Many people in our uber-liberal society today seem to feel that a child leash or child harness is demeaning or limits a child’s freedom. On the other hand, there are many parents that understand using a child harness or leash can enable their child to have greater freedom without all the risk of running free. This is especially important when venturing out with young children in crowded and/or unfamiliar places.
For example, my husband and I recently took our young family to Disneyland, California. We have five children ages eight, seven, five, three, and eighteen months old. Additionally, our seven year old is autistic and developmentally is more like his three-year old brother than his seven-year old peers. We did not have any other adults or older children travelling with us, so it was up to the two of us to keep track of all five children in an extremely crowded and unfamiliar location.
We had one stroller that we could buckle our youngest into, but we chose to use “Elmo” harnesses purchased at our local Wal-Mart for the three boys ages three, five, and seven, and our eight-year old daughter was instructed to stick close and hold someone’s hand at all times. As a parent, my personal feeling is that I use a child harness to keep my child safe, not to hinder or limit him or her. It has been especially helpful with my children who have a tendency to run off or who have a greater sense of independence and don’t realize how easily they can become separated from a parent or guardian.
Child harnesses and leashes have been developed for safety purposes and when used appropriately can be invaluable in keeping children from harm. There are many varieties of child harnesses and leashes available for purchase. Most harnesses are developed for children ages twelve months to five years old. Some child leashes are as simple as a wrist tether that Velcro’s around the child’s wrist and is about three feet long.
Other child harness varieties are like the “Elmo” ones we purchased at our local Wal-Mart. They buckle around the child’s upper body and have are more secure than the wrist variety. Some manufacturers have even made child harnesses that attach to a miniature backpack the child wears or have cute animals on the harness. Many young children are thrilled to wear these “animal friends” on their back and don’t feel hindered in the least by wearing a child harness.
Of course, using a child harness or child leash is not going to be viewed as acceptable by everyone you come in contact with. If you choose to venture out in public with your child on a harness or leash you need to be prepared for mixed reactions. While in Disneyland, my family received many comments about our children wearing a harness to keep them close to us. Most other parents who had young children approved the practice and many asked us where we purchased our harness and expressed the wish that they had used a harness for their child to ease the concern over losing their child in the crowds.
Unfortunately, there are many people who will openly express criticism for the practice of using a child leash or harness. Most criticism we experienced came from teens or young adults who did not have children of their own. These people were more likely to view the practice of using child harnesses and child leashes as cruel and unnecessary…Losing a child of their own for even a few minutes in a crowded and unfamiliar place would probably be all it takes for them to change their opinion. As for me and my family, we will continue to use a child harness on special occasions and feel a greater sense of security for doing so.
