought that running away from them was fun. They got one of the backpack type restraints that had a bear on it. For a full week before Disney he wore it and tried to run. Well after a few days he stopped. When he wore the backpack he assumed he was being restrained. Well they went to Disney took the backpack but not the leash. As soon as the backpack went on he walked besides them assuming he was leashed. Worked great until he turned around 4 or so and figured it out.

 

[wendlle]

Ignore all the people who will tell you your child is not a dog and give you the death stares. When we took our 19 month old she GOT LOST! She was completely gone, she was missing for around 10mins and it felt like forever, we had CM's searching all over the place and eventually we found her. YOU know your child, if you're at all worried they may take off use a leash! I wouldn't want anyone to feel what we felt when our DD was missing for that 10mins.

 

[mjkacmom]

Ignore all the people who will tell you your child is not a dog and give you the death stares. When we took our 19 month old she GOT LOST! She was completely gone, she was missing for around 10mins and it felt like forever, we had CM's searching all over the place and eventually we found her. YOU know your child, if you're at all worried they may take off use a leash! I wouldn't want anyone to feel what we felt when our DD was missing for that 10mins.

I didn’t have a leash on ds (18 mo this) because we were at a resort with another couple (so 4 adults, 6 kids, they had an only). Ds was a runner, but this time he just wandered away. Security came out in full force, and it took 10 minutes to find him (eating breakfast with another family). We all split up and checked swimming pools, it was terrifying.

 

[1911]

My DD was a runner,we used one on her only when in extremely crowded places.(she also liked to hide from us in stores). we used to get all kinds of nasty looks and even few rude comments but the peace of mind was worth it.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’ve used a harness type leash at Disney with 2 of my kids. They were runners and I figured it’d be better to endure the eye rolls and nasty looks (because I did get them) then to have my child disappear or run into someplace she shouldn’t. They are harmless and your child will never remember having used it when they’re older (mine don’t). For us it was either use one or keep her in the stroller at all times.

 

[Tink_83]

I’ve used a harness type leash at Disney with 2 of my kids. They were runners and I figured it’d be better to endure the eye rolls and nasty looks (because I did get them) then to have my child disappear or run into someplace she shouldn’t. They are harmless and your child will never remember having used it when they’re older (mine don’t). For us it was either use one or keep her in the stroller at all times.

Funny, but I actually remember my parents using one one me. I would love to run and have it catch me and I’d definitely struggle to go my way with it... not that I’m against them mind you I’m just saying depending on the age of the child they could remember