Toddler on a leash?

[jms531]

Thanks for everyone's advice and not for flaming! I feel much better about my decision to buy the backpack and see how it goes. I figure DD will be much happier walking then being sequestered to her stroller all day long and she'll be safe-and that's most important.

I know personally that since having my daughter my judgement of others has gone waaay down. You can never know what it's like to be in anyone else's situation so I say live and let live. DD might even LIKE her Minnie bookbag

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

Thank you.
Does US/IOA rent big stroller contraptions like they do at Disney? Although he won't fit into his stroller anymore by the time summer comes, it might be useful to have a larger stroller-wagon-thingamajoogler for him to sit/rest in, because he WILL get tired.

 

[jennilynn510]

There is at least one recent thread on this and it turned rather ugly.

who cares what other people think. personally we have never used one for our 3 kids but i would never judge either

 

[NiniMorris]

I have a 7 year old mentally challenged son who knows that he can only visit Disney if he wears his leash. Is that a problem? No...sometimes he even holds the end of his leash himself. It has been such a good teaching tool. He knows if he stays with us he doesn't have to have the end held by anyone else. Sometimes, if things get too crowded for him, he will actually hand the end to Mom or Dad. It is sort of his own little security blanket.

It is such a peace of mind for us. We don't worry nearly as much as we would have if we weren't using the leash. He is definitely a runner. Wanders off all the time. Next year when we go again, he will be 8. As soon as he found out we were planning another trip, he pulled the leash out of the closet and said he was ready!

Nini

 

[Ariel on Land]

Sometimes, if things get too crowded for him, he will actually hand the end to Mom or Dad. It is sort of his own little security blanket.

As soon as he found out we were planning another trip, he pulled the leash out of the closet and said he was ready!

Nini

Aw!!!! How precious your son must be!!!!!!!! What a smart little guy to know when to give you the end, too!

 

[KatMark]

My mother-in-law gave us one when our first son was born. I gave it back to her and told her to return it. However, I have no problem with other people using it if they so choose and are more comfortable and relaxed with their little one. It is just something I couldn't/wouldn't use with my sons.

 

[Belle72]

I'll be bringing my Eddie Bauer doggie back pack with tail for DS2 in March. It is easier on DH's back to hold that then bend over to hold a hand- he is 6'3". I have used it many times and have never tangled anyone- it is not like you aren't paying attention to your child! If DS runs I still remind him to stay near but this way they cannot get away and be separated even if it is for just a second or two. I would not use it in a very crowded area. He will be in the stroller or in my ergo back carrier.

When DD6 was younger I didn't use one- didn't need to, but DS2 is a different personality and energy level. Do what you need to to keep your son safe. I think you'll find most will think your a better mom for doing so!

 

[mickeymaker2003]

I had an Elmo harness, but I couldn't bring myself to take Elmo to WDW.... so I took Elmo apart and used the hardware to make my daughter a Cinderella harness instead. She wore it whenever she was out of the stroller and handed the end of her strap to whoever she wanted to walk with. She held the end herself when she was being held or carried. It is already in the bag for next year.

 

[jensen]

sometimes he even holds the end of his leash himself.

This is what happened with our DD when we took the "leash" along when she was 3 YO. She never wanted us to hold it because we were holding her back. But, we always go in January when the crowds are very thin, so we could let her get a bit further ahead of us and still see her without any problems.

 

[gladstoneganderfan]

We used the one from Walmart. We had the dog & the monkey. You can take the strap of easily for pictures, then snap it right back with one hand. I can't tell you how many people offered us money for ours!

Our only ugly comment was from a teenager. Her Mother couldn't resist letting her know that she had one when she was a toddler! The look on her face was priceless.

Have a great & safe trip!

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I think the harness is a great idea, since I am a parent who lost her child at WDW. It was only for a couple of minutes, but the longest couple of minutes of my life. When I found him he was so far away from us, and some lady had picked him up and was looking for his parents. He was just 1 month away from his 2nd birthday. Thank goodness he was wearing the winnie the pooh hat with ears. That was how I spotted him. It only takes a second of distraction for a child to wander away. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[brandylouwho]

I am another mom who used one on her 19 mo old this year at WDW (the puppy one from Walmart). It was perfect. DD liked to wear it and wanted to wear it even when she didn't need to, like when she was sitting in the stroller. Sometimes she'd grab the end of the leash, but then I grabbed it somewhere else. Sometimes she'd take it away from me & give it to her dad or vice versa. It was all cute. The length of the leash isn't much, so I don't think entangling with others would be an issue...I wouldn't want someone to come between us/separate us anyway.

Now I had tried it on our 5 yr old when she was not quite 4. That did not go so well, she started barking like a puppy. Kid on a leash barking=BAD MOM!

