To leash your children or not in the parks

[ratherbeinwdw]

God bless your mother.

I agree. I only have two, and they are 17 1/2 years apart.

 

[lilclerk]

I don't plan on ever having kids, but I totally get people putting the backpack/wrist leashes on toddlers in WDW. It's an unbelievably crowded place. I can easily lose track of an adult there, nevermind a little kid. Plus all the times a kid has just randomly wandered in front of me and I almost knocked them over... better safe than sorry.

But I see people say things about using leashes on their dog and not their kids. I guess I just don't see why we'd keep our dogs safer and more protected then our children (if you know you're child is prone to disappearing acts.).

I don't get that either! To be fair, I trust my dog off leash way more than I trusted my nephew when he was two or three...

 

[Zipadeelady]

I'm for the leash..Now don't everyone freakout!!

I have 3 kids 2 of which were perfectly fine without the "leash" but one that just like to do their own thing, wanted to explore and didn't want to hold my hand. Now since I raised all my kids within a few years apart I'm going to say it had nothing to do with lazy or bad parenting. So when I see that parent with their "leashed" toddler who both seem to be having a good time I give them a smile to let them know that I understand.

 

[mamabunker]

I'm for the leash..Now don't everyone freakout!!

I have 3 kids 2 of which were perfectly fine without the "leash" but one that just like to do their own thing, wanted to explore and didn't want to hold my hand. Now since I raised all my kids within a few years apart I'm going to say it had nothing to do with lazy or bad parenting. So when I see that parent with their "leashed" toddler who both seem to be having a good time I give them a smile to let them know that I understand.

A toddler is one thing. I've seen seven or eight year olds on leashes. Poor kids. They looked so embarrassed.

 

[Aurora1]

Kiddie leashes make me so sad. I get the purpose, but they just look so uncomfortable for the kids that are wearing them, especially when they look like they get whiplash when trying to pull away from it! I'm one of 4 kids that were really closely spaced age-wise, and my parents DRILLED safety into us before we went anywhere. I knew I'd be in BIG trouble if I ran away, so I didn't. It's that simple. I'm a teacher now, and it's amazing how giving clear directions with clear consequences make all the difference in the world.

 

[Britt]

Kiddie leashes make me so sad. I get the purpose, but they just look so uncomfortable for the kids that are wearing them, especially when they look like they get whiplash when trying to pull away from it! I'm one of 4 kids that were really closely spaced age-wise, and my parents DRILLED safety into us before we went anywhere. I knew I'd be in BIG trouble if I ran away, so I didn't. It's that simple. I'm a teacher now, and it's amazing how giving clear directions with clear consequences make all the difference in the world.

The only time I've ever seen anyone use it, the parent has usually been holding the childs hand, as well as the cord/handle or whatever it's called. lol. I dont think I've seen a kid just walking with the parent using it LIKE a leash. (It wouldn't change my opinion if I did see that though), but I definitely dont agree with a parent pulling or tugging on their children using it.

 

[bubbles1812]

Leashing children is weird in my book. Leashes are for pets. Children are not pets. That being said, I guess I can understand if you have a really rambunctious kid who likes to run off... But then again, if that happened with my brothers and I, it was back to the hotel we went. My dad was always very clear about that. And so we behaved (for the most part). But that's something parents would have to take responsibility on in following through with their own rules. If you don't, then of course your kids will run around... So yeah, putting kids on a leash is weird.

 

[Sans Souci]

I'm for the leash..Now don't everyone freakout!!

I have 3 kids 2 of which were perfectly fine without the "leash" but one that just like to do their own thing, wanted to explore and didn't want to hold my hand. Now since I raised all my kids within a few years apart I'm going to say it had nothing to do with lazy or bad parenting. So when I see that parent with their "leashed" toddler who both seem to be having a good time I give them a smile to let them know that I understand.

My MIL used a leash with my husband. He turned out OK, other than he likes Milk Bones, tummy rubs and scratches behind the ear.

(And I am totally joking about the Milk Bone stuff, but she really did use "reins" with my husband.)

 

[George]

I think the kid should have freedom, but you don't want to lose them. Thus, the key is to reduce the maximum velocity the child can obtain. That is why I am marketing kid sized ankle shackles -

I'll eventually have whimsical designs and characters for each ankle.

