Child leashes are great.

They let the rest of the world know who the lazy, inept parents are. That way it is easier for us to avoid them.

The kids suffer but for those leash-parents it really was never about the kids.

That is ridiculous. How will you ever teach your child responsibility if you put them on a leash? Children need to learn rules, boundaries and consequences. Take your eyes of your i-phone and watch them to keep them from darting away .Problem solved. It amazes me how lazy people can be in regards to their own kids.

As a grandmother with rheumatiod arthritis of a 2 year old grandaughter who likes to dart off, it's the best way for both her to be safe and me to have peace of mind that my inability to run after her doesn't keep us from enjoyiing a walk together. Would I ever be able to forgive myself if something happened because I felt that people would look at me as lazy?

How about this, mind your own business. You have no idea why the parent might have decided that using one is best for *their* child. Maybe there are special needs involved, maybe the parent suffers from a condition where they wouldn't be able to chase an unruly toddler. You don't know. From what I can see judging by the kids that my kids come in contact with here in Waukesha, there are few parents who are actually doing their jobs, so perhaps worry about parenting your own kids and not have some self important ” concern” for other parents abilities.

Although I never used a "leash" when my kids were young, I would never consider myself a LAZY parent if I did....Its not about harnessing children because you find it more important to use your iphone, but rather keeping your children close and safe! When my kids were young, keeping 3 children under the age of 6 safe and close when moving through a crowded airport or mall was most challenging. I agreee with the two ladies above. mind your own business, and worry about your own children and parenting methods. Its not like its abusive. I would recommend focusing your attention on those who dont give a crap where their kids are roaming, or worse yet, those who beat and abuse their children.

I say yay to the parent who knows they cannot have their hand on their child 24/7. In this day and age you can turn your head and your child might stay but someone might snag them up. Also when you have a 1 year old walking around you can't expect him or her to not be distracted by other things. I know some people say kids aren't animals and shouldn't be on a leash but you know what, if it is a difference between my child being abducted or hit by a car in a parking lot, give me the leash!

Having raised 4 boys my opinion is this: If your child has that much energy you are a parent are not allowing them to get outside often enough. Talk them on hikes and tire them out. Soon you will see the energy level lessen and the need for a medevil leash not needed.

I'd personally be OK with shock collars and electronic invisible fences. Many dogs exhibit better manners and training than some peoples offspring.

They make me cringe but, having had one child who was a "runner" and escape artist, I understand why someone would use one. The other two children I had were easy enough to keep track of and more docile about following the rules the stern folks above refer to. But kids are not all the same, and neither are all parents.

I can definitely see how the use of a 'leash' can be helpful for parents, particularly those who are alone, with multiple kids in crowded places with lots of distractions or possible dangers (like traffic). I guess I don't see it as being any different than a 'hands free' version of the 'rope with loops' that the author of the blog mentioned.

While you're at...why not feed them from a bowl on the floor and stick them in a cage at night?

I don't know about everyday use, but the 'leash' worked great, years ago, when teaching the kids to ski. Much better than chasing an out of control four year old down the hill! Easier to pick them up from a fall, as it is attached like a paratrooper harness.

I had a little teddy bear back-pack with a leash for my son when he was little. I used it when went some where that had large crowds, places like Summerfest or the French Quarter. I really don't see why people are saying that leashes are a bad thing or that the parents that use them are lazy. So you don't want to use a leash with your child but that doesn't mean it's ok to get down on people who do use them, especially when you're going to start name calling, that comes across as childish and ignorant kind of like you don't have something logical to say about your opinion so all you can do is start name calling. The leash let my son go ahead of me and explore his environment without being stuck at my side while being safe. My Mom used a leash with my younger brother and I and I don't feel demeaned or any thing and I remember her using the leash with us. Now I've witnessed people yanking on their kids leash like they're a dog or something and that's really messed up but if someone is using it as an extra safety measure and they're not treating their child like an animal then I don't see any thing wrong with using a leash.

I never used a leash when we were running errands just in crowded places. When went grocery shopping I'd usually put him in the car right away or have him hold onto the shopping cart or the car. That's my point: there is an appropriate time for a safety harness and bopping around town running errands is not in my opinion.

I have never used one, but if I didn't take a stroller to places like the zoo or a festival; I can see how handy they might be. It only takes a second; I believe most people use them as a safety measure and not so that they don't have to watch their kid. Besides, some children have difficulties that are not a result of lazy parenting. Those children deserve to go places too. When we were kids my parents were big on car-seats and seat belts... they didn't drive like jerks. Laws have since caught up. I understand when people judge the parenting of child who is being allowed to be destructive; but why are parents being judged when they are providing added safety for their children?