By the way, a leash may have saved my life when I was little (OK maybe that is a little too dramatic), but I fell off a dock into a lake while wearing one and grandpa just pulled me right back out rather quickly. I think I was not quite 3 at the time.

 

[Disney is Magic]

I have to agree with most everyone here...My DD has the puppy from Walmart, and if DS is walking when we go, he will get the monkey...DD absolutely LOVES her puppy! She even puts it on while inside the house, because to her, it is just another backpack/purse that she can keep things in. When the "tail" is attached, she will choose who she lets hold it and loves knowing that she can "walk all by herself" when she is wearing her puppy pack

 

[LydiaAch]

Any time I get dirty looks about the leash I tell people it saved DD's life...she is a bolter!

 

[Leajess99]

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 used a Monkey one purchased at Target when we went in October. My dd hated the stroller and likes to walk especially since she was 5 at the time but she also lets go of your hand and will be gone in a second. That happened one time in Target where my mom worked and I was so panicked. Thankfully everyone that worked there knew here so when they called the code and put over the walkies that it was my mom's granddaughter they knew who to look for. She ended up found quickly (trying to find where she lost me and I had gone to where my mom was thinking that was where she went) and ever since then I have been even more protective andd she rides in the cart or her hand is on it at all times. Anyway, she wore the Monkey backpack with no problems and the characters played with her about it. She thought that was cute and we never got separated. We even have some pictures with her in it. When we go in October she will walk unless without one but will have tattoes with our cell number on them.

 

[Leajess99]

I put one on my daughter when she was about 1(she started walking at 9 months) when we went to the Philly Zoo. I had a lot of dirty looks from other people but I knew that my child was safe and right with me. I say if it makes you feel better than that is what you should do.

I had rude comments when we went to a mall in kansas by this woman with a bunch of kids. Her older kids had to take car of the younger ones and just after she had made the rude comments we saw one of the younger ones all by himself. They were no where to be found so I called the security cop over to watch the child until his family was found. My now 10 year old said "maybe she shouldn't have been so rude about M wearing her Monkey harness." I agreed with her and we continued shopping with no problems. Some people just don't get it.

 

[tinkerlisa]

There was another thread like this not to long ago and I remember somebody with something that went sort of like this:
You hold your hand up in the air for an hour and tell me you're not cranky!

My youngest does not like his stroller, or his car seat. Or grocery carts which BTW he can get out of buckled in or not! He is starting to learn how to hold hands, but would rather you go HIS way not yours! So I think a harness is definitly in order for our trip in September. I don't care what people think. I feel like I will be keeping my son safe. And as long as you keep them on a short leash(no pun intended ) I dont think there would be a problem with any entanglement.
I think it would be better to have the harness than to chance your child bolting off or letting go for "just a second" and having a group of people shove themselves between you and your child so that your child becomes lost. That happened to a relative of mine once.

 

[Haganfam5]

I have a niece who is a 2 year old runner. I would not hesitate for one minute putting one of them on her!

I think it would be good for the airport and standing on lines in parks. My only issue would be with the time your going. I think you are going in April and it gets rather crowded. I have seen kids get tripped over because their parents are pushing the stroller and the baby is walking beside it on the harness. There is a whole lot of people walking around in the spring months so just please be careful. Some people can be nasty and disregard you trying to walk with your children. They just push through as if they are the only ones there. Sometimes it's better just to strap them in the stroller and let them scream. Just for their safety of course.

We went the end of March / beginning of April two years ago and there wasn't even a spot to pull the stroller over and breathe for a minute! The streets and walkways were literaly full. I hope you have a less crowded week and will actually be able to walk . Enjoy your vacation!

 

[C&G'sMama]

Big fan. When DD was 2 we had an extra that we gave to some guy who was there with his sister and his nephew. Man: "Where did you get that?" us:"WalMart" Man:"Oh, I was hoping it was here, my nephew keeps getting away from us" Us: "We have an extra (we had a harness and a hand holder), but it's pink" Man: "I don't care, Thank you" It depends on the kid.

I've posted this before but I think it's worth repeating. My mom is 91 years old. She has 7 (spanning 23 years, I'm the youngest) children, 25 grand children and 30 great grand children. My oldest three brothers were born within a span of 4 years. The 2nd brother was a pistol. Mom used a leash. I don't think it harmed any one. All 3 got married, had kids, successful careers, are now grand dads and are overall decent human beings. My mom still lives in her own apartment. I don't think the dirty looks she may have encountered ruined anyone for life and probably saved brother number 2 and allowed mom to stay sane all these years.

 

[madamimadam]

Last April our DD was a week shy of 2 and independent. We let her pick one out before we left and she picked the monkey. It made everything so much easier for us and her. She actually still likes the monkey and plays with it sometimes. Plus she seemed genuinely excited to point out other kids with monkeys we saw while there. The only comments we ever got were positive and friendly.

Adam