How do you feel about people walking around in public with their child on a leash?

Question

I think it is messed up because children aren't supposed to be pets. Children need to know to come when called and to stay within a certain radius of their parent if they are really young and at a store.

Answer 1

it's kinda odd but necessary

Answer 2

I would just like to say that it really doesn't matter how you"feel" about a parent walking a child on a leash. How do you"'feel" about highchairs, strollers,playpens,cribs? Are they horrid, mean, and cruel too?

Most of you don't have kids and don't have a clue. Yes children need to learn and explore, and they do, but a parent needs to make sure they do not encounter any danger in the process. Learn more about child development ,how a child grows,matures,and learns before making such statements about "learning " and "minding" and responding to calling.

For those of you that do have children and choose not to use a leash,that is fine. You do have a choice and can chose your methods for raising and caring for your children. To say that parents who choose to use a leash are bad parents just makes no sense. Comparing pets and dogs to children is utterly ridiculous. A safety harness and leash can provide security on an outing and actually give the child more freedom than holding his/her hand all day long or being strapped into the stroller. All toddlers and even younger children love to explore and often do not think or realize the dangers that lurk out there.

Please stop using these idotic emotions and politically correct feelings to comment on such an important issue. A child harness is a wonderful way to keep your child safe and is another way to show how much you love them. These parents are far from lazy. Many of you have no clue as to the energy and patience it takes to care for a child or children day in day out.

Finally, I hate putting on my seatbelt (adult harness) in the car, but I do it everyday. Tell me how stupid I look ( and you too if you do buckle up) wearing it and how mean and cruel the law is that says I have to wear it.

Answer 3

Well if you live in an ideal world then you wouldnt need to, but children need to be told over and over before they remember. When my son was about 18 mos or so he, my mom and I walked into a store and before the door closed behind me he was gone. I called his name several times and told him it wasnt funny and that he needed to answer mama. He was probably only out of my sight for a minute or two, but it felt like a lifetime and I was almost paralyzed with fear. When he finally answered me and came running laughing I just grabbed him, hugged him tight and slumped to the floor in tears. It is the worst fear a parent has. After that day if we were entering a store that did not have carts for him to sit in, I put a leash with a loop around his wrist to keep him close to me. I would rather people think I was wrong than have my child disappear or be kidnapped. Remember it only takes a second for someone to kidnap your child and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Answer 4

Ya know what? I think that people like you should just look somewhere else and shut up. With the sick SOBs out in the world today, there is no need to risk somebody snatching my kid when they are five feet away from me. As a parent of two rambunctious toddlers, I have used the leash before. When they got old enough to not run on a whim it was put away. You can't always have both eyes on the kids, carry a diaper bag, push a shopping cart, and pay attention to whatever else it is you are trying to do.
And for all of you who would like to call the police and report me for abuse? Guess what? The law is on my side in this. They want me to have control of my kids. If you don't like it, too flapping bad!

Answer 5

Under most circumstances, I'm opposed to them as well. But in cases where there is extreme crowding, it can sometimes be necessary for the safety of the child. Too many times these days, you hear of children being abducted. In public, no less.

Answer 6

Jest 'ad me a long think on this here subject. Now, I know that world out there ain't always safe, there're times ya gotta do what ya gotta do; 'aven said all that I don' mind a leash, ceptin when folks go and do some stupin thing like chainin their wee un to the clothes line now that is sick.

Answer 7

Degrading for the child - the child is a little human, not a dog! There are other methods of keeping your children close by without resorting to that!

Answer 8

i have mixed feelings about it, sometimes i think its a good thing. like if your at an amusement park with tones of people around. this way you know your kid will not be taken from you but at the same time i feel that if you just going out for a walk around the narbor hood you should have your kids under control and not need it.

Answer 9

My son was very active, but I never used a leash on him.
There are times though, when they are around 2 years old that they are very impulsive and will dart into parking lots and such.
After having my son, who is almost 11 and very well behaved now, I can see the use for them.
It bugs me alot though when I see parents using them because they don't feel like teaching their kids to behave and use it as a crutch.

Answer 10

I think it looks ridiculous, and makes the parent seem silly. But I'm not a parent, so perhaps this is the only way to keep a trouble-maker child close by or maybe a kid with autism or something who needs more attention placed on him/her.

Answer 11

I think it's completely hilarious, I have a 5 year old and would never try it. he might gnaw at the leash to get free. lol

But it just cracks me up to see their little helpless faces.

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