Baby Reins- Useful or Horrible?

Useful, definitely. LOVED having it. I got the one at Target that looks like an animal backpack. More fun for the kid that way. Didn't need it for my son but my daughter...whoa....wild child. If it saves just one kid from getting hit by a car or lost in a crowd then it's worth it.

They didn't work at all for my daughter. She had a big tantrum and threw herself to the floor the minute we would stop her from doing whatever it was she wanted to do. Then it got to the point where she wouldn't let us put it on her, and we would have to pretty much sit on her and it would take two of us to force it on her, just to have her screaming the whole time. I just learned that holding her hand/arm was easier, as I could let go and let her roam a bit when I deemed it safe, and then hold her hand again when necessary. She liked that better, as it gave her more freedom and besides, like you said, if you pull the cord, it knocks them down, and if you are holding their hand, you can catch them before they fall. Just my story, good luck!

Hi S.,
When my son was starting to walk and run and get into everything, I bought one that was a little animal back pack that had the longer cord for to me to hold, but could be taken off so the child can stull use the back pack. I introduced the backpack to him first and showed him that we could put snacks or his binky in it and then he can carry them (I would let him walk around the house with just his backpack on) and then when we would go out in public and I needed the longer strap, I would just clip it on and most of the time he didn't even notice that I had it clipped on. As he got older he started to not like it but by that point he knew he had to stand by mommy and hold my hand (and he was starting to out grow the backpack part LOL). I loved mine =) And even though he's 4 now, I still have it in the trunk and tell him that if he can't listen to mommy we'll start wearing it again- that keeps him right by my side at all times even though it woudln't even fit him anymore =) LOL...
Hope this helps,
take care,
H.

I've got a 5yo who was a runner, and now I have 8 month old twins and I can already tell that my son will run as soon as he can. Trying to get all three to listen and stay with me won't be possible. I'm being realistic. People drive like maniacs just in parking lots, and all it takes is for one of the kids to take two steps away from me and they'll be in grave danger. I went through way too much to have my children and am not going to base their safety on other people's opinions. We used an animal back back a few times for my older dd and she loved it. She could keep her special snacks in there.

Yes, Tracie D - I'd let my kids put me on one of those cute animal back packs if it would keep them safe....the same for my husband, who is starting to have some memory issues, and he has physical problems which cause him to be a bit slower. If it keeps him from getting lost from the group, so be it.

50+ years ago my mom used one with my brother. He was a runner, she had a 2-1/2 year old and an infant (me). She had no way to hang onto three kids with two hands, and I can't see me being able to do that, either. I've only got two hands. She said she got nasty comments from people and her response was always, "Well, it's better than him running into the street and getting hit by a car." Some kids will listen and stick to their parents like glue. Others, like my older dd, want to explore the world and have no fear. It'll be great when she's older, but for now it's scary to deal with.

Anyway, I don't judge other moms for things like this because I am not in their shoes and I certainly don't know what their child does in certain situations. I'd hate to be the one to "guilt" a mom into not using it and have her child get killed because of the lack of a harness. I guess I would just have a hard time sleeping at night, but that's just me.

FWIW, we used to put each other on the harness when we were kids and play with it, walking each other around. We thought it was great fun.

I am somewhat in the middle on these. I can see their purpose, but to me it's degrading. I won't use one on my toddler... however did kids survive running in the street and avoiding being killed LONG before this invention? It takes work to teach your child to stay with you and that's part of parenting. My son LOVES to run and he knows that I will allow him to do that when the time is right. He holds my hand and walks next to me like a little gentleman... save for the times that he wants to "fly" when daddy is holding his other hand. That synapse isn't quite firing that when daddy is not around mommy can't help him fly!! lol However, it's not hard to teach them to stay by your side. My grandmother used to have my mother hold on to her skirt while they were in stores. I think the tendency would be to treat your child much like a dog while it's on the leash... gut instinct... not necessarily the best thing in my opinion.
You could also try a rope with knots in it. Used this one while working at the Y one year on a major field trip... child has to hold on to a knot... although since you have one it's just a short rope with one knot for you and one for the child. That way they are choosing to hold on. Not being walked.

Here's the thing: you need to do what you need to do.

SURE, they all say that a child should listen to Mommy and know how to behave and know how to listen and hold Mommy's hand and stay close and be disciplined and know how to act in public and and and....

