How do you feel about Parents who put their small children on leashes? (game, play)
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How old was the child? Hopefully not 12 years old......lol......I never used leashes or anything else with my children, just kept them close and watched them like a hawk! No relaxation being a mother when you are out and about, worried about traffic, weirdos snatching them etc....If I was going to be really busy and rushed, lots of people around, traffic etc. I would put my child in a pushchair.
Leashes can be the lazy option. But I do understand why some parents might use them at certain times.
If I had to guess I would say the little boy was two years old. He wasn't even really acting up. He was just walking slowly and at one point he was at the end of his leash just leaning forward while his mother was chatting away on her cellphone.
I think that was a parent who will probably not have her child run over by a car or lost to criminals. She knows where her child is. She also knows that child needs some freedom to explore. I don't like the idea either, but we are living in a different world today and some have adjusted. She is probably before her time.
They were in the gated section of the square so the little boy couldn't have gone anywhere but on the jungle gym.Yes 2009 is much different from 1979 and parents have to keep closer watch on their children. I thought ( as another person has stated) it was dehumanizing but, from reading the responses here I will probably change my opinion when I have children and see leashes much differently than I do now.
I lost one of my kids once in an amusement park during a free admission for military day. You can imagine how packed that park was. And the staff at the park did nothing to help us find my little girl. By chance, after 10 minutes of sheer panic, my older daughter found her. Thank God.
After that, I used those leashes. It may look terrible, but not compared to losing your child.
I also have a child who used to have autism. He is now cured, but there was no way you could tell he had autism. Autistic kids don't care about stranger danger or staying with their parents. They are in constant danger out in public. Anything that can help a parent keep track is a blessing.
I see no problem with them, like someone else said if it was a lazy parents tool then a stroller would be considered the same, at least with the harness they get to get out of their seat and stretch their legs a bit.
I haven't used one but I was considering one for my 22 mo old. He will take off and run as soon as you let him go, the first three I never had any problem getting them to hold my hand where ever we went but #4 is Mr. Independant. I doubt I'll ever get around to buying one since they usually calm down a bit after 2yrs, but I don't think badly of anyone that does.
I'm not a big fan of harnesses or leashes, whatever you want to call them, but in some cases, I can see where they are a handy tool. With just a singleton, I never had need of one. If he wasn't in his stroller, he always had something on him -- usually either my hand or my eyes (sometimes, my foot or leg, depending on where we were ). I can imagine, however, that when dealing with three or more, it may not be as easy.
The leash may not have been MY style, but I can appreciate why others may use it. I don't like the look of it (I haven't seen the backpack style, they sound cute), but safety overrides looks any day, if you ask me.
I do hope that those who use the leashes don't consider it to be a substitute for attentiveness . Instead, I'd hope the parents are just as attentive and are using the leash as a tool.
At any rate, I'll tell you this much: I'd far rather see a kid on a leash than to see a kid trailing several feet behind mom as she holds tight to her purse and shopping cart, heading back to her car in the parking lot. I'm talking 3-4 year olds. That scenario really scares me and I've seen it over and over. Sometimes, mom doesn't even look back! I'm not so much worried about abduction as I am about the kid getting hit . Ideally, I'd like to see the kid IN the cart or, at the very least, mom steering the cart with one hand while holding onto kiddo with the other.
Certainly the kiddo is more important than anything in the cart?
My mother used one for one of my older brothers (the wild one lol) in the 1940's. It was lovely, made of soft leather with hand tooled work. Children have been running into traffic and hiding in clothing racks for a long time. When I was little, I used to put it on and play pony.
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Originally Posted by Pandamonium
When they first came out, I thought it was crap. I never used one and I did not need to. I don't like them. My child hid in clothes racks but never was he silent. My child is not autistic either.
I'm not saying they aren't a good tool. I'm saying that I have never been in a situation that required it. It only takes a second.
I just want to mention that, the leash was a safety tool for me as another way of keeping my kids close by and safe. Most of the time even when they had on a leash I held their hand or they would help push the shopping cart, but I found out that all it takes is a couple of seconds of letting go of their hand because you needed to use both of yours, or looking at something and poof they are gone.
I used strollers off and on but in some places it's hard to manuever a stroller or a shopping cart for that matter. I wasn't always able to get a shopping cart or stroller into some areas that I needed to look in and I wasn't about to leave my kids in a cart or stroller unattended while I went looking in those areas. Also a couple of my kids didn't do well being contained in a shopping cart or a stroller and would have serious meltdowns if I put them in one whereas I could shop all day as long as they could walk and move about.
I just wanted you all to know that I never used a leash on my kids to be lazy or not be concerned about them. I used leashes as an extra form of protection. It kept them safe and happy and all of my kids that I used a leash with have no serious side affects or issues because of the use of leashes.`
I was a leashed child...didn't hurt me ONE BIT! In fact, I liked my harness... I remember it having a red stripe and a long zipper. I don't have a problem seeing kids with harnesses on- it's just a way for the parents to keep the kids close..
As far as claims that it is indicative of lazy parenting... how is it really any lazier than popping the kids in a stroller (which seems to be pretty well accepted), and pushing them around?
I definitely don't see it as any different than using a stroller to restrain/secure your kid. Or, for that matter, much different than safety precautions like fenced-in play yards ("The horror! Your children are like animals in a zoo!") or safety gates that block toddlers from stairs. Are you tying your kid to a stake and leaving them outside overnight? No, you're ensuring that they stay safe and near you in a public situation where you might not be able to keep your hands and eyes on them at all times. A split second of attention elsewhere can have tragic results.
My mom would have absolutely used leashes, had they been in existence when her kids were young. She had a six-year old daughter and twin four-year old sons when her youngest daughter was born. Four children under seven years of age on your average grocery store trip required more arms and hands than anybody has. I remember that we used to not cross the street without all walking like ducklings in a row, hands held, and that my mom made us each grab one of her belt loops crossing parking lots when she was pushing a cart.
....Yes 2009 is much different from 1979 and parents have to keep closer watch on their children....
No it isn't. We just think it is. We think that there are lots of abductions when in reality the liklihood of abduction is very very low.
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Originally Posted by twilight61108
Ok i am in my 20's but i'll tell you one thing i hear all the time. I hear that the world has changed quite drastically and isnt as "safe" as it was. Sure there were murderers and rapists back then but i'll tell you one thing. I wouldnt let my elemetary child go walking to school by himself like my mother was allowed to "back in the day".
It is sad when fear dictates our decisions. Of course we all want to keep our kids safe but we have somehow been brain washed into this idea that our kids are likly to be abducted or killed. Then we base our parenting decisions on how to keep them alive while fending off these 'bad guys' lurking around every corner. I know a parent who is so fearful that someone will kidnap or rape her 12y.o. that she will not permit the 12y.o. to use public toilets. She makes the 12y.o. wear goodnites basically a diaper whenever the kid goes pretty much anywhere except to school.
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). I can imagine, however, that when dealing with three or more, it may not be as easy.
. Ideally, I'd like to see the kid IN the cart or, at the very least, mom steering the cart with one hand while holding onto kiddo with the other.
