use a harness for extremely active toddler? What do you think

[Bugsmom73]

Too all that I have caused distress to, I apologize and in the future I will try to refrain from opening my big trap and be a little more tactful in my word choice in hot topic issues such as this. I should not have made such gross generalizations as I did before, I unfortunately see too much of the negative effects parents have on their children from my job. ( I work for Children Services) So it is completely my fault fro not taking into consideration other reasons for the harness. I just see too many instances in my professional life where parents think the television is an adequate babysitter while they do "other" things and then the child ends up in harms way from being unsupervised and many other things of that nature. I guess just seeing these preventable accidents day after day have made me far too critical of other parenting techniques. Once again I am sorry to all that I have been critical of without thinking my thoughts out properly. I wish you all safe and happy trips with or without the harnesses!

I am a nurse and have seen what happens when a child is not taken care of, the worst one ever being a young school age child who was in the front seat of a car with airbags who was in an accident. I went home and cried, and had no children. I love kids and have 2 but could have never done pediatrics b/c the parents. I met far to many parents who did not give a durn on my rotations.

 

[Emmaline Lola]

I take my almost 2 year old dd to WDW weekly.............I could not survive without my monkey backpack "leash"................not only does it give my dd freedom to walk, but it gives me peace of mind knowing "I got her".............

We go often and I am often alone w/ her........managing a stroller and keeping hold of her hand is tough, especially during busy times at the parks.........I don't use it everywhere, but almost always use it at WDW........

And let me just say, that I have gotten nothing but compliments on it from other parents asking "where did you get that?!?" Alot of moms are dissappointed that I didn't purchase it in WDW-----because they wanted one PRONTO for their child! I should start carrying a spare monkey pack in my stroller and selling it to parents in need!

Pack one with you!

 

[cstraub]

Having a few people bawlk at you for having your toddler on a harness is a lot better than having youself plastered all over the evening news pleading for your missing toddler.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Unless you are there the first few days of January, I don't think that you'll need one. It's not really all that crowded. I haven't been in since January of '05, but there weren't many tethered kids then and people seem to survive. If you are concerned, and I presume that you are since you asked, buy one and bring it along. If you feel you need it, use it. It's your kid; it's your call.

We raised two kids past the toddler stage with one or two trips to WDW every year and never felt the need to tether them. In our case, the challenge was getting them to do more of their own walking. They preferred to be strollered or on my shoulders. Had they been runners we might have considered it.

The only time I find it creepy is when the kids get much older. It's kind of like those giant car seats that fit 10 year olds. Sure, it's safer, but at what cost to the child's self image? You always have to trade off risks with growing opportunities for kids. For a kid that isn't old enough to know what to do if the get lost, having a tether seems like a reasonable option to me.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know how many (if any) kids get lost at Disney? I'm not talking about separated for two hours sort of things; I mean kids that get lost and aren't found again or are found to be kidnapped? I've never heard of it happening, although I imagine it's possible.

The primary thing that a tether seems likely to help prevent are those terrifying temporary disappearances where your child wanders out the wrong exit from a ride and disappears into the crowd only to be found after an hour of frantic searching with everyone screaming a crying. The chances of having your child kidnapped or permanently harmed seem far more remote than the mundane risks of having a car accident on the way to the park, having a toxic reaction to some food or a bee sting, getting injured on a ride, or all of the other things that we just take for granted aren't going to happen.

 

[NotUrsula]

According to Snopes, there has never been a documented stranger-kidnapping from within a Disney theme park. I understand that there have been a couple of situations of children disappearing in the company of non-custodial parents. On an avg. day at WDW, several children manage to get separated from parents long enough to get CM's involved, though usually they are found close by. Once in a great while a young child will manage to leave the park alone, but it is my understanding that that doesn't happen very often. (Usually they are following an adult that they think is their adult. I even once saw a woman take the hand of the wrong child by accident while leaving MK at closing -- she realized it after a couple of minutes and was horrified, but the child's mother was only a few feet behind her and had a since of humour about the whole situation. The mistaken lady's husband had their daughter, but both girls were dressed like Minnie.)

The likelihood of kidnapping really isn't the point, though -- that's not the primary purpose of a safety rein. The primary reason for using them is to prevent accidents. Small kids are slippery, and can get themselves into spaces where an adult cannot easily follow, or into hazards that we don't notice at knee level in a public place. A few possibilities: following a duck into the moat around the castle, putting a hand on the hot surface of a popcorn cart; running under a horse on Main St., crawling under a bush to hide and getting cut ... the possibilities are endless.

