Toddler on a leash?

[gladstoneganderfan]

I forgot to add, if anyone does say something to you, just tell them your child has rabies & you don't want them to bit anyone! A fellow Disser told me that & it never fails to diffuse the situation when someone gets ugly.

 

[My Grandpa]

And don't forget there are going to be times when moving a little quicker is desired. The rent-a-strollers are a great convenience. And those "looks" .... folks are just jealous because Toddlers Rule!!!!

 

[Babboo]

Personal opinion - nothing better than seeing a toddler being potty trained and leash broke at the same time!

Always makes me wonder - if they do good on the potty training part - do they get a biscuit?

Can't stand seeing a child on a leash - seems insulting at the very least,

 

[mjkacmom]

Personal opinion - nothing better than seeing a toddler being potty trained and leash broke at the same time!

Always makes me wonder - if they do good on the potty training part - do they get a biscuit?

Can't stand seeing a child on a leash - seems insulting at the very least,

Wow - and it's been my experience that having a bunch of kids has made me much less judgemental than most. I'm sorry you didn't get that added benefit...

 

[maxiesmom]

I can honestly say that I've never experience a child entangling up people - the child is usually a few feet away, and unless someone is trying to cut between the child and the adult, and doesn't see the cord... It's not like retractable dog leashes!

I've seen at the mall where the parent is on one side of an aisle, and the child is on the other, with the leash stretched between them. So yeah, even with a leash on you still do need to be aware of where your child is at at all times, or you can run into trouble.

 

[dawnbu40]

I seem to be in the minority but I truly believe leashes are for animals and not children. DD18 was 2.5 the first time she visited WDW and we either held her hand, carried her or she rode in her stroller. We did not have a single problem. I think too many folks want an easy out and resort to leashes. GO AHEAD FLAME ME but it takes time to teach your child how to behave and too many people are failing their kids. Teach them to sit in a restaurant and not run around. Teach them to stick with you or ride in the stroller. Kids want and need limits but I don't think they want or need leashes.

 

[nu2dis]

I didnt use one with my first son...no need. Plenty of arms to grab him with. But my daughter is a runner and will not use a stroller or even be held. We got one and used it several times. Will bring it to WDW. No flaming, but until you have my kid, ya really shouldnt be judgmental. I thought I was the worlds best mom with my first son, and then my daughter came along to show me what independent really means

I dont use the harness often but what I love about it is that people can not walk between you and your kids. I HATE HATE HATE when people do that! It happens alot too (we live in a city)

 

[C&G'sMama]

I seem to be in the minority but I truly believe leashes are for animals and not children. DD18 was 2.5 the first time she visited WDW and we either held her hand, carried her or she rode in her stroller. We did not have a single problem. I think too many folks want an easy out and resort to leashes. GO AHEAD FLAME ME but it takes time to teach your child how to behave and too many people are failing their kids. Teach them to sit in a restaurant and not run around. Teach them to stick with you or ride in the stroller. Kids want and need limits but I don't think they want or need leashes.

That's fine, but tell my mom she's not a good mom. Every kid is different. Every family is different. I'm a good mom, my kids have limits and are some of the most well behaved kids in the world (ask their teachers). But when they were 2 or 3 and testing those limits I liked the peace of mind that went with the "leash".

 

[dawnbu40]

C&GMama I never said you weren't a good mom. This is nothing personal I just believe its demeaning to children to have them "leashed". Would I be the one giving you a dirty look? NOPE! But I have seen and heard the nasty comments (barking?) people make about the leashed kids and I just couldn't do it to a child. My DD was extremely independent I know its not easy to keep after them but I chose to do that but each famioly is different.

 

[C&G'sMama]

C&GMama I never said you weren't a good mom. This is nothing personal I just believe its demeaning to children to have them "leashed". Would I be the one giving you a dirty look? NOPE! But I have seen and heard the nasty comments (barking?) people make about the leashed kids and I just couldn't do it to a child. My DD was extremely independent I know its not easy to keep after them but I chose to do that but each famioly is different.

Thank you, because that's how it felt. It felt like you were saying, "if you were a good parent you could keep your kids under control." I am a good parent but I felt that was best for my kids.

