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then you leave the younger one with relatives. Why risk one child's safety for another's enjoyment.
Lots of people don't have relatives they can ask to babysit. This may be especially true on a trip to Disney which is probably at least several days and maybe a week or two if you live far from the park.
My parents were already dead by the time I had kids. My cousins and aunts lived several states away. My husband's parents were elderly and lived in a condo in Florida. His brothers and sisters did not live near us either. Who would we have asked to take care of the two year old while we took her brother who was five to Disney?
One more thing...(Thanks, Nana, for your great post and reminding me.)
Leashes look "totally stupid"? A parent who is concerned about their child's safety doesn't care what a third party thinks. And "looking stupid" is better than "looking injured" or being lost.
ummm no because its not a wire cage and its only for sleeping not for putting your child in when you leave the house for hours on end. You also dont use a crib to potty train a baby....
No, but those little potty seats look pretty stupid too. They are still helpful and practical for potty learning.
I think it's strange as well. Leashes are used in the BDSM community to signify a master-slave relationship. I don't think I'd want to use anything with that connotation on my child. The only time I would advocate a child leash is if the parent is deaf-blind or disabled in such a way that they have no alternative way of keeping track of their child. And I can understand using a leash in some extreme circumstances, such as in areas with cliffs and the like. In those cases it would just be a matter of practicality. I don't think using a leash on a child is necessary or practical in most situations. And I don't think it's too much to ask to keep an eye or an ear on one's child. When you become a parent, you sign up for that responsibility. There are times when you are tired and in that case there are other solutions like asking a friend or family for help or staying home or going somewhere with few people where keeping an eye on them is easier.
In all of these posts I have read several reasons, or examples of situations where using one might be helpful. I haven't read a real reason that using one is a bad idea. If anyone has one, please let us know. "It looks dumb" isn't a reason.
I think leashes carry a strong connotation of slavery. I know we use leashes on dogs as well, and I think a lot of humans treat their animals like slaves. We even use terms like "master" or "pet owner" that imply our pets are our property.
I think it's emotionally unhealthy to treat your child in a way that suggests they are your slave and not their own human being with at least basic, fundamental rights of mobility.
I realize there are a minority of cases where using a leash is just a matter of practicality, but in the majority of cases, I think there are practical solutions available that don't involve using a leash.
The most important thing is the safety of a child. Although I didn't use one for my son, I could understand the mothers of very energetic and wiggly children who did. What is a couple of dirty and disapproving looks in comparison to making sure that the child doesn't run out on the street?
I think in a lot of ways a leash could pose a safety risk. Someone else could trip on the leash causing the child to fall or get caught up in the leash. If a parent made the harness too tight and left it on for long periods of time, it could restrict natural movement in an unhealthy way. If the parent's walking pace was faster than the child's, the child could be forced to keep up to speed which would cause them to tire quickly and be undue strain on them. Also, the parent would be forced to watch what's going on with the leash and make sure no strangers walk between them and their child thereby tripping on the leash, which seems to me like it would be just as stressful as watching their child to begin with.
I think leashes carry a strong connotation of slavery. I know we use leashes on dogs as well, and I think a lot of humans treat their animals like slaves. We even use terms like "master" or "pet owner" that imply our pets are our property.
I think it's emotionally unhealthy to treat your child in a way that suggests they are your slave and not their own human being with at least basic, fundamental rights of mobility.
I realize there are a minority of cases where using a leash is just a matter of practicality, but in the majority of cases, I think there are practical solutions available that don't involve using a leash.
This is ridiculous. Did you know that attachment parenting people will also tell you not to use strollers or infant carriers to carry a baby around. After all, you should wear your baby close to your body.
Most parents don't use leashes when the baby is in a safe situation such as a child-proofed home - toddlers are free to explore their environment under supervision. But when you must do adult errands and you must take your child with you, some kind of containment is often necessary. The leash allows *more* mobility than a stroller or shopping cart does.
I think everybody would object to a child's wearing a real leash and collar like a dog, Nim. That's unsafe, at the very least. Children who wear these now typically have some kind of harness around their torso, often disguised as a stuffed animal backpack of sorts, like a fluffy monkey or something. Or they have something strapped around their wrists.
Dogs are in baby carriages and kids are being pulled on dog leashes... what is this world coming to!?
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