But the bottom-line is: some kids are TOO fast TOO zippy and ARE dangerous. So, you need to problem solve in a safe way. Thus, the Toddler Harnesses.

I have used it before with my son, in certain situations, (not all the time), when he was about 2 years old. HE can run off in a nano-second.... in front of cars. "I" cannot run that fast, much less while carrying groceries. THUS, I used it for certain situations. I HAVE GOTTEN COMPLIMENTS on it... from the young and elderly... they would tell me "good for you, you keep our son safe..." and one Gentleman told me that I was "smart" for using the Harness because his neighbor's son got hit by a car, RIGHT on their own street, because he ran from the garage before anyone realized it.

You do what you need to. My friend, has 3 boys. ALL VERY fast and active. SHE used it too, for her middle son, because he was the "runner" of the boys and he got lost before already.

So, you do what you feel is best.
Yes they work. No it was not a nuisance for me or my son. My son actually liked his "monkey" harness which I got from Amazon.
And no, you do not "jerk" your child back like a pet dog. THAT is not what it is for. They are still a child... not a pet.

All the best,
Susan

Looks like I will be in the minority here, but I want to cry when I see little kids on the end of a leash. How degrading. There are so many ways to keep control of a child - hold their hand, pick them up, put them in a cart, put them in a stroller, teach them boundaries - I just don't see the need to tie them to the end of a leash. My two kids were wildly independent when they were little and would think nothing of walking off. That's why I had to watch them carefully and put them in a cart or stroller when we were out. If they didn't want to be in the cart or stroller, they had to hold my hand - period. There was no other option.

Question for the parents who use them - since your goal is to keep you and your child from becoming separated, would you be ok with having the leash tied to you and letting your child hold the strap? Would you be ok with your husband tying you to the end of a leash so you don't get separated? Still think the leash version of safety should come before humanity?

S.-
I certainly wish I had been open to the baby reins. My son constantly took off and because he could zip in and out of high traffic areas. When he was little, he went between a mother and her baby carriage in a very crowded theme restaurant. I tried to find him for 10 minutes,but couldn't. I ended up having to find security and it took us 25 more minutes to find him. It was horrifying and heartbreaking. Do what you need to do to keep your child safe and don't worry what other people think and drop your preconceived notions, because being a parent is never what you had anticipated. And the judgmental people are probably not parents, and even if they are many don't understand your child like you do.

Dear S.:

We have an innate intelligence that gives our first feeling of priority great accuracy. The leash is not good for many reasons including physiological ones.
There is a better way of training a child from running.
There are devices on the market that are very small and discreet.
You attach one part to the child’s cloth and the other part to you.
If the child gets to far away from you – which you set the distance – an alarm goes off.
This alarm you train your child to something they really enjoy.
It works every time.

S. L.

Useful ..... watch the news and hear about little ones who get snatched when you turn for a moment or run off as you look in your purse. Sometimes you simply dont have enough hands and public areas can crowd quickly. You can find harnesses that are stuffed animals so they are cute and more comfortable. The safety of your child is more important than what another adult might think about how "mean" you are being to your child. A harness is not something they will remember, and you can make it fun for your little one - just talk to them and be honest.

I don't think it's horrible that some people use these, but it's not for me. I have two daughters (now 2 and 4) and have preferred to use other means to keep them with me and in my control.

There are places (parking lots, some stores, crowds) where their choice is to ride in the stoller (or cart), be carried, or hold hands. I have had to be very consistent with the rules, but they both now (usually) accept holding hands when we have to. They would not get out of the car in a parking lot without holding hands or being carried.

In places where I can give them more free rein, we practice staying together, no running, etc. It's not perfect, but I prefer that they learn how to behave in different situations/locations so that they know how to be safe when they are with someone other than me. This is sometimes inconvenient and slows me down from the tasks at hand (or causes us to have to abandon altogether). This approach has to be balanced by making sure to provide lots of opportunities where they can safely run around freely.

Use your own judgement about what you think will work best for you and the personality of your child(ren). And there will probably be a lot of trial and error!

