Kid "Leashes"

[PrincessJadesMom]

I am taking my DD (age 6) to WDW next month. We are going by ourselves (just the 2 of us). I am afraid we might get seperated. We had some friends that took their DD who was the same age and he got lost. Obviously his mom was terrified when she couldn't find him (which she did later). I panick when I think of that happening to us. My mom suggested that we get one of those "kid leashes", but those are for really little kids and I don't think it would fit my DD. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Rick Blaine]

I think the politically correct term for those things is tethers.

[iluvdizney2]

we got a wrist strap for my youngest and it worked really well. He is 5.5 and he didnt mind as he felt free from hand holding. It basically is a velcro strap on the wrist and a 4 foot long strap that has a "handle" on the parents side. So what we did was loop the handle part around a belt loop on us, and strapped his wrist up. no one was holding hands and no arguments about "my arms hurt" !
We did have one person at the airport very loudly and ignorantly say "kids have parents, DOGS have leashes" and my reply was equally as loud and "yes that may be true but I KNOW where my child is and I AM keeping it that way, but thank you for your very uneducated comment."
Good luck....and have a BLAST at Disney!

[Spartan_Jeff]

I stare in awe every time I see a child on a leash. I have 2 young girls and we have went to WDW for years and have never use a "leash". We also have never had any problems with losing our children. This is just my opinion, but let your child have a bit of dignity and scrap the child "leash/teather/strap" idea. I always feel my children are at Disney to have fun, not to be dragged around like a mule.

[Monkey Magic]

I don't understand why someone would put their child on a leash. Unless you've had severe issues in the past, it just seems mean. I know I wouldn't have wanted my parents to put a leash on me when I was little!

[kadesha]

i am a proud user of the harness. i have a 2 and 3 year old, it's impossible to just "hold hands" and keep up with them. I use the harness for freedom so they aren't stuck in the stroller all day. I don't understand why people "stare in awe," because I am taking necessary precautions to prevent my kids from getting away from me, or from someone snatching them for that matter. I don't think my kids are going to run away, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a harness, they are a wonderful way to keep small kids safe without using a stroller.

[Monkey Magic]

i am a proud user of the harness. i have a 2 and 3 year old, it's impossible to just "hold hands" and keep up with them. I use the harness for freedom so they aren't stuck in the stroller all day. I don't understand why people "stare in awe," because I am taking necessary precautions to prevent my kids from getting away from me, or from someone snatching them for that matter. I don't think my kids are going to run away, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a harness, they are a wonderful way to keep small kids safe without using a stroller.

Wouldn't you rather sit in a shady, comfortable stroller all day and be wheeled around than have to walk in the hot, Florida sun?

[iluvdizney2]

we have a hyperactive autistic child with MD and personally it really comes down to personal choice and safety for the individual family....we could use a wheelchair because of his disability. We chose to let him move as much as he can to prevent any outbursts that would happen in a public setting, and the strap keeps us in control which is exactly what some children need in order to feel safe. personal choice, and I would hope no one would judge.

[PrincessJadesMom]

I am more concerned about my little girls safety than I am about what people think about what I do. "iluvdizney2" I was wondering if you could tell me where you got your arm strap? That sounds like a great idea! Thanks!

[kadesha]

Wouldn't you rather sit in a shady, comfortable stroller all day and be wheeled around than have to walk in the hot, Florida sun?

I sure would!! However, my 2 and 3 year olds HATE the stroller and want to walk! I'm not taking the chance of letting one or both of them get away from me or be snatched by a stranger. It gives them more freedom than a stroller.

[iluvdizney2]

I got it at Toys R Us...
and as far as the rude coments go, I live with them all the time because ignorance is what people tend to rely on when they cant come up with educated conversation.
When you deal with medical issues every day and people act this way you really need to let it roll off your back and take it with a grain of salt...so I will suggest to just let it roll of your back. Those people are not worth the time it takes for you to reply....

[PrincessJadesMom]

"kadesha" and "iluvdizney2", thank you very much for your answers and your support!!!

[kadesha]

Just to add:

I get negative stares sometimes, but I get far more compliments from people! I dont know how many people have asked where I got them (they are backpacks shaped like puppy dogs, with the detachable wrist strap) and just gave a general compliment that they are a good idea this day and age. So don't think you'll be stared at like a freak or anything because it's not like that. It's sad to see that there are so many judgemental people on here who are against a form of children's safety!

