Leashed Kids....

[sillysally]

Why is this such a big deal? I see people on the web freaking out about it, and maybe it's because I don't have kids, but I don't see why it is so horrific on toddlers and such. The child has more freedom to move about then when strapped into a stroller, being held, or having their hand held. Kids move fast, even if the parent is paying attention, and it can be especially bad in a crowd. I'd rather see a kid on a leash than darting into traffic, getting lost, running up to strange animals and getting injured, etc.

I mean, I suppose it can be considered a "convenience item"--something that is not necessary but makes the parents' life easier, but so could say, sippy cups, and you don't see all that much sippy cup hate out there--lol....

Sooooo, maybe I'm missing something about the evils of leashed kids??

 

[Crowsfeet]

I think this has been brought up here before a few times, and the general consensus to me seemed like it wasn't a big deal.


....probably because Chazzer's do have leashed kids

 

[Fran101]

I think leashes on children are AMAZING

1. Keeps children away from me, my dog, my clothing, my personal belongings
2. Keeps parents close to their children instead of running around chasing them, screaming their names
3. Keeps children under control. and away from me.. oh did I mention that already?
4. Stops children from running around stores or other public places causing general mayhem
5. leashed children provide ENDLESS entertainment for those around to watch them lol

I think there is NOTHING evil about them.

Are they convenient? Oh im sure they are. They are also safe, easier than holding hands (and more reliable), great for crowded places when your hands are busy..

a kid on a leash probably isn't getting kidnapped for one thing..

of course, I dont think a leash should be an excuse to not TEACH your kid manners. like don't run away like a little deviant every time we are in public.. but I think in certain situations they are really great tools!

there are probably parents who abuse the leash/rely on it too much, but really I think thats a parent issue. not a tool issue.


I <3 Kids on leashes!
I love them because they stay within a 3 foot radius of their parents, they aren't running all over the place with a screaming parent "MOLLY! I MEAN IT! COME BACK HERE!! IM GONNA COUNT ! 1..2..... MOLLY!! WHERE ARE YOU?! THIS ISN"T FUNNY!"

and I love them because it keeps my strong strong urge to trip any kid I see running at the mall under control..

I hate 99.9% of children. but in the degrees in which I hate them, I hate leash children LESS.
Kids that try to touch me and kids on wheely shoes are on top of that list.

 

[CharlieDog]

I think leashes on children are AMAZING

1. Keeps children away from me, my dog, my clothing, my personal belongings
2. Keeps parents close to their children instead of running around chasing them, screaming their names
3. Keeps children under control. and away from me.. oh did I mention that already?
4. Stops children from running around stores or other public places causing general mayhem
5. leashed children provide ENDLESS entertainment for those around to watch them lol

I think there is NOTHING evil about them.

Are they convenient? Oh im sure they are. They are also safe, easier than holding hands (and more reliable), great for crowded places when your hands are busy..

a kid on a leash probably isn't getting kidnapped for one thing..

of course, I dont think a leash should be an excuse to not TEACH your kid manners. like don't run away like a little deviant every time we are in public.. but I think in certain situations they are really great tools!

there are probably parents who abuse the leash/rely on it too much, but really I think thats a parent issue. not a tool issue.


I <3 Kids on leashes!
I love them because they stay within a 3 foot radius of their parents, they aren't running all over the place with a screaming parent "MOLLY! I MEAN IT! COME BACK HERE!! IM GONNA COUNT ! 1..2..... MOLLY!! WHERE ARE YOU?! THIS ISN"T FUNNY!"

and I love them because it keeps my strong strong urge to trip any kid I see running at the mall under control..

I hate 99.9% of children. but in the degrees in which I hate them, I hate leash children LESS.
Kids that try to touch me and kids on wheely shoes are on top of that list.

I have to agree with ALL of this!!

Unfortunately, I don't see many leashed kids. Most of them are running amok.

 

[Zoom]

Any hypothetical children of mine will be leashed. I should have been leashed as a child. Hell I should be leashed half the time these days, because I tend to go "ooh shiny!" and peel off from the group before anyone knows what is going on.

 

[Catsi]

I'd much rather see a toddler on a leash than one that is crossing a busy street about 20m in front of their parent (I use the term loosely). The parent is usually screaming "Rhiiileeey" whilst really not doing much about the situation. Having witnessed this, it is terrifying.

Haven't got a problem with them at all. They are not common were I live (don't know if it's just the area or maybe Australia in general.

If I had children, I think they would be a godsend.

 

[Maxy24]

I don't have problems with leashes on children, my only fear is that some parents use leashes instead of teaching their children to pay attention, listen, and follow directions. They never gain verbal control over the child. Obviously everybody who uses leashes isn't like this, but I'm sure they're out there.

 

[ShopieCha]

The problem with children on leashes is the perceived devaluing of the child. Why?

People are used to seeing dogs on leashes not people. So most people think humans are of higher quality than dogs so in their minds when they see a child on a leash it seems inhuman and humiliating.

Yes it is practical but this would be why people are against it.

 

[Dekka]

I never leashed Darien. But there was never a need. He was always a right there and listening sort of a kid. If he had been a hellion who wanted to go run amok I might have put a tether on him.

 

[CaliTerp07]

My mom leashed my sister as a child. We'd walk into a department store and she would immediately DIVE under the racks of clothes, searching for "treasure"--broken hangers, buttons, pennies, etc. For the safety of my sister and the sanity of other shoppers, she got leashed!