I carried my oldest son when he was little. One time I set him down by my feet (not allowed on the counter) to sign my name at at Sears store and he was gone. I was frantic by the time I found him in the radio section looking at strob lights. That is when I purchased mine. It helped give piece of mind. He was tiny and did not like to reach up high and hold my hand to walk. He never fought it and it allowed him the freedom he wanted. Mine had a harness that I put on him and left on him so I only had to click on the lease part when we got out of the car. The leases aren't very long and if I had to pull it to stop him because he wasn't listening, it only caused him to sit down. I would definitely give it a try as it is not all that expensive. I was hesitant at first too. When I had the second, he always wanted to be in the backpack (until 4) so I didn't use it. Kids are all different:)
H-

Putting aside all of my snap judgement opinions about harnesses for children, here are some thoughts...

If your child is on a leash, they aren't learning how to navigate the world safely on their own.

I don't know what your situation is - I suppose if you had a developmentally disabled child who was prone to bolting, something like this may be useful.

Otherwise I really think in the long run it is best to be as patient as possible, teaching them to hold your hand when in crowded places, crossing the street, or parking lots. If need be, pick your child up and carry them across the street. This will drive the point home far better than simply restraining them would. And what happens if, for some reason you forget to bring the harness along, or it gets soiled and cannot be used? I imagine the child would go crazy with their newfound "freedom" creating more of a safety hazard.

Hahaha, i know. I always said i would never do that! And then you get a child who takes off everywhere. Then i pondered using one as well. It is not "degrading"....it is called keeping your child SAFE. With all the child abductions and weirdos doing things to kids in the stores-it is truly important for your child to be right next to you! Some say make them sit in the cart...blah blah blah. Well every child is different-mine will NOT sit in the cart no matter what. So i did buy a harness and again it depends on your child. It did not work for me-but i still have it to maybe try again soon. My daughter does not like it so in debate she will just lay on the ground with it! hahahahaha.....i am hoping she will soon understand the importance of staying be me-but if it is not soon enough, i will try it again. We'll see.....for now i am chasing her everywhere!!!!!

I did this for my 2 year old when we were traveling. I was alone with a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old traveling 6000 miles, airports, taxis, hotels, etc. I found it extremely useful, but after the trip I tried again weeks later and she rebelled so I could not use it again without a major fit. Get one of those cute bear ones and if you are going to use it, be consistent. Make sure your child knows that if the leash is not on, there will be no trip to the park, etc. I used to think they were distasteful, too, but now I praise parents when I see them using them. It is really a safety issue, especially when your little one likes to zoom around or play "hiding games" like mine did!

I NEVER would have thought this, but....
I adore my niece and REFUSE to leave the house with her with out them ON. "Wanna walk to the park? Put on your backpack!" Let me tell you, I have three kids, never had a runner/bolter. I had NO idea the fears that come along with one until I watched my niece a week, while my sister was having a C-section. She smiled and laughed as she darted into the street! You know your child, protect them any way that makes sense to you. And NO you can not jerk them back, but it does take some getting used to.
Good Luck!

I used them with my two boys, but not with my oldest(daughter)I can not believe the people that thing you should teach your child boundries....have those people NEVER lost a child in a crowd? I bought mine right before we left for Disneyland, I was scared that one of the boys (who were 2 and 3 then ) would run off to see something with all that excitement and I would NOT be able to see them in the crowd of people. I LOVED them and used them for many other outings after that. If you child takes just ONE step away from you and is then located in front of someone taller you can no longer see your child....SCARY!! The harnesses have hooks so your child can wear the backpack part without the tether strap, then when needed you can attach the strap. This allows BOTH teaching of boundries and lessons, and also gives you the ability to keep you child SAFE. No matter what choices you make with your child, someone is going to have thoughts about how to do it better. I was a new parent once and those other people use to bother me and make me questions my ability as a parent, now with three kids I have learned to do what is best for me and my kids...not what is best for others and thier kids. God bless, and whatever makes you feel like you are doing the best for you and your child is the correct choice.

They saved my daughter's life when she tried to jump in a pond chasing ducks as a toddler. My grandson at 18 months is a little dynamo and I can't move as fast as he can, so when we go outside the house or backyard he is either strapped in his stroller or in his walking harness with the six foot lead. I also used the harness with my two boys and it gave me such piece of mind when they were toddlers. My cousin's boy decided to play hide and seek with his pregnant mother when he was about two at a well known department store. They had to lock the store down until he was found in a pile of clothes! After that he was in the harness. WHO THE HECK CARES WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IF IT GIVES YOU CONTROL OVER THE CHILD WITHOUT HURTING THEM AND STILL ALLOWS THEM SOME DEGREE OF FREEDOM? Trust me, you will come to love it, especially when he tries to dash down the stairs or out into the street of into the pool or pond!