[mouseaddict]

Let me point out that there are tons of threads on these boards about people with strollers and how they are annoying and offensive. I too am proud to say that I used a harness for my son. Have you watched the news lately? I personally do not want to be the one to identify my child at the morgue.
You can get a really neat harness at Target, it is made by Eddie Bauer. It is a little bear backpack with a pocket in it. The bear's tail has a wrist strap for parents. I never "dragged" my son, I held his hand and if he let go I knew that he could not get far. He loved his "back pack" and we put his park passes and door key in it so that he would feel "grown up"
I don't know if your 6 year old will fit the harness. I also make sure that when I get to the park that I point out cast members and we also attach a card to his pants with our cell # on it.
Enjoy your trip and don't let what others think bother you. If your child is safe that is all that matters.

[NotaGeek]

The first time I went to Disneyland in Anaheim I was 8 and my brother was 5 and if ONLY those pesky kid leashes had been invented (I am 38!) ... my parents would have used them ... or a LoJack since my brother managed to wander off at least 3 times! I say. leash, Lo-Jack, whatever it takes to keep the kids safe.

I am single and child-less (thank goodness) but I actually frown and get WAY more annoyed by kids running around by themselves knowing that WDW and DLR aren't always the safest places for kids on their own. My friend and I happened upon a little boy that looked about 3 years old crying his eyes out wandering through DTD last summer at Disneyland. It made me SICK to think that if it hadn't been us that stopped and took him into a store and called security what could have happened. After we turned him in we found a frantic and hysterical mother running through DTD screaming his name. SCARY.

As a parent it's not about personal freedom, it's about your kids safety!

[bratmaster]

I have never been a fan of the leashes, but when we went last time my youngest was 2, and i bought one just in case it got real bad. It turns out, he was the BEST behaved of all my kids! I never had a problem with him, and he mostly stayed in the stroller anyhow. (Turns out my oldest, who was 9, was the one i wanted a leash for - to wrap around her neck.)
Anyhow, i think it is all personal choice. However, i really can't see using one for a 6 year old. I think that would be more for your benefit than hers. does she know her name, phone number, your name, things like that? If she does i wouldn't worry. I would think it is more in her best interest to teach her about who the safe people are to go to if she gets lost at that age, and about stranger safety. I know that if my 7 year old gets separated from me i would be in a panick, but i know that she can talk to somebody and would get back to me eventually. The leashes i think benefit toddlers more so because they cannot talk or help themselves at all, and they could be easily picked up and carried away without a fuss. I would say that unless your child is very shy and cannot speak to adults, or unless she has some sort of handicap, i would forego the leash. If you are really worried another good option is some sort of ID. If she is afraid to talk to people or doesn't know her phone number you can just teach her that if she gets lost to show somebody her ID.

[wdw_bound]

Having a daughter who is a stroke survivor has taught me not to judge others. I used to. Like many of us, I was one of those self-righteous, holier than thou people who couldn't understand why that healthy looking grade-schooler was in a stroller, or why that mom was using a harness with her child. I was a self-righteous know-it-all.

Then my daughter was born. And from her, I learned the power of the human spirit and the strength of determination to overcome almost impossible odds. The opinions of those who have nothing better to do than pass judgement just aren't all that important.

My daughter is now 8 and still needs a stroller sometimes, albeit one designed for special needs kids. Given the hours and hours of physical therapy, medical interventions, and sheer grit and courage it took her to walk at all, I'll gladly push her in a stroller when her leg gets tired.

We have used a harness to keep her safe until she was old enough to understand exactly what steps to take should she get separated from us. Now that she is older, she has cell phone numbers memorized and knows to find a CM the moment she realizes she's alone, but until recently, I couldn't be sure that the beauty of a butterfly or a rainbow reflected on a puddle wouldn't be enough to distract her just long enough to wander off. I'm still not sure, but at least I know that she has the ability to help us help her.

Both the stroller and the harness can and have had judgement passed on me as a parent and my daughter (whose disability is often not noticeable to the casual observer). But the lesson I have been taught is that what others think doesn't matter. As parents, we are all just doing the best we know how to do. Let's all try to remember that the next time we see something that makes us feel smug.

[Melanie]

Moderator Alert!

I've had to remove some nasty, sarcastic comments from this thread, and from some who have been around INTERCOT long enough to know that we won't tolerate it. That is very disappointing!

You can give your thoughts and opinions while respecting others. Please do so!

[iluvdizney2]

Thank you.

[kadesha]

can[/I] give your thoughts and opinions while respecting others. Please do so!

thanks you, i, personally, was very offended at some of the remarks.