I am so sick and tired of being judged on how good or bad a job I'm doing as a parent. I am far from lazy, nor do my children need to play outside more to burn off extra energy. If I want to put a safety harness on my child, I will. I don't need a reason, and I don't need anyone's permission or approval. If you don't see the need, then don't use them. But don't climb on your high horse and look down on other people because they might use them.

I was in Hollywood at one of the outdoor malls. Typical California liberal mother had girl child tied up with a panda bear themed leash.

Order as we are getting onto an escalator going down.

California liberal Mother - young girl - Me - My Mother

Mother Gets on escalator. Girl does not. Girl can't figure out how, is scared will not step on, refuses to step on, starts to worry.

Escalator is going down, down, down

Mother is still holding onto the leash as it is tightening up and losing slack.

At the last second before the girl gets face planted on a metal escalator step traveling down I pick her up, carry her to the same step the mother is standing on.

Stupidity is leashing your child then putting them more in risk than what you are preventing.

And no one is forbidding you from letting your unleashed opinions go roaming, either, Mr. Lundt, though others will remark upon them. Please don't try to make it look like anything but your own preference is involved in your judgment. The only "clear evidence" here is that some people use lines for their kids and some people don't like it.

SO we agree Christine.

No one suggested you can't use a leash and the rest of us are free to think what we want about the people that use the leash.

The issue that I brought up was look at all of the people whining about me(and others) making judgements.

You don't need to apologize for your leash anymore than I do for judging your for using it.

hey son!!
wheres your ball...wheeeeers you ballll.

go for ride? go for ride?

no..no down boy...

The stuffed animal/backpack leash is great for layovers at the ATL/Hartsfield airport with a toddler. That airport and many others aren't equipped with a playroom that my child can use to burn energy, and pushing him in his stroller doesn't let him move in that huge, crowded airport; if I had to chase my child through any area of it, I might cause an accident. Same thing with Summerfest or any other crowded venue. It allows the child move and use his/her body/have freedom, but guarantees that they don't get lost. I'd say that's worth braving judgement and dodging stink-eye from people who should be minding their own business in the first place.

It is funny. The question posed is "What is Your View on Leashes "When we give our view---we are accused of being judgemental.

No pleasing some people.

any parent who needs a harness for a child is doing something wrong. That child isn't getting enough exercise....turn off the Honey Boo Boo ,put away the Mt Dew, and keep that kid outside playing......like we used to do in the 'old days'.

Mr. Lundt, based on your comments, you are obviously an older single man, probably driving a mid-life crisis type sports car, treating women like they are lower class citizens.
Ann, seriously? This has absolutely nothing to do with kids getting enough exercise. My mom used a safety harness back in the "old days", so this is not a new concept. It's a parent trying to keep a child safe.

All I have to say about most of these comments is that they never had to deal with a hyperactive child, much less a hyperactive child with 4 siblings in the same age range, as was the case in my family.

Kari
I appreciated the laugh at how far you are off on my demographic. Your ignorance is only topped by your desire to try to demonize those that dare have a different opinion.

There was a request for us to share our opinions. As has been more on display, only per approved opinions are appreciated.

Tough

It's one thing to share your opinion but people are saying that parents that use a safety harness are lazy or don't let their kids go outside enough, that's not stating an opinion that's being presumptuous and judgemental.

And by the way, "Mama Bear, how nice for you that you've been so blessed with a son who is able to understand the concept of not running off or bolting in a parking lot or other crowded venue. Some children who have developmental disabilities, ADHD, or different energy levels might not understand that concept--which isn't to say that their parents are any less vigilant or careful than you are. The fact that you took the time to write this blog is kind of judgmental to begin with. I would've hoped that as a fellow mother you would perhaps be able to see past the need to call attention to parents for whom a "leash" is a necessary method for keeping their kids out of danger, and just quietly feel thankful that you don't have to undergo the public scrutiny/shaming that undoubtedly goes along with it. You probably wrote this with an underlying intent but will mask it under the guise of claiming that you "just want to understand" the need for such a method, but it comes off as snarky when you publish it as a blog on a public forum. To each their own, live and let live. Find something more important to get people worked up about.

Who needs a leash when you can use an electric collar with a remote?

