Do/would you use a kid leash?

[Mamata3]

I have a 2 year old (just turned 2 today) and am expecting a newbie in July. this will be number 4 for us. my kids have about 2 1/2 years age dif but my YDS seems to be so much more of a baby still. He runs off if i am not holding his had, he screams if i make him hold my hand, he hates the grocery cart, dislikes being in the beco unless he is tierd ect... he runs off every time he gets a chance to. right now its not a big problem because my othe 2 mind pretty well out in public but i am worried for when the newbie comes. I dont think he will be over this. i dont want a double stroller (or a stoller at all for that matter) but i have always been against child leashes. Probebly because i have never had a child that needed one till now. I am thinking about getting one for YDS but idk how i feel about it. I do want him to be safe i just dont know about a leash. do you use them? WHY OR WHY not? why do i feel like they are so wrong? am i the only one who has ever gone back and forth about this? everyone i have talked to is total OK with it or totaly against it, no one seems unsure.

[jcogar1]

I think your going to get a few no ways...who would do that...that's terribly mean...I would nevers...etc.

With that said, heck yeah I'd use one & have! My now 2 year old went through a phase right after she started walking where she would dart off & be gone but absolutely refused the stroller. And it's hard to reason with a 1 to 1.5 year old! So yes, we def used one for her safety (&my sanity!). Haha.

Btw, I was a person that said no way prior to having kids! Things change based on circumstances!

Congrats on newbie!

[youngmomma]

My mom used one on me.....I turned out fine. If it helps u keep your child safe that is all that matters

Sent from my HERO200 using DS Forum

[crysntony]

My son is 12 and my girls are 4, 3, and 1. I dont think Ive ever had the need to use a leash before. I have a double stroller. And when they are not in the stroller, Ive taught them to stay together as a group. If anyone wanders too far away they get disciplined(have to hold hands, get in the stroller, get in the cart, get held, or we leave). If it is a safety issue-do whatever you need to. I do not fool around when it comes to safety. One time we went to the aquarium and my girls were 3 and almost 2(they are 15 months apart). My 3yo kept walking off so I took her outside and we sat on a bench. I told her we would go back in when she started listening and would stay with the group. She cried for a few moments bet then realized she would not have fun if she didnt listen. We went back in and it was great. She was done running off. I know 3 is alot older than 2 but if you start now with your training, soon your 2 yo will be able to stay by your side. Loving discipline is a great thing. But if you need the leash -use it. A leashed kid is better than a missing one.

[Computermama]

I'm not a mama of multiple or many, but I have one for DD, and absolutely would use one again. DD loved her bear, and it gave me peace of mind. I have the unique experience of having to attend the funeral of a little boy I used to babysit, who ran away from his mother and into traffic one day without warning. While there's no way to know for sure, I have to wonder if a harness like DD's might have saved his life.

When I use it with DD, I just put it on her and hold her hand with the loop around my wrist. It's a safety measure, nothing more. She's really too old for it now, so it hasn't come out of the hall closet in some time, but I used it a lot with her when she was 2 and 3. We live on a busy highway, so it really helped my sanity.

[my2sweets]

I use to HATE seeing kids on those things! Everytime I saw 1 the kid was being completely ignored, yanked on, and usually messing up everything in reach b/c mom was to busy chatting, on the phone, whatever. Then one day I saw a little boy let go of moms hand, take off running towards the really! busy parking lot, and then fall on his butt! It clicked then-just like every other contraption man has every made their are ppl who misuse them and those that use them properly. I felt like a fool. I thanked God that day that that mama didnt lose her baby! and I didnt have to witness it. I have never felt the need to use one of my girls but if you think it could help you-or even give you peace of mind-then go for it, thats what they're made for!

[MrsStripe]

Yes, I have used one. It got used sparingly. Like, not every time we went shopping at the grocery or the mall, but for bigger trips like Cabelas and the Zoo. Places where DS was likely to go running off to see what he wanted to see instead of wait. I used it because I was pregnant and he was 3. He could fit through much tighter areas than I could and I wanted a way to keep him from getting too far. It was a dog backpack with a "tail" attached. He knew when he was wearing it we had more control over him, but he also got to walk where he wanted without having to hold our hands so his hands were free to look at and touch things easier. It was wonderful for us.

[Suburbangranola]

Yes, and no. Yes if I had a special needs child. But I don't. I can see in certain situations they would be useful. I have always trained my kids to stay close. They are not allowed to be more than an arms length in a store. Which means they are in the cart (whether they like it or not) or holding my pocket if they dont want to hold my hand. If i have a cart they can have one hand on the cart. Also have older kids now that will take a little kids hand and that helps too. Luckily, they haven't given me too much of a hard time. I am one of those Moms who thinks they look ridiculous but that being said, I understand that in certain circumstances they could save a child's life. But I think I would rather use a stroller because I could give them some things to help occupy them for time we had to spend out.

[twinpossible]

Depending on the personality of the child a leash could be REALLY good parenting. It sounds like he might need one for a while. Putting a child on a leash until they learn not to run off is much better then running the risk of him getting hurt. Don't worry mama

and yes, I WOULD use one if I was in your situation or later if my twins decided to be a persistent personality!

[bluedaisyma]

no I wouldn't. I had 4 under 5, and I didn't use it. They had to either be worn, in the cart or stroller, or hold hands. I was willing to leave if I had to. My toddler now will be 2 when my 6th is due, and he already fights being worn sometimes and he doesn't like the cart. He wants to be just held in arms and get down when he wants. But I just do stuff like let him run around the seasonal section at Target and he will ride in the cart or be worn the rest of the time bc I let him do that. When the newbie comes, I plan on wearing both when I am out alone.