Hey, Freeper Parents! Anyone use a toddler leash? (Vanity)

Babyfit.com ^

[Oyarsa]

I was reading a messageboard thread over at Babyfit.com, and was curious as to what my fellow Freepers thought of the practice of using toddler leashes?

Do you swear by them? Abhor them? Want to burn them on sight?

[allmost]

Use it with care.

[Paul Heinzman]

Never. I know the nightmarish fears that the parent of a toddler goes through, and they don't go away, but you cannot leash your children. With any luck, when they settle down in their mid-twenties to early thirties, you'll relax enough to sleep through the night.

That's what I'm waiting for, at least. ;-)

[cajungirl]

Whatever works is my opinion.

[PapaBear3625]

We used them on our toddlers when going to stores and malls. It's amazing how quickly a toddler can wander off when you avert your eyes for a second.

No, we didn't put them on the leash for their morning walks around the block.

[Red Boots]

I always thought they were awful, until I had a friend with an escape artist toddler. That kid made a beeline for the front yard at every opportunity; and once outside, he did not stop but would just take off. They lived a street or two away from a very busy 4 lane hiway, and she had a new baby to watch too.

Once I was there and he escaped, and after a frantic few minutes we found him on the sidewalk of the hiway. I couldn't believe he'd gotten so far, so fast. We both just about died of fright. 5 more seconds and he would have started out across the hiway, no doubt.

That kid needed a leash, and no one who knew anything about his antics would have blamed her one bit. He was scary !

[Born Conservative]

I’ve worked as a RN in an outpatient Peds clinic (high volume) for over 14 years, and RARELY have seen any toddlers leashed (although outside of work is different).

My personal opinion is that leashes are for dogs, not children.

[bboop]

Duct tape works well. We never used a leash, tho. I ran a lot.

[Blood of Tyrants]

You don’t have small children, do you? A toddler can be a very unreasonable critter who does not respond to logic and reasonable talks. When the little one wants down to run, he wants down NOW and letting him run to the end of a short leash is a good way to allow him/her some freedom without having to chase them through a parking lot, fearing for their safety.

[Brown Deer]

When you see a poor child on a leash, it makes you wonder what the "parent" does to him/her in their own home.


Most pets that you see being walked on a leash, go straight back into their kennel or cage once they return home.

[Jemian]

I didn’t for my first two children, but my third child, YES! I would rather have rather put her on a leash than run the risk that she dart into traffic or into a crowd, while my attention was turned to one of the other kids who were only slightly less impulsive. She was a lot less confined on a leash than she would have been in a body cast or even worse, a coffin.

Yes, it was that serious.

[CE2949BB]

Cut the umbilical cord!

In all seriousness: as a non-parent, I’ve always found them to be... ah... disturbing.

It’s a friggin’ leash.

Unless the kid is disabled in some way or demented, proper discipline should be enough.

[cripplecreek]

We used to follow my mom through the store in single file with my dad bringing up the rear. We looked like a family of ducks.

[Lady Heron]

Yes, during the late 80's. I had two children 18 months apart and one loved to find any grey-haired person he could to talk to. The minute I looked away he would wander off on his mission to scam any older person he could find with his cute act, he was given candy, books and toys. This started as soon as he could walk well.

The leash saved my sanity.

[I_like_good_things_too]

I had one but never needed to use it. I think it’s reasonable if a parent goes out alone with say 3-4 toddlers to an airport, they won’t have enough hands to be sure to keep control over all of them and the leash might be a good idea.

[6323cd]

I was an inveterate bolter, so my mom used a harness/leash on me. I still have it, 46 years later; it’s a family heirloom! (And I turned out fine.)

[Brown Deer]

You don’t have small children, do you?

I've had small children, but I doubt if you do or ever have - I hope. I have never had to worry about my children running through a parking lot, because I kept my eyes on them and taught them better. A good parent does not lock up, tie up or put their children on a leash.

[DelaWhere]

I am sooo glad other people use them...

That way, all I had to do was tell my 4 kids that if they didn't stay with me, I would put them on one of those...

Worked like a charm...

Intimidation works... I just look with admiration at my youngest daughter as she moves her whole first grade class - totally under control, out to field trips and all... I think she inherited the 'evil eye' that has helped her in 5 years of teaching... Some teachers use the rope method 'everybody has to have one hand on the rope, but daughter just calls them by name and gives them that look.

[Danae]

The shock collar worked fine on me (twitch). “NO I AM NOT GOING BACK IN THAT ROOM!” No really (twitch) I turned out (TWITCH) just fine. “NO BATTERIES! EVER!!!” (Twitch twitch)

do I really need the /sarc? LOL Ok /sarc!

[MilspecRob]

A leash only keeps them near you. It does not teach them how to act

My sister raised a dog that way, great dog I miss her. Still till its dying day all that dog really wanted in life was to sit in my sisters lap. But that was a DOG!.

Childeren are a bit more dear

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yes, I have four children and I don’t care who you are, you cannot control a squirming, screaming 2 year old 100% of the time. Now, buzz of, Brown Deer Tick.