Do you leash your kid?

muwchck

Yes I do. I don't with my oldest anymore cause he's finally learned to stay right next to me. But the youngest is 2, and he screams if you stop the stroller/cart. He loves the leash. He picked it out himself, and wants to wear it all the time. I don't do it to keep from holding his hand, I do it to keep from having a screaming child everywhere we go. I hate listening to everyone else's kids scream for no reason, so I don't let mine do it.

MinMin97

I am not against using a leash.

Cindy311

I could see a parent with a special needs child that would have to use a leash (the word is just awful) but otherwise I see it as somewhat helicopter parenting. Not every person who walks past a kid wants to kidnap it or the kid walking two feet away in plain sight doesn't mean it'll get lost. I was recently chastised by a mother at a bounce house because my six year old and another kid bumped heads and I didn't drop everything and rush to his aid next time I'll leash him so I can drag him out of there!

DawnieB1977

I put reins on my son because he started not using a buggy way before he turned 2 and he was a terror and would run off and I was pregnant! When he was 22 months old my daughter was born so I could hardly run after him and look after my newborn at the same time. Also, we get the train a lot and there was no way I was having him loose on a platform. He stopped using reins at 2.5 and was able to be more sensible then.

Ridiculous people saying parents are lazy and on their cell phones etc. I rarely use my mobile phone when I'm out with my kids, and I take my kids out all the time. I just happen to care about their safety. Far worse are the parents who keep their children in pushchairs when they're far too old.

I put reins on my 2 year old daughter sometimes, but usually hold her hand, just have the reins there to grab if necessary. She can be really naughty and run off when she feels like it. I don't particularly want her run over just because she didn't have reins on, so judge all you like!

My kids are active and independent, and safe!

I just read a comment saying put the child in a pushchair instead? Hmm, yeah, because that isn't lazy of course! Far better to et children walk in a safe manner than keep them in a buggy.

dbmata

I think kids on leashes are hilarious.

kdsp2911

My daughter has a leash, she is 18 months old. I'm in no way ashamed of using her leash. I would much rather have my daughter on a leash, than on the front of newspaper headline reading "child kidnapped" or "child ran over".

Opinions are like butt-holes. Everyone has one, most of them stink.
That being said, people are all so very different, that there will never be complete agreement on any one subject. Calling someone fat and lazy just because they have a differing opinion is ignorance.

knittnponder

We never leashed ours and I don't think I would have but in certain situations I could see how it would be helpful I suppose. I'm only in this thread to share what happened to my exBIL.

He was in a clothing store with one of his nephews and had him on a leash. He was looking through clothes and not paying attention to the kid because hey, he's on a leash and can't get far! Well, BIL decides it's time to move to the next rack and starts walking only to find himself pulling the first rack of clothes along behind him. Nephew had apparently removed the leash and attached it to the center of the rack. He was hiding in the next rack over giggling at his uncle. I always relish thinking about EX-BIL's embarrassment over that. :laugh:

tapirfrog

I'd use a leash or whatever was necessary to keep him/her safe. No way would someone else's opinion bother me as much as my own terror and heartbreak if my child got away from me or was taken from me.

Iron_Duchess

I never used a leash for any of my kids but thought about ALL the time. Both my kids are “runners” and think is “cute” to run away from me. I spent years trying to teach them that the parameters I set are for their benefit, but they still push against them. When I was pregnant with my second, and two weeks away from my delivery date my son, two at the time, took off running while I was looking for my keys in a busy parking lot. I tried to run after him, but couldn’t reach him. Thank God someone heard me scream, went after him, and grabbed him just a few seconds before getting hit by a car. I cried like a baby and thought that I was going to have a heart attack right there. I’ve had horrible nightmares about him getting hit by a car since then. That was the last time I left my house alone with any of them. They like to hide, run, and climb. I love my children too much and their safety surpasses the opinions of others. If I could do things again I would leash them.