Hi S., I totally get your dilema. My kids were older when the harnesses came out, but they came in time for my neices and nephews. I will tell you, when I first saw them I also thought - how terrible, that mother can't even handle her kids...she is a terrible mother...needing to put her child on a leash.

Then it hit me...

SHE WAS A BRILLIANT MOTHER. She knew that she isn't perfect. She knew that she couldn't be every where at every minute with her chilren. She knew that she needed help. And she was right. Her kids had on one of those back pack harnesses and i asked her about them. She showed me that she carried their water, snacks and diapers (for the little one) inside the backpack. She no longer needed a diaper bag! She had 2 kids walking through the mall, slowly, enjoying themselves, enjoying their freedom and mom had two free hands...BRILLIANT...just brilliant! She could shop, she could look around and she could enjoy her children.

I know moms who don't take their kids ANYWHERE with them because the kids are "energetic" and they can't get anything done. They leave them at home with dad or a sitter, the kids don't get to go out and experience the world very often cause mom finds it too challenging.

I ALWAYS recommend the harnesses, let the kids pick the one they want, let them wear it around the house for a couple of days and you know what...you never have to worry about "yanking them back"...the strings are not that long, they can't get very far.

They make sense, those that say they don't... never used one or at the very least won't admit that raising kids is a challenge and they needed help. If you are unsure...just hang out at Disneyland for a day...you will see the importance of keeping your chilren within an arms reach.

B.
Family Succeess Coach

Are you kidding? :) These are the best things ever! :D I used them for both my daughters and loved them! Sure I'd get dirty looks, but who cares. It was so much safer and easier then my girls running off/away from us.

We used these with my first born because he is VERY active and high energy. It has it's pluses and minuses. It did the job and kept him with us BUT I would caution it's use to special circumstances such as a crowded airport, the zoo etc. Reason being that it doesn't help the child to learn self control at all. I struggle with my first born having no impulse control and still learning to behave himself while my 2 year old has much more self control. For one I think their personalities are way different, my second is much more laid back, but the other reason I think that he behaves better is that he has been forced to learn self control.
Being a second born child he has always had to wait his turn, something my first born never had to do and therefore struggles with. Also, he is more controlled when we are in public, he never runs off, always holds my hand without a fight etc. I think this is because we never used the harness and from a young age he had to learn this. There were no exceptions because if we didn't hold his hand and/or make him stay close by it could have been dangerous.

So my two cents, you should use them if you have to. For instance I still used mine until my son was about 3 1/2 when I am taking two kids through the airport by myself, obviously I can't hold two hands and pay for a bottle of water by myself, etc. But limit their use so your child can still learn self control.

I really think it depends on how it's used. I recently went to an event and there was a mom that had her 2-3 yr old on one (the cute little monkey one) however she would NOT put her blackberry down. Her reason for using it, in my opinion, is sheer laziness. I can see using it at Disneyland though. As for every day use I just can't see it. I have a two year old and she knows she cannot walk away from me in the parking lot when we're at the car, she knows she has to hold hands when we're walking in the parking lot, she knows that she has to hold hands until we're on the sidewalk. I'm not saying she's perfect - she has her times that she doesn't want to hold hands and I give her an option. Either she holds hands or she will be carried, put in the stroller or in the shopping cart - she usually chooses to hold hands. I think the leash makes it easy to be lazy about teaching your kids to be cautious. You have to think about what if - what if your child happens to get out of the house and goes for a walk. Will he/she know to stay on the sidewalks and why? We talk to our daughter about why she has to hold hands, how cars can't see her, how she could get hurt if a car hits her...etc.

I'm not sure if this will help you decide what's best for you - a lot of what I've just said also depends on the age and their comprehension level. I didn't let my daughter walk holding hands in parking lots/sidewalks until she was probably 18-20 months. Before that she was either carried, in the stroller or shopping cart.

I swore I would never use them & never did until my Mother-in-Law bought a monkey backpack from Eddie Bauer that had a tail for a leash. The only time we used it was on a trip to Disneyland & we used it more becuase my two year old loved it than for the actual security of it. She still wears it occasionally around the house & lets her old sister "walk" her' but I haven't had the need or desire to use it as more than a toy since.

