Wrist Tether or Monkey Backpack for Toddler?

[DisneyCAL]

We used an older version of this backpack, blue and pink ones for our boy/girls twins when they were 2 1/2 and it worked great! Plus it has space for easy access to water bottle and plenty of space for their own snacks, sunglasses, bandaid pack, etc. Now that they are a couple years older we can still use it but without the tether.
https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...Lg&ei=7NoSVb2FD8rFggSqu4GoDw&ved=0CKoBEKYrMAQ

 

[disneypolybride2008]

i used a harness and it was essential for our dd2. now she'll be 4 years 3 months and i am wondering if she will need it. DH says no right away but from experienced parents would you still use one? or a wrist tether? i just worry that DD would not want to hold hands and get lost or swept away in crowds. I think i should bring a wrist tether just in case.

 

[Bluegrrl]

We use a monkey and a panda backpack for our 2/3yr old. However....

In the beginning it worked great. I would hold the leash and I told him, "Hand" and he would give me his hand, and we walked with the leash as a backup in case he ran (he's a runner!). He had freedom while I had peace of mind. Everyone we saw would tease about the "monkey on his back! Joke got old pretty fast. The day we forgot to bring it, he was bored in line at the HM and dashed to the front doors with me trying to push and shove my way behind him to catch up, grab him and take him back into line where we were. Some of the folks teased me that he was the "best Fastpass ever!"

Now, he was gotten wise to the ways of the monkey! He doesn't mind wearing it, but he HATES the leash portion. "No tail mom, no tail!" So he grabs the tail and runs away! UGH! 3 yr old, I'm telling you! But I can get him to hold things for me, like my cellphone, in the pack - he is happy to do that. Just won't let me hold his tail.

 

[2binak]

We used an older version of this backpack, blue and pink ones for our boy/girls twins when they were 2 1/2 and it worked great! Plus it has space for easy access to water bottle and plenty of space for their own snacks, sunglasses, bandaid pack, etc. Now that they are a couple years older we can still use it but without the tether.
https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...Lg&ei=7NoSVb2FD8rFggSqu4GoDw&ved=0CKoBEKYrMAQ

We had the older pink model of this for our DD. It was super lightweight and she loved the idea of wearing a backpack like mommy & daddy. When crowds were heavy though, DD went in the stroller because we didn't want the harness to become a tripping hazard.

 

[theyoungs07]

I'm not saying it will work for anyone else, but when my first kids were young, I learned to tell a child when we were in a parking lot "Either you hold on, or I hold you." We have used this with all 7 of our kids that are 2 or older and it has worked. It may be worthwhile trying it out to see how it works before a trip. My kids have become well trained in holding onto the shopping cart in parking lots...etc. If they're 5 or under we'll still have a hold of them somehow usually. Using this philosophy when they were young helped tremendously. We're always the ones with a double stroller and one child holding on to each side of the handle with buddies somewhere between mommy and daddy in the park. I realize some kids are bolters, my oldest was the closest I've ever had as he did bolt to the front of church on more than one occasion...I'm just suggesting something that could help if worked on beforehand.

 

[starshine514]

i used a harness and it was essential for our dd2. now she'll be 4 years 3 months and i am wondering if she will need it. DH says no right away but from experienced parents would you still use one? or a wrist tether? i just worry that DD would not want to hold hands and get lost or swept away in crowds. I think i should bring a wrist tether just in case.

I used the backpacks with my girls when they were 2 or 3, but by the time they were 4, they were ready to just stay with us. We did still use a stroller at Disney for them until they were 5 (or six with the older one, she had some problems with anemia when she was younger and got tired easily), so the younger girl was usually in the stroller if we were doing a long jaunt across the park.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

I used the backpacks with my girls when they were 2 or 3, but by the time they were 4, they were ready to just stay with us. We did still use a stroller at Disney for them until they were 5 (or six with the older one, she had some problems with anemia when she was younger and got tired easily), so the younger girl was usually in the stroller if we were doing a long jaunt across the park.

thanks for sharing, hope she stays with us. she can get moody and decide she's not listening, as with any 4 year old i'd imagine.

 

[squirrel]

I have taken both my nieces and never needed a leach or other thing to keep them attached to me. I had a wrist one with me (I don't think I even took it to the parks) but it is still in the packaging. If you train them young you don't need to have anything. I have a daycare and once they are 2.5 - 3 years they walk. They are warned that they need to hold onto the stroller and if they let go, they will have to ride in it. Only takes a few times if that and they know if they want to be a big kid and walk they have to hold on. I've had my own daycare for 10 years and it has worked well for me.