jenluvsushi

There was a three year old girl that was killed by a car where I live very recently. She ran away from her parents out into traffic on our busy main street and was hit and killed instantly. If putting a safety harness on my child could prevent something like that from happening, then so be it. People who have never had children or who have never had a child that likes to run away (or even hide) have no right to judge. Just wait till you get your own children and see what happens. Little toddlers are often very defiant and have no concept of what can hurt them. Every child is different dependence wise as well...some listen and others do not. I had one child that would never run from me and my next was the exact opposite. I would rather be safe than sorry. A safety harness worked wonders for my 2 year old in crowded stores as she couldn't stand sitting in the shopping cart or stroller. She got some exercise/independence and she was safe. I pick my battles with her....letting her walk was better for all of us in the long run. Bottom line....unless you have walked in my shoes with my particular kid in tow, mind your own business.

babyblues4

I had to harness only one of my children. He was a runner regardless of what you said or did, as soon has his feet hit the pavement he was running. I had 3 children at the time all under the age of 4, my youngest was 3mths old. We were at an Island theme park standing on the waters edge feeding the ducks.. Out of the blue my 2yr ran off ... with me chasing him with an infant in my arms. Anytime I reached out to grab him he swerved in a different direction until finally he ended up running straight into the water. I was able to grab onto the waist of his shorts, but he was V shaped with head and feet in the water. WIth an 3 mth old in my arms I couldn't jump in and I didn't have the balance or strength to pull him out .... You don't know fear until your childs life is balanced in your hands.... Anyway, some complete stranger jumped in and pulled him out. So ya, after that he wore a wrist harness everywhere we went. That day, his life, his 4 yr old brother (that was left standing alone by the water) were put in jeopardy and never again would I put my children in that situation. Once he got older he stopped running off and we didn't use the harness anymore.

So, no, I don't judge parents for knowing what each of their childs disposition is like and doing what they can to keep them safe.

DawnieB1977

We call them reins in England and quite a lot of people use them. I guess we walk more generally over here anyway! Call me fat and lazy all you like.....

hopefaithlove24

I was leashed when I was younger, I always wanted to run away and go to the water to feed the ducks so I'm very thankful to my parents for leashing me or I'd prob have drowned!

Beckboo0912

I think to each their own, some people feel it's needed and I agree but others don't think it is...you can't judge someone on their parenting skills to a point. I didn't use one for my son (although I"ve thought about it.) everytime I think about it I always picture in my mind my uncle who was leashed when he was little getting down on all fours and acting like a dog, including peeing with one leg up, and realize this would be my son. So I don't because he is also pretty good at listening.

SweetJoanne

growing up in England it was a natural thing to put young children on reigns, only if you were out somewhere, it really worked they stayed by your side and were kept safe. I saw nothing wrong in this, nowadays there are so many crazy people out there better to be safe than sorry

Spaghetti_Bender

When my kids were toddlers she mentioned getting a leash..........and i said NO WAY! But that's me....

bloominheck

Working in the ER, I wish some parents had leashed their kids. They can slip away for just a moment, a blink of an eye, and tragedy can strike. Dont judge.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

:yawn:

I don't judge other parents. At least ones that I do not know. I'd rather trust that they know their children well enough to understand how to keep them safe.

jeffd247

I don't agree with putting children on a leash.

If the environment is such that it is appropriate and safe for the child to wander a little bit and explore (i.e. a park), then let the child do that and be prepared to chase them around a little bit.

If the environment is such that it is not appropriate or safe for the child to wander (i.e. a parking lot), then they need to learn that they should stick close to you.

I remember times in a parking lot, or on the sidewalk of a busy street when it was not safe for my children to walk alone. If they refused to hold my hand, I held their wrist. If they tried to wriggle out, I picked them up. If they fought me on it, they got disciplined.

I try to set boundaries for my children.

In my opinion, putting a child on a leash removes those boundaries. It allows a child too much space and/or freedom when it is clearly not appropriate or safe for them to move around freely. I think it is healthy and responsible to raise my children with defined boundaries and clear expectations for behavior. Those boundaries and expectations will increase as they age and move into society.