S.,
If you have a child who loves to take off running at the drop of a hat, these harnesses are an excellent help with safety when you are going to be in crowded situations. I didn't need one for my first. She never ran off. She stayed with me always, even in a huge crowd. I could hold her hand or hold her and never had a problem. Then my extremely active son was born and became a toddler. He was one of these children. I still didn't like the idea of these harnesses, until we found the puppy backpack at Target. He loved it and I used it only in crowded situations. If you are going to an open field to run at the park, obviously it isn't needed. If you are going to Disneyland in July, this is another story. It's about safety and there is nothing wrong with a parent who wants to use a little extra assurance to make sure their child is safe. Because, after all, a 2 year old is not a grown adult that understands you cannot run off in a crowd or run in the street.
Good luck.

Useful!! I had to use one after my toddler got lost at the Galleria. She had many times pulled away from my hand holding and even unbuckled her stroller seat belt and toddled off when I wasn't looking down at her while shopping. She never wanted to stay next to me and would dash and dart in aisles in stores, down the hallways at church and anywhere else we went. She was known to even climb our backyard fence and climb up and unlock exterior doors and leave the house unsupervised. Boy, I'm glad those days are gone! I was always so afraid for her. I too felt harnesses to be terrible and strange. After her last escape I went and bought one and noticed people staring much as I must of at others. Then one lady looked at her and the harness and said, "She must be a runner". I felt relieved to have someone who knew exactly what I was dealing with. There are cute ones now that look like backpacks with little stuffed animals on them, much cutier than the one I used 8 years ago. I found it to be useful and she didn't fight it and I never lost her again out in public. IT worked! Good luck with your "Runner"!!

I am very grateful for them - they give the baby the impression of independence, and me lots of control and security - SAFETY FIRST.

They work and they keep a child safe and let them walk at the same time instead of being trapped in a stroller all the time..my son was running at 10 months..but had the mind of a baby ..he would try to dart off into the street..but loved to walk..people gave me sh*t about it when i did use it..i remember on my birthday i took him to the venice boardwalk..had my dog and the stroller and was on my own w/ him..he wanted out so i put him on the leash..some man went off on me..while others told him to stop...i took my son off the leash and off he went...i had to leave the stroller and our things and go after him..it is for safety..and for children that want to walk...i'm so glad those days are psst and i don't have to hear the comments..my son is 3.5 .. i haven't used a stroller in a year now..and b/c of the leash & me repeatedly telling him not to run off.. he has learned not to run off from me.

We use the KinderKord - it's the best product EVER! It's a set of bracelets, you and the child each wear one, with a retractable cord between. It avoids the stigma of a leash, but you feel safe in crowded places. We don't usually use it while going on a walk, but at the zoo, airport, etc it's really a lifesaver. And, my two year old doesn't mind it at all. Actually, he gets excited b/c when I take it out he knows he gets to walk instead of sit in the stroller. I've had so many moms come up to me and ask where I got it. They carry them at babies r us: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3214795

Hope that helps!
R.

Hi S.,
Please listen to your inner voice. I had 2 kids 16 months apart and my daughter (younger) began walking- and running-at 9 months. You don't need a baby harness. Please start now to teach your toddler self control. Good luck!

I agree with tracie d!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're going to get answers from both ends of the spectrum. Simple answer is do what works for you and your child.

My two cents is: Tell your child that the leash is a "reminder" to stay next to Mom and that it's a no-no to pull against it. (A couple quick time-outs for tugging right at the start will keep it from becoming a status quo tug o' war.)

just wanted to tell you that I loved mine... I used it in busy places with a child walking to about 3. It really gives you peace of mind!

I just got two different harnesses/leashes for my 14 month old. Love 'em. I have a monkey backpack for him, and then a plain harness one. At his age, he has already figured out how to open the front door, as I found out when he escaped during a play group - fortunately another mom noticed him just as he stepped out the door.

No one can say for sure how your kiddo will react, and I have to admit I expected some level of tantrum from him, but got nothing. The first time he wore it, we had a couple spills when he tried to run full tilt, got caught short and tumbled, but nothing serious. Tonight, for trick or treating, he wore the plain harness and trotted along beside me (his hand in mine, but the added security was NICE) with no problems whatsoever. I figure, even if he does occasionally try to run and takes a tumble, it's still better than getting hit by a car.

