Never used one on ours but I don't see a problem with them. Especially these days with even more weirdos out there and amusement parks and malls are so much more crowded, it takes a split second for a child to run off. I don't think anyone can say that they either are holding their childs hand or have their eye on them for every second they are out somewhere and it only takes a second for them to wander off. I think its absurd to compare it to leashing an animal otherwise you have to consider putting your child in a playpen or crib caging them like an animal and just as wrong. I think the best ones are the ones that go from your wrist to theirs. I have to say there were times when I'd wished I'd had one. lol

On a side note, has anyone ever seen the show Animaniacs?

Buttons and Mindy comes to mind for this topic. In every episode, the mom-lady put her in a harness/leash setup. In every episode Mindy got out of the harness and went on her merry way with buttons following to protect her.

I brought this up because it fit the topic lol.

I only said the thing I said earlier, due to experiences around here. I see so many parents that have their children on leashes and are paying zero attention to them. I personally would never use one but that's my opinion. I can see how they would be safe, if used in tandem with paying attn to the child. They just don't sit comfortably with me.

If more parents leashed their youngsters, there would be less store abductions. Not to mention Code Adam's in general, etc.

I personally don't bother to pay attention anymore to calls over the intercom for lost children. I roll my eyes, call the parents idiots, and go on about my way. If a person chooses to have kids, then they are responsible. If they can't and won't control the kids, then they are the failures and it's too bad for the kids.

I'm all for leashing kids, and think it needs to happen more.

Totally agree here! Most of the parents I see with kids on leashes are oblivious to what their child is doing until they get yanked when he hits the end of his leash. And there can't be any argument that they are a safety measure, however I think there are plenty of suitable alternatives and like you I would never use one.



Dodo, are you referring to harm, as in physical? I can't think of any possibility short of it accidentally wrapping around the child's neck and strangling him, but the probability of that is statistically insignificant. However, I could see a possibility for psychological damage.

Why? Think of the age of the children we are talking about. Most leashed kids are quite young, toddlers, maybe 1-4 yrs of age with limited cognitive/reasoning abilities. They learn about their environment from observation of people around them and evaluate these new situations by judging their parents' reactions.

Now put yourself in this very basic reasoning child's shoes. He looks around the park and sees the majority of kids like him NOT leashed, running around with their parents in the vicinity (hopefully). Lets say 95% because I don't see them used that often. He wonders why he has a leash on and they don't.

Now as he's lived his life, he's probably observed plenty of dogs out in public, the majority of them on leashes. Let's say 95% because of the leash law. See where I'm going with this? The child's limited ability at logic would be simple...

1. Most children do not wear leashes.
2. Most dogs do wear leashes.
3. I wear a leash, therefore I am a dog.

Okay, so obviously the child knows he's not a dog because by this age he's begun to develop a self concept, but he will wonder why he is being treated like a dog and not like a child. As he ages and realizes that animals are often considered sub-human, the memory could lead him to develop self-esteem issues by associating his parents putting him on a leash as an indication that he was somehow sub-human.

As for the comment about opposing cribs or playpens because that would be analagous to crating a dog, that's absurd! Children often see other children in cribs and playpens and this is normal behavior. They do not often see other children on leashes and they do see almost all dogs on leashes. They can't understand the concept of safety, which is why we're supposed to be actively watching them.

I'm done explaining my beliefs on this subject. To me, direct physical contact by holding the child's hand when safety is a concern will always be more beneficial to the child than restraining him with a manufactured piece of cloth because it's more convenient for the parents.

I just laugh everytime i see it... If your child does not know how to stay by your side when yall are walking freely, then you arent doing something right lol

On the subject of child restraints....

I believe that every thing has a place and a purpose, and with a child restraint, I feel they are appropriate with busy young toddlers who refuse a pram/stroller....and a parent who is disabled or injured....or an elderly person is in care of the children.

To be able to keep the child safe when the parent may be incapable of lightning quick dashes into traffic, leaps across duck ponds, and a search and rescue mission in a hectic department store, they have a purpose.

other than that I find them the lazy parent's convenience.....

and Gossip you fit in the first category for me...you were incapable at the time to centre total focus on one child...so had the safest option in use at the time.

I wonder how many would be condemning the woman with 4 littlies at a zoo who lost one...and hadn't used a restraint of some form....?


Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Let's tie one on and go for a nice stroll.

oh baby!


hahaha!


Seriously though, I can't stand them...for me....although with a difficult or developmentally challenged child who is defiant, and impulsive, beyond the 'normal parameters' of little people...they have a purpose.

We never used them. Our strategy was to take them someplace where there was a well defined safe play area when they were young...But I agree with you that there are circumstances where it is fine and it is fun for adults!

No, nor I....and as a family day care mum when my guys were littlies, I had upward of 7 kids at any given time, from 6 weeks through to 7 years old...it was nuts, but also doable...and the same thing...we only went to contained little people safe places.

I did take them all to the zoo one time....however I enlisted two other women's assistance, for food runs, toilet runs, and generally another two pairs of eyes to give them more attention.

Personally if people wish to leash their kids that's their business, I personally would never use one. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I would never condemn a parent for their way of doing things and if a parent loses a child or their child wanders off, I would be more concerned with the childs welfare than whether or not the parent is at fault.

I just think, imho, there are better way to safeguard a child than putting them on a leash, but that is my opinion.