BTW my brother (the one that would run away in less than 5 seconds on my mom) is now 65 and walks without a leash just fine.

 

[kgle]

C&GMama I never said you weren't a good mom. This is nothing personal I just believe its demeaning to children to have them "leashed". Would I be the one giving you a dirty look? NOPE! But I have seen and heard the nasty comments (barking?) people make about the leashed kids and I just couldn't do it to a child. My DD was extremely independent I know its not easy to keep after them but I chose to do that but each famioly is different.

I totally understand where you are coming from However, sometimes holding hands or a stroller just isn't an option. I bought a monkey backpack/harness for DS when he was 2 and we went to the airport to go to Kansas. Well, since I am the only set of hands to grab him and had luggage and everything else (no stroller, no room to push a stroller and carry luggage) I opted for the harness. It really gave me peace of mind that I knew someone couldn't just snatch him away. I think all of us understand that you have to teach your children to stay with you, but at 2 they only know so much and there is only so much you can teach them at a time. Otherwise we would all have to wait until our kids were close to pre teens before we could take them anywhere! I do have to say, I don't use it anymore, only because he HATED it and it made him mad more than anything but he is really good about his stroller now. He is not a hand holder though and will run off the second I let go. I prefer to know he is safe, although "leashed", rather than me hoping that my "teaching" sunk in ya know?

 

[pixidust princess]

I used the monkey backpack/leash on our 2006 trip when ds was 3. I actually got compliments on the thing and it was great piece of mind to have when he was out of the stroller.

 

[Keegansmommy]

I must agree that I though they were the most horrible things on Earth until we went to Disney w/ our 14-month-old during the Christmas holiday. There were a few moments I wished we had one.

That being said, I still won't buy one. There are 3 adults going, so someone is always right with him. It does make you a little crazy though.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

There was a bad incident we witnessed at Disney where a guy who just wasn't watching his feet (people who aren't parents never watch their feet, have you noticed?) walked in between a little girl on a harness and her mother (had to be less than a two foot distance between the kid/mom) and tripped on the leash.

It was really upsetting to us, that poor kid got whipped around like a ragdoll and smashed into his knees, and he ended up tripping and falling on her. He was swearing, the kid had a bloody nose and was screaming, it was bad.

Don't do it. Just hold their hands, you need to keep them pretty close at Disney, anyways. Not because someone will take them, just because at times there are *so* many people there. There are spots all over disney where you can let them burn off steam if they need to, without being leashed.

After 47 trips with them as young as fetues, there is always a hand holding-stroller option. Sometimes it won't be pleasant and they will scream bloody murder, but you won't be the only parents in Disney with industrially pissed off young 'uns that aren't getting to do what they want.

 

[tinkerlisa]

Actually if you want to try a harness try this one:

http://www.tommiguard.com/buyoriginal.htm

Somebody showed this one to me and I think the one that goes around the adults waist is a great idea! That way, you can have your child harnessed and teach them to hold your hand at the same time. and since you may run into a situation where your hands may break free of each other you have the harness to fall back on. This is the one i am going to buy for our trip.

 

[SharkyGoddess]

There was a bad incident we witnessed at Disney where a guy who just wasn't watching his feet (people who aren't parents never watch their feet, have you noticed?) walked in between a little girl on a harness and her mother (had to be less than a two foot distance between the kid/mom) and tripped on the leash.

It was really upsetting to us, that poor kid got whipped around like a ragdoll and smashed into his knees, and he ended up tripping and falling on her. He was swearing, the kid had a bloody nose and was screaming, it was bad.

Don't do it. Just hold their hands, you need to keep them pretty close at Disney, anyways. Not because someone will take them, just because at times there are *so* many people there. There are spots all over disney where you can let them burn off steam if they need to, without being leashed.

After 47 trips with them as young as fetues, there is always a hand holding-stroller option. Sometimes it won't be pleasant and they will scream bloody murder, but you won't be the only parents in Disney with industrially pissed off young 'uns that aren't getting to do what they want.