Apparently a few people have no idea what an opinion is but still have little tolerance for those that have different ones.

It was even taken to the extreme of being told that merely asking for an opinion was somehow bad.

The perpetually offended ride again.

as far as I'm concerned, leashes are for dogs. people these days have so many excuses as to why they need to keep their child on a leash. as parents all we have to do is pay attention

Many of you preach too much! Your life has been too easy and too blessed! Until you can take the view of another persons struggles, you might want to keep your lips zipped. Children don't all learn the same way, and a parent using a leash is not a bad parent. This actually might be the BEST parent, the one who has found the best way to keep their child safe. You are snobs, thinking you are superior to other people, and not understanding anything but your own perfect world. When life gives you a bad hand, lets hope understanding comes your way.

dills
We will add you to the list of people that don't understand the definition of opinion.

dills...finally a sensible response from a great person I would like as a friend...will share a little humor of my experience with a leash. My hyperactive 3 year old was hiding under the cloths racks and running around the store while I was carrying my 1 year old. Saw the leach, bought it, put it on my son..and...he crawled on his knees barking like a dog...I was soooo embarassed..never used it again...never shopped with the boys again...Sears catalog was my life saver until they got older..to those of you who have never had the privilege of raising a child like I had..you have my sympathy..you missed out on a lot of amazing memories. this little man of mine also got away from me in church...sitting in the back pew...he crawled all the way down under the pews to the front and got up to do his little "catch me if you can" dance. He is 50 now, a great father, husband, and great grandfather...the world is much brighter thanks to these little ones...

dills...finally a sensible response from a great person I would like as a friend...will share a little humor of my experience with a leash. My hyperactive 3 year old was hiding under the cloths racks and running around the store while I was carrying my 1 year old. Saw the leach, bought it, put it on my son..and...he crawled on his knees barking like a dog...I was soooo embarassed..never used it again...never shopped with the boys again...Sears catalog was my life saver until they got older..to those of you who have never had the privilege of raising a child like I had..you have my sympathy..you missed out on a lot of amazing memories. this little man of mine also got away from me in church...sitting in the back pew...he crawled all the way down under the pews to the front and got up to do his little "catch me if you can" dance. He is 50 now, a great father, husband, and great grandfather...the world is much brighter thanks to these little ones...

Whenever parents go out in public we're judged. No matter what we do someone is going to at some point have a problem with the way we handle things. We use a stroller and we're in the way or our kid is too big for the stroller. We carry the kid and people think the kid is too big to be carried. We put a kid in a time-out and we're being too easy on them but if we give a kid a swat on the butt or their hand and we're beating them. We let our kid have a soda with his meal and we terrible parents that don't feed our child nutritious meals and when don't give the kid a soda we're mean because "come on it's not going to kill him to have one soda." We use a leash and we're lazy but the minute the kid gets away from you for a second and bumps into someone or knocks something over or gets lost or hurt we don't know how to keep track of our kids. I for one am going to continue raising my son the same way I have been for almost 8 years now. He is healthy, safe, loved, respectful, conscientious, smart, funny, creative, and follows the rules and listens even though I used a leash on him for a small amount of time when he was younger. And one more thing; I think that it is despicable to say that people that use a leash might be raising the next Newtown shooter. How can you possibly come to that conclusion????

I'm coming a little bit late to the discussion, but I would have to say that it depends on the child. And the age of the child. There is an age before they possess the ability to control their own impulses, and a parent will have to do it for them somehow.

Years before I became a parent, I read Stephen King's Pet Sematary, in which a very young child darts into the road and is killed. I resolved that such a grief would never come to me, even if i had to look like I was being ridiculously over-protective. Any time we were near traffic, my son's hand was in mine -- until he was 8 years old. I never had to use a leash, but I darn well would have if that was the only way I could assure his safety.

It's better than smacking a very young child for running into the street. If they were old enough to reason with, they wouldn't do it, and fear of punishment isn't always a foolproof means of control.

Ah oh, I hear an opportunity for some WI Progressive Democrat legislator to pass a law first funded by a 3 million dollar tax payer paid study.

VOTING FRAUD IS 'DISENFRANCHISING'

First, I never even used the word lazy in my post. That was another reader. Second, I simply asked for your views and someone to explain the need to me. I have read your answers...some were quite angry for no reason. To that I say there is something underlying there. Hit a nerve. Wonder why?

