Comments on: “Please Keep Your Child On A Leash”

By: Samsmommy

Samsmommy — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:00:48 +0000

I just came across this article, in my search of what to do with a wild runner. I used to judge parents who leash, or harness, their kids, but now that mine is about to turn 3 my thoughts have changed! He has always been a sweet, hand holder, but changed his mind over the last month. I am considering purchasing a harness for his SAFETY, even though I CONSTANTLY watch and pay attention to my child. And despite how many people will look at him, frown at me, and think “poor child…crappy mother!”, if they only saw the times he jerked away from my hand and darted out into the ROAD or parking lot, they’d keep their thoughts and mouths shut.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:06:41 +0000

I think the people who are against leashes are the ignorant ones. They don’t know what it is like to be an adventuresome kid and they don’t know what it is like to be a caregiver.

With my first child, she loved to sit in shopping carts or strollers and watch everything and everybody. She was so easy and a joy to take anywhere. My second child, hated sitting in strollers or carts or being held by me. She wanted to move. All the time. I could not let her run away or take things off the shelves… There was no other way but a leash. She loved the leash. I used it a lot on her from the time we started through 4 years old. Her leash had a bear on it that she loved to hug. It was just long enough to let her wander from me a little and yet close enough that I could pull her in if necessary. It was the only way I could take her anywhere. But this way I could take her anywhere. While she was 4 and 5, I talked to her a lot and took her out without a leash. I taught her to walk up and down the aisles, but she couldn’t touch anything and I had to see her. For a long time, we worked on these rules and she got pretty good. Lately though, she has on a few occasions, ran away. ANd I mean, very fast running. Out of stores… Very dangerous. She loves to run and be chased. She knows better. But now the fun and adventure is worth the disobedience. We already have a Disney World trip scheduled and she will be 6 by then. There is no way I am taking her without a leash.

Normal functioning adults can lose each other in a crowd when they want to stay together. With her impulsivity and active level, she is ADHD, and no sense of boundaries and danger, she loves and trusts everybody. We will have to find and order a leash for an older child. (She outgrew the toddler one.)

Her Occupational therapist agreed with me to get one. Ashley is already looking forward to a new leash to help her stay with Mommy and Daddy.

In our case, it is the only loving and sensible thing to do.

We will, however, continue to not use it most of the time and keep working with her on self-control, impulse control, body awareness, and awareness of where parent is and stay by them.

By: Jessica3

Jessica3 — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:46:00 +0000

One day i was at the local mall and i seen a little boy no more than three running in a store he was scared lost looking and coulldnt find his parents i took him to a service desk he was afraid to go with me, ten min. later i seen the little boy and i said hi to him he was walking away from his mom again she was to into the bras to notice, i said some thing to her she said your a bad boy. i was so mad hes three if your that busy put something on him like a child leash so he wouldnt get lost.
Just today i had to get some blood work done my husband was working and i had to take my son he is 19 months old. as i was signing to get consent he ran away he wouldnt hold my hand i took off running.
as the needle was in my arm he got his hand loose and ran it took me 3 min. to find him it was the scarriest 3 min. of my life and i am now buying a leash for my son

By: Gab

Gab — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:35:29 +0000

Does anyone know where to buy a hoop-style leash like the one in the first picture above?
Thanks!!

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:26:50 +0000

I too once felt like you. Then I had an autistic nephew. Many autistic children have no sense of boundaries, safety and most do not speak so the need for such devices are necessary for their personal safety.

This has made me realize that I should never judge another parent until I have walked a mile in their shoes. As goes for most things.

By: bfunk

bfunk — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:48:00 +0000

There is nothing wrong with a parent trying to prevent their child from getting separated from them in a crowd while allowing them freedom to roam. Who can hold onto a toddler’s hand all day when you have to bend over to do it (I’m tall! That would kill my back!) and what kid wants their hand held above their head all day. My daughter hates having her hand held because it is so restrictive, but wandering independently is a no-go in a crowd. Please don’t “feel sorry” for my kid! She’s way happier and healthier running around than trapped in a stroller all day, and I am no “inattentive” mother.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:35:37 +0000

I’m a proud leash kid! My sisters were not. I do not blame my mom because I LOVED the game “hide and seek” and would play with her while she was checking out in stores, waiting in lines, shopping, etc. Except most of the time she didn’t know she was playing and just had a lost kid on her hands. Enter leash. I needed it. I understood what it was. And it was velcro so I could take it off if necessary.

By: MG

MG — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:10:15 +0000

I think all kids should be leashed out in public. Its annoying to those of us non-breeders when your kids run around like maniacs in malls and other places. Even the most well behaved kids have tantrums and act out and the rest of us shouldn’t have to deal with it.

Leashing a kid isn’t going to affect how the kid turns out, the parenting is what counts.

By: rosisexton

rosisexton — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:54:33 +0000

It’s interesting… before my son was born I was passionately against leashes for kids. I thought of it practically as child abuse. But then, as Marissa points out, the little bundle of chaos shows up and it’s a whole different story. Most of my good intentions went straight out of the window…

It’s impossible to imagine beforehand how hard it can be to reason with, or even physically restrain, a defiant toddler who is determined to spend fifteen minutes investigating the litter bin or the crisp wrapper on the floor while you’re trying to get to an appointment.

That said, I’ve never actually used a leash, but I’m now a lot more understanding of those who do.

By: Emily

Emily — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:49:26 +0000

Well, the first time my two-year-old ran out of the grocery store straight into the parking lot, my Rabbi suggested I get a leash. I had never needed one with his brother, but this one was big, strong, and wild. I figured people could judge me, but at least it would keep him alive. I still held his hand, but it freed him up to walk away from me a little and explore. We only used it half a dozen times before he learned that there are certain implicit safety boundaries and did not need it anymore.

Anyone who judged me clearly had not raised a child like him