The same thing happened to my sister who is both a mother and a grandmother, so she's very aware of wee ones. Instead of my sister not watching out for everyone else's leashed child, the mother wasn't watching her own leashed child and it ran across the crowded sidewalk and tripped her. An ER visit and a few medical bills later (my sisters) and I'd love to be able to ask those parents if they wish they had just put their child in a stroller instead.

 

[Babboo]

Wow - and it's been my experience that having a bunch of kids has made me much less judgemental than most. I'm sorry you didn't get that added benefit...

Nope - stringing my kids along on a leash like a pet is not an added benefit. It's demoralizing and degrading in my opinion. Your opinion differs - so do a lot of others. So what. The OP asked for opinions.

I just feel that teaching children respect and discipline along with being children is far more valuable. So, yeah - I get it.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

I wont use them. I dont like them and think that children should be tought how to walk along properly.

Having said that...these are my opinions and each parent can do with their child as they like. My sister uses one with my nephew and I think that's fine...it is her choice. Ever since my son started walking at 9 months I was very consistent with the hand holding rule, even in the house when we were just walking from room to room. Now he is almost 2 and when we are out he is either in his stroller or holding a hand. If we are about to start walking he stops and holds up his hand to wait for someone before he goes. I know not all children are like this. My dd is pretty wild and I may have more trouble with her!

And as for the comments that it is the adults fault for walking between parent and child on harness. Not true. I have been walking along minding my own business on my side of the street...walkway etc on MANY ocassions and had a child come over and almost take me out. However when that happens I most certainly blame the parents for not noticing their child is all the way over.

 

[Leajess99]

I seem to be in the minority but I truly believe leashes are for animals and not children. DD18 was 2.5 the first time she visited WDW and we either held her hand, carried her or she rode in her stroller. We did not have a single problem. I think too many folks want an easy out and resort to leashes. GO AHEAD FLAME ME but it takes time to teach your child how to behave and too many people are failing their kids. Teach them to sit in a restaurant and not run around. Teach them to stick with you or ride in the stroller. Kids want and need limits but I don't think they want or need leashes.

And many years ago things were not the same as they are now. Kids are gone so quick now and people just do not care. Also 16 years ago I doubt Disney World was as busy as it is now seeing the population has grown so much over the years. My kids do NOt run around a restaurant and they are well behaved but my youngest is more curious and she may see something interesting. I'd rather my child be able to walk than be stuck in a stroller all day long and explore as kids should do. My kids are not taught that they are to be seen and not heard. My daughter picked her own backpack harness out because she wanted the freedom to walk. She CHOSE not to be confined to astroller and did great at Disney World on our first trip last year. She was not the only child wearing a backpack harness either and I also had people ask where I got it. Friends of mine were also there and they regretted not getting one as their kids did not get to explore as much. To each his own but I will do whatever it takes to make sure MY children are safe. Oh and if you think the world is the same, how many kids do you know that were almost abducted?? Maybe when you are one of those that have known someone that almost lost a child (thank goodness our soccer parents around here are good at watching out) than maybe you will better understand the need to protect.

 

[angela1044]

Going to WDW in April and DD will be one month shy of her second birthday. She is a VERY active and independent little girl and I know she's not going to want to sit in her stroller the whole time like her last trip at 11 months. I'd like to let her do some walking herself but am SO nervous since she's VERY quick and hasn't quite mastered holding hands and staying with Mom and Dad etc.
I've thought about buying (for lack of a better word) one of those child leash/harness things. I found one that's not so horrible looking at Toys R Us it looks like a plush Minnie bookbag. I can always remember before kids thinking how horrible those harnesses are but now as a mother (and a very protective one at that) I think I would have more peace of mind.
Any opinions/suggestions?

We took DD a few years ago and she was also almost two. We used a harness because DD took off all the time. She was so caught up in the excitement of seeing things that she forgot to wait. She could slip away from us so quickly not thinking about what could happen. We only used it at Disney and it was great. DS is a different child and would never need one.

I think you know when you have a child that needs something like this. As for the people who don't believe in them, you've never had a child that needs one. My mother was always horrified when people used one until DD came. She was the one that bought it because she was so afraid DD would get lost or worse hurt.