Safety reins?

Question

Why do some parents object to putting their toddlers into safety reins or at least a wrist strap these days?
I brought up four boys on my own and couldn't have gone shopping without growing two more arms (at least!) when they were all tiny and the older two were out of the pushchair stage without their reins.
It may seem fine with only one toddler but it is better to be safe than sorry and I never lost any of mine even temporarily and God forbid if they had slipped away and run into the road!
What is the objection? All of this nonsense about "restricting" children annoys me - they *need* to be restricted for their own good - will these same parents disobey the new law on child seats and proper seatbelts to keep children safe in cars? I never drove anyway and that is why I kept my boys safe (and healthy) when walking to the shops and so on and taught them road safety once they were older and out of reins but when they were little I didn't take any risks with their lives.

Here's a site on the car seat law - a pity there is not one on reins for toddlers for us pedestrians! -

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/index.htm

Answer 1

well for us....parent's of an autistic son (6) they are an necessity. he has NO sense of danger and even a trip to the local shops is eventful!!!
our three year old son also used them and still now, if he's silly they go back on.

I'd rather be seen as being OVER PROTECTIVE then having to rush to the hospital with a run over child!!!

AND AS FOR CAR SEATS.....DON'T GET ME STARTED!!
ANY PARENT THAT DRIVES WITH A CHILD ON BOARD SHOULD 100% USE A CHILD SEAT. I'VE SEEN SOOOO MANY KIDS CLAMBRING AROUND IN THE BACK OF CARS WHILE THEIR PARENTS ARE DRIVING AT 70+ MPH DOWN THE MOTORWAY!! SHEER MADNESS!!

STUPID..STUPID..STUPID!!!!

Answer 2

I think that the safety reins/harnesses are a wonderful thing personally! especially when they're at the toddler stage of wanting to be 'free' of mum or dad, but aren't quite aware enough of the world to realise that those really fast moving boxes next to the path are really very dangerous! (the horrors of the age of no fear!)

Unless I had an abundance of children, (as in, 4 under 6 or the like) I would probably stop using them once they'd got to the stage of understanding and listening to parents. My son got to that stage at 2 and a half, and since then we've been able to just hold his hand. (however, the fact he could unfasten the reins and slip off a wrist strap may have been an element also ;) )

But I was only able to stop using it because I didn't have more small children to keep track of. Those who have more small children are doing a wonderful thing by using the harnesses. Contrary to popular belief, not all parents have eyes in the back/sides of their heads ;)

Answer 3

I used the safety harness with both my boys. Especially be cause the both were early walkers and hated to ride in the stroller or shopping cart.At first my husband was against it saying that" He { our oldest] is not a dog so why the leash?"
I chose to ignore the comment and use it anyway. I would like to say I won that argument through sheer persistence but I did not.UN fortunately it took a rather scary incident to get my point across. We were at a large Canada day party down town. We had just taken our son out of the stroller and I was putting the"leash" on him when an announcement came over the mike that said the had a lost 2 year old. And that was it no more arguments about the "leash.'

Answer 4

I bought safety reigns. Then my 18-month old decided they were the perfect toy to play spiders! I would end up with her walking on all fours or eventually with a toddler on the floor/street.
After that I tried the wristband. It seemed to cause her so much psychological stress it wasn't wort i didn't have them in the end. Once the strap was adjusted she would go hysterically angry. Maybe it's genetic ... i was forcefully restrained when i was a child and still bear the mental scars to this day.
So we ended up going places where i could allow her some freedom. I taught her to hold my hand and slowly introduced environments where it was less safe for her.
Shopping she would go in the buggy, strapped in. Not that she always took that graccefully. So we had a couple of years where shopping was a bit of a stressfull experience.
Now i have a four-year old that stops on corners and holds hands to cross but she still has a bit of trouble that she has to stay where i can see her but she is learning.
As for carseats, different rant. She loves her car seat. When it is one adult and her in the car she even gets too sit in te front. She is allowed to open her window when it is warm enough and fingers crossed, she has never even once tried to open the doors whilst moving.
Did you know that when I take a taxi it is not a legal requirement for her to be in a car seat?
Double standards ... the world is full of them :)

I looked at the law on car seats link ... it says in taxis they should sit in the car seat if available (she is 116cm). I have yet to get in a taxi that has a child car seat available.

Answer 5

I'm not going to say I totally disagree with them. However, the majority of the time when I see a child in a safety rein, it's because he/she is out of control. And putting them in a safety rein does not teach them to control themselves. It's just what's easier "on the parent". So, I see your point on doing what you have to in order to keep your children safe. But you HAVE to teach your children to stay safe. You can't just do things because it's what's easiest.

Answer 6

i offered secure practices reigns. Then my 18-month previous desperate they have been the suited toy to play spiders! i might finally end up together with her strolling on all fours or finally with a baby on the floor/highway. After that i attempted the wristband. It appeared to reason her plenty psychological rigidity it wasn't wort i did no longer have them interior the top. as quickly as the strap develop into adjusted she might bypass hysterically offended. maybe this is genetic ... i develop into forcefully limited whilst i develop right into a baby and nevertheless undergo the psychological scars to right this moment time. So we ended up going places the place i ought to enable her some freedom. I taught her to hold my hand and slowly presented environments the place it develop into much less secure for her. procuring she might bypass interior the buggy, strapped in. no longer that she constantly took that graccefully. So we had a pair of years the place procuring develop right into slightly a stressfull journey. Now I honestly have a 4-year previous that forestalls on corners and holds hands to bypass yet she nevertheless has slightly hassle that she has to stay the place i'm able to be sure her yet she is getting to grasp. As for carseats, distinctive rant. She loves her vehicle seat. whilst this is one person and her interior the automobile she even gets too sit down in te front. She is authorized to open her window whilst this is heat adequate and hands crossed, she has in no way on a similar time as quickly as tried to open the doors at the same time as shifting. did you be attentive to that once I take a taxi this is not any longer a criminal requirement for her to be in a vehicle seat? Double standards ... the international is full of them :)

Answer 7

I couldn't agree more. They are used all over Europe. They don't seem to have caught on over here though. Children run off, that's what they do. It's such a huge safety thing. I don't have children, but think they are a great idea. We only have two hands for cryin' out loud.

Answer 8

I have four boys and one girl..I dont object to people using them, I just never have...My boys know the rules, and they stick with Mom, or we dont ever go back again...If they are not old enough to listen to me, they dont get to go anywhere...I agree with you about children need restriction..There is not enough of it and you can see the fruits of that everywhere.. Some people just do it in different manners, that's all..

Answer 9

I have never liked reins so just taught mine to hold my hand and stay with me. Never had a problem even with all three being ADHD on various foods.

Answer 10

some kids follow rules better than others - my daughter (I only had 1 kid) never wandered off - she always held my hand so "reins" were not needed.