 

[litaljohn]

A toddler is one thing. I've seen seven or eight year olds on leashes. Poor kids. They looked so embarrassed.

as punishment for losing a bet my friend had to wear one until he got to the gate at studios. he was 23. ( cast members didn't seem as thrilled so his family let him take it off...... until he left, then it was back on to the car) It was the first time I actually wanted to see somebodies Disney vacation photos and wasn't totally jealous. ( I was still mostly jealous though)

 

[Zipadeelady]

A toddler is one thing. I've seen seven or eight year olds on leashes. Poor kids. They looked so embarrassed.

With this I totally agree!

 

[Britt]

A toddler is one thing. I've seen seven or eight year olds on leashes. Poor kids. They looked so embarrassed.

Say whhhhhat? Thats crazy. I've never seen a kid that age wearing one. Unless maybe a medical reasoning (Autism/Aspergers/Deaf)

 

[Nemo14]

I think the kid should have freedom, but you don't want to lose them. Thus, the key is to reduce the maximum velocity the child can obtain. That is why I am marketing kid sized ankle shackles -

I'll eventually have whimsical designs and characters for each ankle.

I think Disney beat you to the punch on that one though.

 

[Andyjshort]

I've never used a leash but I have had a few lost child panic moments and in crowds or near a main road I hold their hands no matter how much they scream and wriggle.

Unfortunately they take after me and I was forever giving my parents the slip. Fortunately I can usually out think them and figure out where they got to. If that fails I stand still and listen for the giggling, they are usually hidden in a bush or behind the stock on a supermarket shelf.

My Mum never found me, I always used to hand myself in at "Lost children", so that was where she would look for me.

 

[5thGenTexan]

Last October we went on a Disney Cruise with a 4 year old (girl) and a 22 month old boy. He has no sense. I took a carabiner and hooked one end of his monkey lease to my belt so he could walk, but yet couldn't just take off. He thought he was free and I didn't have to carry him every waking minute. We used both the monkey backpack leash and stroller the day we stopped at Grand Cayman. I'm quite confident he has not been psychologicaly damaged by the experience. My 4 year old can hold a hand and does not just split like the boy does.

 

[luv]

A toddler is one thing. I've seen seven or eight year olds on leashes. Poor kids. They looked so embarrassed.

I don't get that. A little kid is one thing - it's hard to hold hands. They have to reach up and I have to bend down. We quickly tire of this, so I pick them up. Back and forth it goes. Otherwise, they must sit in a stroller.

Seven or eight years is ridiculous. I've never seen that, but I do think it is cruel and bordering on (if not completely) abusive to humiliate a child that age in that way. That is just wrong in so many ways.

I'm upset just thinking about a child being treated that way and having to enure the humiliation. I hope you were mistaken about this.

 

[luv]

My mom had a seven-year-old, a six-year-old, two three-year-olds, a two-year-old and a baby. She didn't care what anyone said.

When you have that many kids, you can't worry about what other people think. You must do whatever works for you!

That's a lot of little kids.

I hope you all call her every week, lol. She deserves it!

 

[Hakunamatata]

I have SO many things to say about people who "leash" their kids. Sorry but if you can't control your child, you shouldn't be where you are! I would never....could never put a leash on my child. They are not dogs. I see it at Disney, I see it in stores..and every single time I can assure you...they can see my disgust. Whoever came up with the concept should be caged I mean really? What the heck! Rant over

Feel free to start listing them.

For many, it's not a control issue, it's a safety issue.

 

[teddybearprek]

In my case I have a 6 year old autistic son. Unlike a lot of children with autism that shy away from social situations, my son is overly social. For example, he will interact and talk with all people at all times. Walking in a mall he will go up to a stranger take their hand and walk off with them very happily. That being said I am planning on using a leash during our upcoming trip to Disney. For us it is a safety issue, yes I tend to get a lot of angry looks from people, but my son absolutely does not understand and can not grasp the concept of strangers and he will run off in an instant if anything catches his attention, which at Disney World is everything . So I will happily take the annoyed looks from others knowing that my son is with me and safe, and just to hopefully put some minds at ease, my son is very happy to wear the leash it does not embarrass him at all. Then again it is a part of everyday life for us whenever we are in public.

 

[meganw1985]

Totally ok with it. Did it, actually. I would rather have a harness on my child, than lose them. I lost him once. It was the worst 15 min of my life. Scared to death doesn't even touch it. Unless you have your eyes on them 24/7, and DO NOT blink, there are 1,000,001 things at Disney that they wander off to get. It didn't scar him for life, he thought it was fun actually. Most people who "judge" either A) do not have children or B) have not lost their children. And are probably against spanking as well. So, to each their own. And I hope that they don't ever find themselves wishing they had used one. It's not always about control. Kids wander, and that's a fact.