PS: Usually when you see safety reins on a school-aged child there is some kind of disability involved.

 

[Elmo888]

Where can I find a harness? DD just turned 2, we go in Jan., and she has recently made a habit of running away (usu. in parking lots and usu. giggling in the process). When someone pointed out how you have to stand in line without the stroller, I thought that it would be helpful to have one on hand. I knew that you had to park the strollers to enter rides, but since I haven't taken DDs before, I hadn't thought about the logistics. Thanks!

 

[Momof4girls]

When I had no children, or even one child, my perspective was different.

Now, as a mom of five, I think I'd use a harness. I'm already a bit stressed about our upcoming trip with my four year old. She's a bolter - you think she'd know better, but she takes off and doesn't want to hold hands. I don't know what we'll do - but she's really getting too big for the stroller and I am not an octopus.

I really hope it isn't needed, but I would MUCH rather be branded the overprotective mother with a kid on a harness than one of those parents who walks around oblivious to the fact that their children are even with them. Unsupervised children are FAR more troubling to others, I'd think.

 

[HGD24]

I'm not a parent yet, but we are starting our family (currently pregnant) and have made several trips to Disney over the years and seen all sorts of situations.

Regarding toddlers who are not harnessed and allowed "to go where they want, when they want," I've almost fallen over those little ones that are doing while the parents are following behind laughing and saying to their family members how adorable little "Joey" or "Susie" is when in actuality, it's quite dangerous to both the toddler and the other guests.

I think that if you know that your child is very active and you need a little help keeping him or her close by and out of the way of other guests and it will give you some peace of mind knowing that your child is within a safe distance, then go for it...use the harness!

 

[mdhkitten]

Where can I find a harness? DD just turned 2, we go in Jan., and she has recently made a habit of running away (usu. in parking lots and usu. giggling in the process). When someone pointed out how you have to stand in line without the stroller, I thought that it would be helpful to have one on hand. I knew that you had to park the strollers to enter rides, but since I haven't taken DDs before, I hadn't thought about the logistics. Thanks!

They have a monkey and puppy backpack harness at WalMart. Here's a link:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4532497


Also, they have similar ones at Target:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...1/601-0972798-5489729?ie=UTF8&asin=B000COWM8C

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I even once saw a woman take the hand of the wrong child by accident while leaving MK at closing

That's really the fault of Disney. I can't tell you how many times I've been at an attraction and they've said to "take small children by the hand." They never ask you to take your small children by the hand.

 

[Madsofa]

They have a monkey and puppy backpack harness at WalMart. Here's a link:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4532497


Also, they have similar ones at Target:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...1/601-0972798-5489729?ie=UTF8&asin=B000COWM8C

for the links! Those are too cute and so much less conspicuous. Hmmm...add that to the list!

 

[maxtomsmom]

I've written this before:

A long time ago back when it was just WDW and no other park, my brother, who was 3 at the time, was lost for hours. He followed the Main Street Electric parade and unbeknown to both my mom and dad (I was 5 at the time) he had made himself an honorary addition to a float. This was at the very end of the parade. Who knows why he chose that exact moment, but off he went. As the crowd dissembled he was gone. Now imagine hundreds to thousands of people up and down Main Street. A little one can get easily lost. Heck I can get lost. Some CM heard an odd noise like a cry in the storage shed where the floats are kept. This was where they found my brother. Far away to where we were and where my parents would have never found him. He was so scared. Had nightmares for about a year. It is not only scary to us, but for them as well. My mom was so sick we actually left the next day to go home.

Not to sound crazy, which I am when it comes to my kids, but I bring a recent photo of the boys just in case they get lost. I also put a name tag inside my older son, who was four at the time when we went last year. I preprinted 10 stickers that said his first name, our names, resort and cell #. Just in case. We practiced what to do, but just in case he got very scared, he could tell them about his tag. We put it on the inside so no one else knew it was there.

Again, I firmly believe it is important to do what you feel is best to protect your children. Harnesses are for their protection. Most parents would never use one unless they feel it is best. Shame on other parents who think they know what is best for someone else's child.