To those of you that explained it respectfully thank you. I was able to handle 20 different kids with 20 different personalities without a leash so I do not ever need one. I have also had kids that are normally leashed with me when I watch others kids. I get down to their level and say if you run off or touch anything in this store you will sit on time out. Then...I follow through. They will do it. Time out right there in the isle. They get it eventually.

Is using a leash 100% bad? No...does it make me cringe? YES.

Do I think there are other ways...yes? I am always open to hearing things that have worked for others when it comes to parenting. However in this case I am not going to leash up when we have never needed one.

No one is perfect. If it comes accross that way I am sorry. I was just giving examples. I did not parent those 20 kids in my classroom I was their teacher. I was hoping this would make people think instead of flip out but people are perfectly happy dealing with kids running all over the place, jumping on tables in restaurants, etc. There is a time and place for that and part of raising a kid to grow up to be a good adult is teaching them that in my opinion. Like all of you, I have a right to my opinion.

Half of the people in my neck of the woods do not use a leash for their dogs. My lawn knows what that equates to.
Part of parenting is using every opportunity to teach your child right from wrong, slapping a choke collar on them doesn't really help this. Some parents have a whole litter of little ones, but I think tying them up is a problem with CPS.
Most of the time when I see a leash on a child, the parent is escaping from their duties. I have a neighbor who does this with their 2 year old, but lets the kid play outside in the front yard- alone and unsupervised.
If there is a special needs child, then it is a matter of safety, and clearly understandable.
Unfortunately kids do not come with an owners manual, and many parent are ill equipped to deal with the responsibilities of raising a child. These are the same people who never housebreak their pets, shovel their sidewalk, or pick up the trash in the yard.

What I have seen boils down to two main themes
1) people confuse what is right with what is easiest

2) people have an unquenchable desire to validate their behavior based on a manufactured notion that their situation is so unique that:
A) the rest of us can't understand
B) we must suspend our common sense judgements to those that consider themselves unique

Past generations had the technology to create a child leash and chose not to...the notion that danger and hyperactivity is new is without merit.

How about a shock collar?

Kari,
I have two children 18 months apart.

I cannot imagine that anyone suggest that leashing a child is right. What you WILL get are excuses for WHY they do it anyway. No one on this blog suggested it was right---they all told us why they were immune from the judgements.

Finally I think we need MORE judgement of acceptable standards. Judgement is a GREAT trait to have and instill in our children. There is so much good on having clear lines of good and bad. Expressing the judgment is an entirely different matter and is based on when and where and how...

All that said, I hope you have seen even in this blog I have backed off of my initial tone a bit. I should have stated my opinion in a more intelligent way in post #1. I can see where I (helped) unnecessarily rile people up.

There is no right and wrong with something like this. It's more what you choose to do with your child versus what someone else would do with their child. Just because you don't like it does not make it wrong.

I have yet to hear one parent suggest that this is the the leash right method. What they do is explain why they are the exception to sound judgement.

I will tell you that if parents of three year olds are already resorting to leashes---- I am sincerely scared for them when their kids become teens.

Here is an article on this http://www.helium.com/items/1542896-toddler-leashes

A very good article. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art20502.asp

I have read comments stating that these things are not necessary; but I have not read a comment that explained WHY they are so bad, other than some people comparing them (directly or indirectly) to animal leashes. Strollers are not necessary, safety gates are not necessary, window locks are not necessary, bed rails are not necessary, toddler training toilets are not necessary; but we accept their uses as 'helpers' in safety as we raise and teach our children.

I also don't understand why this topic is publicly debated as a though it is a controversial new idea on the market when this type of thing has been used for young children for centuries. There are no collars and a child can remove them fairly easily, so it's not the same as being tied up. They are supposed to aid in helping a child learn to walk properly on their own. Did you have a baby walker in your livingroom?

We used one once - when we are on a trip to a very busy and very unfamiliar city with our 23-month old who loved to walk and hated strollers, being carried, etc., and we had multiple children along. We didn't even use it constantly, just when we were going to be in large crowds.

I agree with Tara. They can be a great helper. Using one certainly gives your child more freedom than being in a stroller or carried. There are times when unfettered freedom isn't appropriate for very young children.

Well, as a parent, you know if your child is a minder or a runner, and that you are either the one holding the command or not.

I once lived next door to a single mom of a basketball team, and seriously? She would scream in a whiny way and beg her children to behave. No wonder why they didn't mind her.

Of course there just those kids who cannot be under control. I just think that kids are pretty cool. They sense that. And they also know when I'm serious, and they are good.