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While I do not look down on parents who leash their kids, it does look very odd to me. Leashes seem more for dogs than kids. Somehow, we successfully raised twin sons without ever being tethered, that is why God gave them and us hands to hold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot
It sounds like you're looking down on them.
Sure does! Some people don't seem to credit "luck" with parenting. You get a compliant kid, you don't need the leash. Get a runner, you bet you do!
I never argue with a responsible / over responsible parent if there's such a thing?
Better to keep the child safe at all times than let him run out into the streets and
get hit by a car and dragged a few hundred feet.
God Bless all you wonderful and caring parents.
Note:
Don't understand parents that " throw " I mean push their strollers out into the street,
against the light and let children run amok late at night unsupervised.
Just want to crack those other parents in the head with a cane.
But again: wishful thinking.
Sure does! Some people don't seem to credit "luck" with parenting. You get a compliant kid, you don't need the leash. Get a runner, you bet you do!
Small anecdote:
My eldest child was super easy and very compliant. Second child not so much. Had to move at all times and figure things out for himselfthe hard way (he's now an adult and still that way to some extent). My sister had her first child 2 weeks after my second. When we were at family gatherings and her eldest (compliant) was an angel and my little guy was trying every ounce of patience I had, I was on the receiving end of many of those "I'm a better parent" smirks. A few years later, she had her second. Who made my second look like an angel.
I used leashes on my kids. I knew a girl (she didn't have kids yet) who was very put off by leashes and made it a point to grandstand about how it was morally wrong. I and a few others asked her, what if your child is a runner, what if there's a disability, what if.... pretty much word for word what the author written. She looked at us rather coldly: "A good mother says no and the child will always listen/obey." God, we laughed about that for a long time. Not her. Now that she has kids, she's conveniently forget she ever made that comment. RME.
I had 4 kids back in the late 60's under the age of five. I also had 4 harnesses w/leash. I never had to worry about losing any of them at the mall or amusement parks. I never noticed or cared if anyone was repulsed or mad at me for that because I was too busy being "Wagon master" for my team
There is little as intense as competition among young mothers. Been there; done that. Nothing stings quite as much as someone implying that you are a sub-standard mother.
I have no experience with using a leash with my children but probably could have benefitted from one since both my children had tons of energy and curiosity. And we took them to a lot of crowded places when they were little. Talk about panic! You lose your concentration for a split second and they are nowhere in sight. Little escape artists. Fortunately we never had a tragedy.
But, the Mama Wars - I was one of the first young mothers in my neighborhood and did I every get the comments about my parenting style. I soon learned that all I had to do was wait a while and I'd see a lot of people eat their words.
My favorite was when we bought the kids a swing set and the pregnant woman across the alley remarked, "I'd never have one of those in my yard. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen." Yikes. I made a mental note never to allow any of her kids to play here. LOL.
Several years later guess whose yard had a swing set in it? Funny, funny.
And better yet, I finally learned to throw these words out of my vocabulary - "No child of mine will ever. . ."
I have to say, I have not seen parents putting their kids on a leash in a few years. it looks like that trend has disappeared for the moment, at least where I live.
As I recall, the pro-leashers say leashing is the safer way to parent...which is fine I just hope they never make a law mandating that we leash children.
I have seen a harness and leash on a child around here, only a few times in my life and not for several decades. But I always saw it as a problem with the parents, not with the children. If such constraints were really necessary, you'd see them much more often.
I don't get why people who are fine with strapping a toddler down in a stroller aren't also okay with leashes. At least the leash gives the kids some leeway to explore and get exercise.
I have seen a harness and leash on a child around here, only a few times in my life and not for several decades. But I always saw it as a problem with the parents, not with the children. If such constraints were really necessary, you'd see them much more often.
I think they are only necessary with certain types of kids, otherwise you would see them more. I got lucky and never needed one but I have known kids that I'd have put on a leash if I had to go to crowded places with them. Little escape artist who apparently can't hear well when parents holler for them! No way would I have the speed or the energy to keep catching them all day long.
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