We see it pretty often here. Usually the kid will have a monkey backpack on and the parent holds onto the tail. It's not something I would want, but to each their own.
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I don't have a problem with it, but then again, I don't have kids yet. Sometimes when we go out with our rambunctious 3 yr old nephew, I think one of those backpack leashes would come in handy, hehe.
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I don't want it either but since my LO refuses to sit in a stroller that makes me think that maybe this is why those parents do that? I was thinking of maybe getting one for when we go to Bush Gardens since I am a bit freaked out about losing her there somehow.
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Haha. I think they're funny. But we won't be putting our LO on a leash.
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I was a leashed child lol. It was a bracelet leash.
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I don't have a LO yet, so I can't say (cause I haven't been there..) but I see them often. Could be a good idea - let me get back to you in a year or so!
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I plan to use one on vacations, the fair, etc. She has an umbrella stoller, but I'm sure she'll enjoy stretching her legs as well.
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I used to be so judgmental of this before I was a parent, but now I can see one coming in handy for a toddler in an airport or some other crowded place.
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If my baby is anything like my sister was I would use one for sure! My youngest sister was a bad runner/wanderer with no concept of danger or strangers. My Mom was totally against leashing with the rest of us, but needed it for my youngest sister or else she thinks she would have lost her for sure!
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I don't have kids but I think they are a good idea for certain situations where kids can easily get lost, like a zoo or amusement park.
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I think a parent has to do what they have to do. If their child is a runner, I'd much rather a leash was used than see that child hit by car, or snatched by a pervert. Also, if it keeps the parent calm because they worry and keeps the kid happy because they can walk, what's the harm?
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I feel sad when I see kids on leashes. My husband thinks it is hilarious.
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@Leialou: My husband always tells me that he wants to ask the parents about their dog. He's mean.
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I wasn't planning on using them but we got one as a gift. It's a doggie backpack. But LO refuse to put the back pack on so it was no use. Luckily, he usually doesn't wander off too far.
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We're not fans of them.
My brothers live in NYC and have been in plenty of crowded places and vacations with their kids and never did either.
So I don't plan on using them.
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I had to be kept on a leash in crowded places- I would wander, or stop, and panic thinking I was lost. This one is a big point of contention with my husband, he hates leashes. I say if the kid was like me, then I'm going to use one when needed- especially if there is more than one kid to keep an eye on. Plus I think the monkey on the back ones are so cute!
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I am not for or against leashes. In fact I want one for my career right now. Then he can crawl but only in a circle around me and I don't have to leave my stuff or worry about chasing him.
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@artbee: "My husband always tells me that he wants to ask the parents about their dog. He's mean."
BWAHAHAHAHA that's hilarious!
I honestly can't stand them. And never considered using one for DS..... EVER. lol
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@runsyellowlites: It is hilarious!!! I laughed out loud. Then told my husband what artbee said. He said he wanted to ask the parents if they got their 'dog' fixed... He has a macabre sense of humour.
I think it might be useful for my LO... He's a runner. My husband doesn't like them. But it's hard to chase the LO down right now. He's so fast!
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I think it's really easy to be judgemental about them and imply that the parent equates their child to their dog but if you have a toddler that runs they could be a life saver. Literally. I'd rather look like a fool than have my child run under a car or bus. LO is only 10 months so the issue has not arisen for us yet.
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@cupcakemama: I agree, I'm not trying to be mean or judgemental and I do appologize if I came off that way. I'm sure I do tons of things in parenting that others don't agree with and that's fine. Leashes for children aren't my thing, just like I don't want to sleep train. But that doesn't at all mean nobody else should do.that stuff, we all should do whatever works for us. And like I said, my husband's comment was mean. In no way do I agree with him.
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I was leashed. I wouldn't hold my mom's hand so she leashed me and I was happy. Same with my 18 month old niece. She won't sit in the stroller and won't hold hands so she's leashed and happy.
I never thought of it as a bad/weird thing. I think it's adorable and hilarious.
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i can totally see why parents use it now that i'm a parent. you can look away for literally two seconds and your kid is gone. i would use it in a crowded place.
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I always thought they were cute though I know some people hate seeing them. Now that I have a runner, I embrace the leash occasionally. He's still at the age where he doesn't understand not to run into the street, but he's so mobile I can't keep him in the stroller all the time either.
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Depends on the kid. It was SO not necessary for me, but I'd freak if mom was out of sight. My husband was a bloody Houdini, and couldn't even be left in a fenced backyard for 3 minutes (at 4, he climbed over the 5' fence.) If our kid is like my husband, a leash seems VERY reasonable in crowded places.
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@artbee: you didn't come across as judgemental at all! Quite the opposite, in fact. More, different strokes for different folks. Husbands can be soooo blunt sometimes!
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I mentioned to my husband that we might need one for our son, he probably envisioned a dog leash and declared it unnecessary. Right now our son's only 15 months, but I can see the animal backpack being handy for some situations.
I used to think parents were nuts for using them, but as a mother of a runner, I totally understand now.
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Honestly, I think they are awful.
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I'm not a fan of them and don't see myself ever using one, regardless of whether or not my child is a runner. I know when we were little, my mom insisted that we hold her hand - if we refused or broke away, it was back in the stroller we went. She said we all learned pretty quickly that if we wanted to be out walking around, we needed to hold someone's hand. I plan on doing the same with my LO.
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I don't really like it and I don't think I'll be using one on LO but have nothing against people who do use leashes.
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Pre-pregnancy, I thought they were a little funny and not so nice. But now (even though LO isn't here yet), I totally understand them. If LO is a runner/wanderer, I wouldn't hesitate to get one!
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I have always though they were cute. I know some people hate seeing them but I dont understand why. They are practical and allow the child to walk around but still give the parents control.
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I don't like it at all.
My children are not animals and do not need any type of "leash"
I know a lot of people don't see it that way and I'm not judgy about it. But, it's for sure not for me. -
Pre-pregnancy, I hated seeing it in public. Now that I'm pregnant, I can kind of see the caution. Like PPs have said I can understand in certain settings + certain children. My preference would be to not use them at all.
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Totally not a fan of them... I used to work at Disney and saw them ALL THE TIME.
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Not a fan! But I try not to judge... I always try to think, maybe the child has special needs or another situation I don't know about.
At the same time, I don't think it's a good idea because I don't think the child is learning anything good... in fact what he's learning is that he can stray as far as he wants, in the direction he wants, because mom and dad will always have the other end. I think this is potentially dangerous.
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Pre-baby, I admit that I judged people for using them. Since having a baby, I pretty much believe that you do what you need to do, and if it works, go for it! I'm sure no one is *excited* to leash a child - I'm guessing for the vast majority of leash users, it's a last resort to keep the child safe. And like pretty much everything else baby-related, for myself I've learned to never say never.
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I've never thought twice about them. It doesn't matter if you have your kid leashed or not...a non issue for me.
That said, my own mother always hated them. Then she had twin boys and she completely changed her tune. It's funny because here she already had three daughters, so thought she was pretty much an expert with kids. Then she had boys and realized there was still a whole lot to learn!
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I don’t really like them, but I can see their use in a very crowded space where your attention might be focused on lots things at once – like at an airport, or at Disneyland.
I admit I do sort of laugh when I see a kid on a leash – then again, my cat only goes outdoors on a leash and I walk her around our neighborhood on a leash, so I’m sure there are lots of people laughing at me too!
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I'll admit to being judgy about them.
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