Children Are Not Dogs!

Posted on behalf of Debbie Churchill - her email to me:

I listened with interest to the emotional discussion on the Cornbread show about the child leash. When I first saw the 'child leash' years ago I had the same reaction. While I have never employed the child leash, my views softened on the concept as I traversed through motherhood. I applaud parents who think they can be 'on' 24 x7 - I realize in spite of my best efforts - I'm not that good!

We confine our children in other 'acceptable' ways - car seats, play bins, strollers, etc. Is there a significant difference? I think the view of the leash being the same as a dog leash is what invokes the emotion - that is our own correlation! The reality is we could choose to correlate other well established child care practices with how we interact with our animals. For instance, we crate dogs to keep them confined to an area - we put our babies in play bins.

Bottom line, we want to keep our children safe. Each of us have to choose the best methodolgy based on our own strengths/weaknesses and the disposition of our children. If I choose a different methodolgy than you - it doesn't make it wrong.

Posted on behalf of Jamie Rennie. Her email to me:

When my sister and I were little I was put on a leash but my sister
wasn't. My sister knew to stay put but I had a tendancy to wander off. My mom could be holding my hand, I could be in the cart and the next thing she knew I'd be gone something had caught my attention. The leash didn't even look like a leash. It was a teddy bear that held my toys and I use to put my favorite stuff animal in it and play. not knowing I was attached to a 'leash' a few feet away from my mom safely attached to her. Now I do, and I see people with them and laugh because that was me when I was little.

I think it is horrible that parents put their children on leashes, they are not dogs. If you cannot watch your child and keep an eye on them, maybe you need to get a babysitter, so you can do your shopping and other running around you have to do.

We had one for our son. He had a tendancy to take off in a full sprint sometimes not being able to be caught until he was on the other side of the store, so we felt this kept him in our sight without limiting him to a cart. He could walk around but not take off on us. What would happen if he would have done that in a parking lot? It's not cruel. He was never unhappy. He never fought it. Eventually we didnt use it after he learned he had to stay near mom and/or dad. We felt it kept him safe also because he knew no stranger and would have gone off with anyone.

Everyone has their own opinion. I have been there and I understand why some parents choose to use them.

I loved the leashes for all three of my girls. They never fought them.

The way I see it is that we're giving the kids their own time to be independent out in public but keeping them safe at the same time. That way if you are a little distracted (taking care of another child) and you have the leash, then you know your child can't be stolen or wanders away and gets lost.

The only leashes I didn't like are the ones that were attached to the childs wrist with velcro. Um, the kid can get out of that easily and or stolen. The halter leashes are the best and the leashes uncliped from the halter in the back.

It is far from cruel to use a child-leash. It is not treating a child like a dog, that just shows the ignorance of people. I used them on both of my children because I LOVE THEM and children will be children no matter how close you watch them. They can dart infront of cars or wander off in a heartbeat, I know I have retrieved more than a few of those "I'm-best-mamma-in-the-world" 's children from immenent danger. With the leash I've never had to have someone else save my child...

It is far from cruel to use a child-leash. It is not treating a child like a dog, that just shows the ignorance of people. I used them on both of my children because I LOVE THEM and children will be children no matter how close you watch them. They can dart infront of cars or wander off in a heartbeat, I know I have retrieved more than a few of those "I'm-best-mamma-in-the-world" 's children from immenent danger. With the leash I've never had to have someone else save my child...

I usually cringe when I see a kid on a leash, something about it is just so wrong. here are many times that I get tired of reminding my very active and spirited two year old to hold my hand, "stay with Mommy" or "look both ways" but I think that reminding her to do those things is part of her learning process. Every time that I tell her those things I am reinforcing good habits. I know eventually she will get the "hang of it" and learn that she needs to stay with me and watch out for dangers (cars, strangers,etc.) but until that time it's my job to teach her and protect her. If I am so distracted by shopping or something else I am not doing my job as a mom. I think if I put her on a leash that would be sending the wrong message to her. I prefer to reinforce the good habits and yes it's more work for me and maybe it would be easier on me to put her on a leash but she's a little girl not a dog!

I have a five year old and a two year old. I do not need to use a leash. My friend has a three year old, a 20 month old and a five month old. She uses a leash on the 20 month old because she always wanders off. Just because some one uses a leash for their child does not make them a bad parent. If you have one child then you probably do not need one. But when children are kidnapped everyday, it is not a bad idea to use one when you are trying to keep an eye on three children at once. The people who are saying that if a leash is necessary, then just get a babysitter, need to realize that some people do not have the luxery to afford one.

If the child is well-mannered and won't run, fine it's not needed. HOWEVER, there have been times that some children need a "mechanical restraint device". Some parents, not all but some, will let their little hellions runwithout even wondering where they are. I'm not going to babysit someone else's kid in a store. People, if you aren't going to watch them, don't make the babies.