There are several sad and terrible things about the child leash. First -- and in no particular order of importance, I leave that to you to judge for yourself, my dear reader -- there is the laziness of the mother. The woman in the airport last night, for example, was carrying nothing but a simple purse. Through my powers of observation I discerned that she was not there to pick up luggage, she was there to meet someone else, who incidentally picked up all of his luggage and carried it himself, leaving her with nothing but the aforementioned purse and leashed toddler. How hard is it to hold your three year old's hand in a public place?? Or just pick him up and carry him?? I suppose it's possible that she just recently had surgery on her spine and consequently is unable to pick up the child, but somehow I doubt that. She moved easily, without the complication and discomfort of a surgical wound that is still tender and healing. I also know from experience that if the child is particularly small it can be difficult to hold their hand, since the distance from the bottom of your arm is still so far away from theirs -- even when it is outstretched. I assure you, that was not the case last night as the toddler was plenty tall.
The second thing I dislike about the child leash is harder to explain, so I am going to use an example. I would tell you to close your eyes to facilitate the imagining of this next scenario, but I don't know many people who can read with their eyes closed. So just picture a young mother walking down the street with her harnassed toddler. They come to a stop sign and find themselves next to a man who is walking his dog. The toddler looks over at the dog at his eye level and recognizes the parallel between himself and the pup, and BAM! He just equated himself with a dog. Imagine how emotionally scarred he will be for the rest of his life! It's all bad from that point on.
My final objection to the child leash is simply that it just looks bad. Plain and simple, it's just tacky. Get a stroller for God's sake. Or a babysitter to stay at home with the tot. Just in case you don't bel
ieve me, I have included some pictures for your viewing pleasure.
7 comments:
I was laughing so hard while I was reading this!! My mom totally had one for me when I was little, only it was the one that straps to your wrist. I hated it so much. I remember strapping it to things other than myself just to get away from the itchy material it was made out of. I must mention that she only got it after I ran away from her in the Mall of America. I put her through sheer terror, so I guess I can understand why she objected me to this terrible contraption.
I myself see a point in the child leash. I have seen mothers lose their children in busy places and sit there panicked and screaming fr their kid. By the way they now make sute ones that look like mokeys or dogs so the child actually has a stuffed animal that goes everywhere with them. In today's society I would rather have one more step in protecting my child.
Ladies....you should not need a leash.....you should BE A BETTER MOTHER! If you are that worried about losing your kid, pay more attention to the child and not your shopping. Maybe involve the kid in the shopping to keep them entertained, or possibly check them into a daycare if they have one at the Mall. Leash for your kid? That is crazy!
I remember 2 occasions with your brother when a leash might have been handy. Once at Plum Hollow Market, when I opened the door to go out, he dashed straight out and came very close to the driving lane there--my heart was in my mouth! And that time in Pier 1 when he hid under a rack of clothes and didn't come out until we had searched the place from top to bottom (except under the rack of clothes!)--I heard him giggling just as we were about to call the cops! Instead of the leash, I just left him home for a couple years!! You were never a problem like that (is anyone surprised you were an angel?) You were always too busy introducing yourself to people in the store and carrying on in depth conversations about love and politics!!
I hate those things with a passion. My mother in law uses one for our nephew and I warned her sternly that if my kid were ever put in one we'd have a BIG problem. She says it's easier for her knees if she doesn't have to chase after him but I don't give a rats ass. My child is not a domestic pet who needs contraptions to be controlled.
BLECH!
As someone that has been babysitting constantly for more years than I can count, I know that no matter how much you watch a child they will get away from you when you least expect it. If a child hates a stroller and does noting but scream bloody murder whenever you put them in it what is your other option? Carry them everywhere? Even then, they will want to get down at some point or another, and I'm sure it would get tiring rather quickly carrying a 25 lb toddler around the mall....
My folks used one for me when I was a wandering 2-year old. Now that I have a 2-year old son myself, I can certainly see why. He is too heavy and squirmy to carry all the time. Keeping him in a stroller doesn't allow him to burn up that "toddler" energy. And between his curiousity and running ability, it only takes a moment before he is out of sight.
Considering the alternatives include the trauma of being lost, injury or accidental death, using a leash at this age is a no-brainer. I love him too much to do any less.
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