 

[*MickeyFan*]

hi, i am a mother of a 5 DS and 2 DD yr old. just a note my 5yr old has Down Syndrome. We took our kids for the first time to Disney this year in April, we planned on keeping them in a double stroller, but brought their doggie and monkey (from WM) harnesses with us. We only used the harnesses in Down Town Disney (not a very stroller friendly area), and they worked GREAT! i had several people even ask me where i got them, because they need one for so and so. If i was getting looks i didn't see them. If we go to the doctor i use them, my DS even puts his on. He LOVES to run, and nothing seems to be changing his mind at this point, time outs, spankings, trying to talk to him. so we will be bringing them when we go again next April. It's just to scarry not to be prepared!
When he runs he never looks back, he keeps me on my toes! My DD sticks right by us, but she wants to be like brother and wear her doggie. they sometimes even hold eachothers tails (like walking around the resort), it's really cute! jen

 

[Thekidsmom]

OK, I was one of those parents that always said they would never use a leash. Untill I had DS#2, he is 3 and runs everywhere. We just came back from the world and I used one of the harnesses that look like a monkey with the tail being the part you hold. He would ride in the stroller but when we got to a ride and had to stand in line he would put on the harness. He loved it, it gave him a little freedom (he doesn't like to constantly hold hands) and you would be supprised how many people had them at Disney. And those that didn't have them would comment "That is what we need!" It made for a much more enjoyable experience, not so much whining.

 

[*MickeyFan*]

I forgot to add something yesterday. When we went down in April i made sure the kids had a dog tag on their shoe. it was a heart shaped, and had their name, and both of our cell numbers on it. it gave me that added peace of mind it would work great for diaper bags, and purses too!

 

[disneygal33]

Having a few people bawlk at you for having your toddler on a harness is a lot better than having youself plastered all over the evening news pleading for your missing toddler.

Well said!!!

 

[katerkat]

Having a few people bawlk at you for having your toddler on a harness is a lot better than having youself plastered all over the evening news pleading for your missing toddler.

How often have you seen that at WDW? The "plastered all over the news" part? It may be a scary couple of minutes, or hours, but the kids at WDW are found, so please don't exaggerate to make your point.

I'm not anti-leash - I won't look at you funny for using one - but I have an extremely active toddler and I manage to control him without a leash, and give him plenty of freedom with limits. I'm sure I'll be told this is because I only have one child or that he's not as old as your (general you) toddlers or whatever. He's not constantly holding my hand, or in a stroller, either - I have a variety of methods to keep him under control, most of which he finds fun and enjoys doing (and thinks he thought up all by himself so he wants to do them.)

 

[Madsofa]

I forgot to add something yesterday. When we went down in April i made sure the kids had a dog tag on their shoe. it was a heart shaped, and had their name, and both of our cell numbers on it. it gave me that added peace of mind it would work great for diaper bags, and purses too!

What a great idea! I will be adding this to the list of things to do!

 

[MATTERHORN]

How often have you seen that at WDW? The "plastered all over the news" part? It may be a scary couple of minutes, or hours, but the kids at WDW are found, so please don't exaggerate to make your point.

I'm not anti-leash - I won't look at you funny for using one - but I have an extremely active toddler and I manage to control him without a leash, and give him plenty of freedom with limits. I'm sure I'll be told this is because I only have one child or that he's not as old as your (general you) toddlers or whatever. He's not constantly holding my hand, or in a stroller, either - I have a variety of methods to keep him under control, most of which he finds fun and enjoys doing (and thinks he thought up all by himself so he wants to do them.)

Amen! For some reason people don't seem to believe that it's possible to love your children, care about their safety being a #1 priority, and still not use a leash.

I go with three all the time by myself (6,3,1) for the last two years, and my kids don't sit in a stroller constantly or hold my hands constantly because they know to stay with me or else. I would never just let them wander and follow them in public because then they think you will always do that!

I don't understand the whole harness in lines thing either. There's people in front of you and people behind you (usually) so there's not really anywhere to go. If they stand in line happily and don't move with a leash on, then they are capable of doing that without one also. They just need to be told to do so and you have to stand firm on this.

I like that some parents take one but see how there child acts first before automatically leashing them. For some reason nowadays, we don't give kids enough credit to be able to listen and follow directions from a very young age. But it can be done, quite easily.

Almost every kid likes to walk and explore the world, so to me that's not a valid reason. It's whether you let them or not when it's appropriate. If it's that crowded that you can't keep track of them or see them, then they probably shouldn't even be walking for fear of getting trampled, leashed or not!

Note: This does not apply to children with disabilities, as I think that is a completely different circumstance. A normal active toddler or child should be able to listen and stay close by. We are not doing the kids justice if we don't expect that from them!