 

[Fran27]

I don't have problems with leashes on children, my only fear is that some parents use leashes instead of teaching their children to pay attention, listen, and follow directions. They never gain verbal control over the child. Obviously everybody who uses leashes isn't like this, but I'm sure they're out there.

Yeah that's the main reason why I don't use them (yet)... it doesn't teach the kid anything. If anything it teaches them that they can run around as they like, and the day the leash isn't here, they'll just run away as much, and in all likelihood you won't have taught them to listen so they stay close. Mine are (slowly) learning that if they don't listen to me and hold my hand I'll pick them up, which they hate, so they're starting to listen better...

So I guess it depends, if I had kids who can't stand the stroller or wouldn't hold my hand nicely, I'd probably have to use one... but for now I don't think it's really necessary. Ok I'm not taking them alone to the park either, but I don't think they'd enjoy the full extent of it on a leash anyway.

 

[ACooper]

I've never used a leash, but I never needed to.

I have a friend who uses a little monkey back pack type leash........the monkey's tail is the leash. This boy NEEDS the leash. She has a daughter that is 2 years older and she never needed a leash, the boy is different, LOL He has run out towards the road, ran off from them in the store, and countless other stories.

To the people who say it isn't teaching them anything, I say you haven't been in those shoes. Some kids have no caution, no sense of danger, they are go go go 24/7. That leash will allow them to enjoy a bit of freedom, learn to walk with the rest of the family and be safe until they can mature enough to understand DANGER a bit more. If you think every person who leashes their child does it so they don't "have to set rules" and make their child mind, you are wrong, at least about the ones I know personally.

There are easy children and hard children just like dogs (if we want to compare for people who don't have kids, LOL) some dogs you can trust off leash right away, they have good recall and want to please, some dogs will NEVER be trusted off leash and that's how it is. Some kids you can teach early on and they follow to the letter and understand 'danger' and WHY you need them to stay close or hold your hand. Some kids you can't. They are too curious about the world and have no sense of danger at all, no care or understanding for consequence.........whether it be a time out or getting hit by a car. They need more time to grow and mature to understand those things.

I think a leash on a rambunctious child is a good thing.

 

[milos_mommy]

I was a leashed child!!! Lol.

My mom tried to leash my brother but he got out of it.

Anyway, I think it's better than having your kid being out of control, like Fran and Maxy said it's best if you can just teach your child to listen, but in situations like HUGE crowds or if the parent is doing something where they can't be constantly at 100% attention to the kid, it's great.

 

[FoxyWench]

i was a leashed toddler...

i hated to hold hands, even today i dont like holding hands, it was physically uncomfortable and id stress i also hated the stroller. i was also an incredibly quiet child. problem was, like zoom, bad case of OOO SHINEY syndrome...so they put me on a harness and leash and tada, problem solved.

people used to tell them all the time only naughty kids needed to be treated like that, but honestly i prefered it, i was a very good toddler, aparently never hit the terrible 2's always quiet...but i was easily distracted (still am).

if i ever had kids...theyd be leash trained too!

i do hoever see a problem with it when i see parents using them as a reason to just not pay attention...
i was in walmart and some woman had hooked the leash to the shopping cart, she wasnt paying any attention to him, her eyes were on all the clothes and such, and she actually caught him with the cart a few times.

a leash isnt an excuse to be a lazy parent.

 

[smkie]

Points to self. It's probably a good thing my Mom bought one and used it on me when we went to the Grand Canyon. I was 3 and rocks were for climbing.

 

[Pam111]

Unless you are dragging your kid around by the leash and not also trying to teach them to stay nearby while using it, I have no issues with people using them

 

[Snark]

My sister is thinking about one for her little girl (18 months) because that child has no fear and will take off at the drop of a hat. (She refuses to have her hand held, either). She is a good little girl and she listens around the house but at a store? Too many distractions and she's off and running.

Mom probably should have leashed us as children - I'm sure trying to ride herd on a set of twins and one older (by thirteen months) sibling had her pulling out her hair. Her solution at the time was to dress all of us in bright colors so at least we were easily seen.

 

[sparks19]

I bought a leash for Hannah and used it for about 2 seconds lol. she HATED it and would cry when it was on so it was pretty useless for us. But she's very good about holding our hands... and when she is holding our hand she knows the boundary of how far out she can do. with the leash it was like she could go three feet and then get jerked back when she went too far and she didn't like that. If she won't hold our hand she goes in the cart... and she likes that too. she likes to ride in the cart and some places have carts that are designed to have a little car in the front that she can ride in and drive and she loves that too lol.

so the leashes weren't really nessecary. I only got it for the time we went to the airport and were going to be waiting a while for our flight. but then we didn't end up using it

 

[Taqroy]

Meh. I was a leashed child also. I have no memory of it so clearly it wasn't that scarring lol. When I found out (a couple years ago) I was appalled and asked my mom WHY I was on a leash. She told me that I was the friendliest fastest toddler she had ever seen. We were living in Pueblo at the time (I was about two) and quite honestly there are TONS of creepy people. She decided that it was safer for me to be leashed....and I'm forced to agree lol. We moved to a tiny town in Nebraska shortly afterwards and to my knowledge I was never leashed again.

When I told Matt that I was leashed as a kid he goes "....yeah I could see that. I bet your collar was studded." LOL. He's a butt.

 

[Adrienne]

I used one with Gabe when we went to really busy events ie. kids day at our local convention center. I liked that I knew where he was all the time and less danger of him being swooped up or lost in the crowd. I haven't ever used one on the other two though. Being older and wiser I had an easier time keeping track of them. I have no problem with them though.