Oh, another reason a child “rein” is very useful is for a child that happens to be deaf and cannot hear the parent telling it to stay or calling it to come back. So yeah, another safety pro for child reins/harnesses/ropes, whatever the name of the day is. This has been a rather interesting discussion to follow, many anti-harnesses countered with many pro-harnesses, and it all comes down to one issue, safety for the child which a harness indeed does provide. I do know if I had children this would be right on my list of baby shower gifts, and I’d want one in several colours to coordinate with the kid’s clothes!

Aya,
Thanks for the info, I wasn’t aware of dislocation etc that could happen from those types of wrist to wrist harnesses. That’s a little scary when you think about it. The mum was just talking about what works for her Babies of that age can have incredible speed, and as long as their safe, that’s the main thing. Having been out on many public outings with very small children – its a constant fear, they can dart out at any moment.

It is not a leash, it is called a child harness. I used it with both of my children-it allows more freedom for them while still keeping them safe from being snatched or running off. (do we call playpens kennels?)

Mila and baby are gorgeous. I admire her for going against the grain and putting her child on a leash – what a very responsible parent. A celebrity just needs one second with her attention away from her kid (distracted by a fan or autograph seeker) to have her kid disappear into the arms of a stranger. I commend her for caring for her daughter and not about public opinion.

Audrey – even if I could understand you saying about the so-called humiliation and embarrassment (which I don’t), do you really find this a more important point than the safety that reins provide? Or, for that matter, a child learning to walk with more confidence? And I don’t really think you can put it down to being old fashioned, when Finnaryn pointed out that reins, in some form or another, have been in use for 300 or so years.

The reason I keep coming back to this post is because I fail to see anything that justifies such strong anti-reins opinions. I keep hoping that someone will write something here that will make me understand it, but I somehow don’t think they will because I simply don’t think these points exist. It’s totally personal choice so this is not a judgement of the people who don’t use reins, I just would always have assumed this would be considered an everyday choice, like whether to use disposable nappies or not, with no one looking twice at you no matter what your choice was.

I don’t think I have been accused of it, but I will say that I am in no way saying someone a bad parent for using a harness, or that they also do not have right to an opinion.

I find it humiliating and embarrassing not just for the child but for me too, and of course a change is good, a stroller may be no different to a harness, and yes I am old fashioned. My point is to me personally, I think they are horrible, but that’s my opinion only and I am not judging at all. If a parent finds they work for them, well that’s great, but you’d never see one on my child.

Audrey, which good old days are you referring to? The 70′s? Nope, my parents had a harness for each of my two sisters and I. Let’s go back further. How about the 1700′s? They were called leading strings back then: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_strings. My grandparents told me how their mothers would tie straps around the younger children on the farm to keep them away from the oven or from wandering off in the fields while the older kids were in school but mom had work to get done.

And while you may think they are humiliating and embarrassing, and you have a right to that opinion, I think it depends on the child and the harness. If I had used something like Milla has on Ever, my boys might not have responded as well. However, we have a puppy backpack that also has a pocket that holds toys. My boys love to use it. If ever I tried to put it on them and they protested, then yes, I would need to find another solution. Just like I have had to find another solution when they protested being in the stroller and having their hand held.

On another note, my boys also like to pretend they are various animals and have asked that I put the harness on them while they are playing these games. I don’t because I have explained to them that it is not a toy. We don’t play with the stroller when we are not out on walk and we don’t play with the harness either.

And yesterday I really wish that our harness were not currently packed away. We went to the library and as I tried to check out, my two-year, still holding his book, bolted towards the front doors, triggered the security alarms and nearly got outside. If there had not been another woman right at the doors, he probably would have got out. He is much faster than I am.

audrey, thank you for at least giving a reason for your dislike of leashes. i also disagree though. i can’t imagine a baby/toddler being embarrassed or humiliated by something. a lot of posters here that use leashes have said that their kids love it.

also, how is it any different from a stroller? you’re still using a device to restrict your child for the sake of convenience and safety.