Hello! I have a harness that I don't use regularly anymore.
You are right that you can not jerk the harness. And initially the child needs to get a feel for how far
They can go.
We have the monkey harness from right start. I started early and we named the monkey.
Seeing the monkey would mean we were going out.
I used it as secondary backup for my peace of mind and we still walked together and held hands at street corners (or I picked him up- but it was about learning to stop at corners). So the leash wasn't a substitute for good communication. It is also the best think in airports or other chaotic places.
Ps: your child may not like it if you don't make it fun.
Let them wear it around the house?
Good luck!

I used one whenever we traveled. If his safety is an issue, then you should use it.

I liked the advice that is given in the book What to Expect Toddler Years. They basically advise to not use one the majority of the time since you want your child to develope the ability to listen and stay with you. However safety is the first priority! There are situations and places where you should go ahead and use it, such as airports, or when you may be responsible for more than one child in a busy area. So far I keep ours at my mom's house since grandma isn't as fast as mommy. I don't think she has used it yet, but it is ready for a time when we need it.

I don't think it's horrible, but whether it's useful I think depends on the child. My son has never liked the stroller. And once he learned to walk, all he wanted to do was wander. So I got one of the cute monkey backpacks with the long tail. I only used it a couple of times, though. He was so little that he didn't quite get it, and he would fall flat on his face when he got to the end of the tether. Or he would weave his way through the clothing racks in stores and get hopelessly tangled. It was way more trouble than it was worth for me.

However, I think it's incredibly rude of people to assume that parents who use devices like these are lazy or are treating their children like animals. We are all trying to keep our children safe. Obviously, it's ideal to teach your child to stay by you without having to use a harness, but there is a window between you teaching and them learning. If you feel a harness like this will give you peace of mind and your child more security as you both figure it all out, I say go for it.

We used it for my son, especially when we were traveling and going to be in crowded places because he would just take off. This allowed him the freedom to walk and be out of the stroller but for us to still be able to keep a close eye on him. We only used it temporarily because now he is much better at holding our hands when we say. I was the same way. I used to think they were dumb and horrible for kids until I had a kid that I was scared to death to lose in a crowd.

I have a 14 month old and plan on using one. He's very active and I'm more concerned about him running into the busy streets surrounding us then I am about people thinking it's degrading. I'm really surprised so many people posted it's degrading! It's a safety device! I used to live in NYC so maybe I'm used to seeing it - you'd be a bad mom if you didn't have one there walking along those busy streets!
Do what you feel is right and who cares what other people think!

I thought the same thing before. But now I have my first child of 16 months and loves to run off at stores, the doctors, pretty much anywhere. I usually put her in the shopping cart and she's good, but sometimes she just has those days where she just doesn't want to be in the cart. I would take her out if the cart and hold her but she would start to wiggle and squirm because she wants the floor. So I put the on the floor holding her hand and again she's wiggling and trying to let go of my hand. I let go and first thing she does is run off. I give her twomore chances and she still runs off. Sooo then I found this cute pink poodle harness for $7.99 at dds discounts and decide to buy it. I had it in her toy box for a month or so before I decided to pack it in the diaper bag and I'm soooo glad I did! I had to take my friend to the dentist and she left me in the waiting room with her 6 wk old and my oh so curious daughter. My daughter was entertained for a while with the little tables and chairs they had but after she discovered there was a doorway that led to the back, forget it! Lol she kept running back there and again i gave her sveral chances. My friends baby started crying and my daughter running off, I pulled out the harness buddy. I'm so glad I did. She knew she had bounderies and wouldn't fight it. I did not have to jerk her or anything. Plus she loves wearing it like a backpack. People can look and make comments but they don't know exactly why your using it. Maybe they will need one in the future like me!!

I have a 2 year old son and he LOVES to run and be free and he is just so interested in everything that it's hard to keep him next to me. I keep him in the stroller. I think those "leashes" for kids are horrible. I could NEVER put my kids on a leash. I feel so bad for kids when I see them on one.

I bought my son one that looks like a monkey and is also a mini backpack (into which he would put his binky, or a small toy, we didn't want it to be too heavy). He rarely fought wearing it, because he realized it meant he could walk instead of being stuck in a stroller or cart. We used it only when we went for walks on busy streets, in malls, or any other crowded place where a child can quickly run off in the blink of an eye.

