Tied up in You
Recently, I read this article about kids and safety tethers that my pal posted on her Facebook page.
It really made me think.
I have one of those backpacks - it's shaped like a dog, and we used it. We used it for Claire, and now that he can walk for longer distances, we're letting Ben use it.
I don't have a problem.
I live in a huge city, and sometimes a stroller doesn't make sense.
Or you have heavy packages AND an unruly toddler.
Sometimes you have to do the unpopular thing. Like keep your kid safe, in an unsafe environment.
I'd rather be unpopular for something like this than have the kid who can't be controlled and runs into a crowd or, worse, into traffic.
It really made me think.
I have one of those backpacks - it's shaped like a dog, and we used it. We used it for Claire, and now that he can walk for longer distances, we're letting Ben use it.
I don't have a problem.
I live in a huge city, and sometimes a stroller doesn't make sense.
Or you have heavy packages AND an unruly toddler.
Sometimes you have to do the unpopular thing. Like keep your kid safe, in an unsafe environment.
I'd rather be unpopular for something like this than have the kid who can't be controlled and runs into a crowd or, worse, into traffic.
Comments
But Paul argued that he had one as a kid for times when it was unsafe for him to be too far away from his folks. For him, it was mostly when he was climbing mountains. Where a couple feet could make a huge difference.
We got one for Elanor. It is purple/pink. She *loves* it. And it feels a lot safer to walk around busy streets and know she can't run out into a street. Many times we just go out with her and hold her hand. But on city streets, it would be terrible for her to run out into the street. Most of the time when she is holding our hands she is fine. But sometimes she pulls away quickly. And she can move!
The big plus is that she can have a bit more unrestricted movement on the leash. She can run a bit more and explore which I think is good for her. She loves pick up leaves and sticks. And that is something that we can encourage.
I don't think leashes should ever be used as a substitute for supervision. They just make it possible for a kid to have a bit more freedom while being safe.