You're right, it's not meant to be a leash. The way we used it was he got to wear it, I wrapped the other end on my wrist, but still worked on having him hold my hand. When we were in a place where he could be free to run, like in a park, we took off the leash part. As he got older and stopped wanting to hold hands, I made sure I paid attention to his pace and would allow him to walk "freely" but still had the ability to catch him if he bolted. As he learned not to run away from us, we used it less and less. But it was a very good tool to keep him safe while learning not to run away from us.

So all you moms out there who say you don't need it, don't be so quick to judge. I'd rather put my kid on a "leash" than have to put his face on milk cartons.

We loved the one we used and so did our boy. It is a Teddy bear back pack with a leash that we called a tail. Think of it as an umbilical cord of safety and explain to your child that it is so for you both and that he/she has you on the leash and their in control too. It keeps you both safe.
every child is different so Good Luck

I use mine and I had one as a child that saved my life multiple times. It takes a little while for your child to get used to it, but once he/she does, it makes life easier. Oh and I NEVER found it embarrassing.... those other people who say it's degrading probably don't have the same experience I have with having worn one myself. I liked the fact that my arm didn't fall asleep all of the time from holding my mothers hand.

I used to think the same thing until I had a toddler. I think they're handy - keeps them from running off. The key is to not try to use it like a leash. Think of it more like a backup, like a safety strap, like the one on your camera.

I think they seem useful if you are at a mall or somewhere crowded and your child does not want to sit in a stroller the whole time. They would keep them safe from strangers and from running off. If there is a busy street near by its also a good idea. Its better to keep your child safe than worry what other people think.

better have your child safe than worry about looks and dog image enjoy til\tte one they grow up so fast A. raised 4 and enjoyed every ninnet of it no hills

As a parent, I think it looks weird. However, safety first. If it keeps your baby safe, who cares what people think. Also you should use it only when extremely necessary. Explain to your child why you need to use it (for their safety). Maybe in 6 months your won't need it.

I have one we use when we go to public places. I always hated them until I had a toddler which is really active and doesnt listen. To me it was better than him being stuck in a stroller all the time. We also work with him saying stay next to mommy or daddy when we go to the park where its safe if he darts off. Which has really helped. We also hold hands alot. He knows if he doesnt hold a hand he has to go in his stroller or be held. He would rather walk, so it works out perfectly. good luck!

I was so offended by the post by Jennifer S. that I deleted my response.

Hello S.. I just wanted to say that I also found those harness things degrading and funny looking, BUT... I have decided that this time around, once my son starts walking, I am getting one for him. My friend's daughter had one for her son, and it was really cute - it looked like a monkey backpack. I had a lot of scares and close calls with my oldest son when he was young. He loved to wander off, and one time really got lost at the mall during Christmas rush. It was a nightmare and I almost had a panic attack. He was about two or three and no matter how many times I would tell him to stay with me, he just wouldn't. My daughter (who was 6 or 7 at that time) and I were looking all over Macy's for him and couldn't find him for quite a while. She eventually found him sitting in a corner crying his eyes out because he couldn't find us, but it never deterred him from doing it again, in fact, the next day we went back (more Christmas shopping to do, different mall) and he walked off AGAIN. To this day he still does it, and he's 13! When we go to Target, for example, he'll wander off to the electronics section. It's ok now because we have an agreement that as long as he stays there while I shop, I allow it, and then I circle around and come back for him once I'm ready to go. I can't imagine, now that I'm an "older mom" (35) how much harder it is going to be for me to chase a toddler. So, I said all of that to say, I'm now in favor of the harnesses, even though they look silly (except for the monkey one, which I'm partial to! lol) and screw what anyone else thinks or says about them, unless they want to be responsible for watching your child every second of every day that you are away from home or even just outside. As far as if they really work or not, I wouldn't know, but I'm willing to find out :)
(they worked great for my friend's daughter though, but I would imagine that it would depend on the individual child)

The first time I used a harness was for my daughter at the age of 3. We were going to a theme park, and were concerned about the possibility of her wandering off. It worked great!
Then, we had our son. He loves to run away. We used it for a while. Mostly in busy places like malls and public events. He, however, is very strong, so I coulnd't use it for too long without him hurting my wrist. After a while, he broke it. I had to go back to holding his wrist.
Now, I taught him to play red light, green light. If he starts to take off, I say "red light", and he stops.
I would say, try it and see if it works.