Using a Child Harness

Would you use one if... You had a two year old. He likes to run out in the road. Doesn't listen and nothing seems to grab his attention.

Nope. Hold his hand or carry him.

Yes, if I needed to. They are there to create a safer environment for a child/parent.

*I've never used one, but I could care less who does.

I use one with my daughter at walmart. Mainly because she does NOT know what a stranger is at all. She would more then willingly walk off with someone that she doesn't know, and now with LO, there is no room for her in the cart. So I just strap her to the side of the cart so I know she isn't going anywhere but with me. IMO, use one if you feel it is what you need to do to protect your child. Do not, however use it as a baby sitter. You would be surprised how many kids can get out of them with enough wiggling.

yep I have one and I use it. It's not always easy to keep a hand on a wiggling toddler and I would rather get an odd glance ( haven't yet) than have my kid run off or some perv grab her!!
We have on;y used it 1-2 times so far. She doesn't care.

Yes i would, but i have a feeling SO wouldnt like it lol

Quoting Becky☮Will:" Nope. Hold his hand or carry him."

I'm 9 months pregnant and he is heavy. He also doesn't like to hold my hand sometimes.

Quoting ♥GarciaMommy:" Would you use one if... You had a two year old. He likes to run out in the road. Doesn't listen and nothing seems to grab his attention."

WIth just one? Probably not. If I had two kids? Maybe, lol.

I see nothign wrong with them, but if you've only got the one, I'd think I could handle keeping track of him.

I know they're for safety & I'm sure the parents who use them mean well & everything... but just, no, I wouldn't use them. I hold him, hold his hand, or he sits in a shopping cart/stroller. I don't see a reason why those few things wouldn't work so a harness is never necessary for my family.

This is going to turn into a mommy war.
If you want to use a harness then do so. If you feel weird about then don't. It's your child. Do what you feel you need to do to keep him safe. your the mommy.

I have one for my 3 year old, we use it at the store and in crowds like at the mall. It affords him the ability to have some independence but he is still safe if he lets go of my hand and tries to run and pevents him from possibly getting lost in crowds.

I always get people asking me where I got it so they can buy one, too - it looks like a lion backpack with a long tail for a "leash".

Honestly, I think it's really, really funny when people get up in arms over them. I think it's even funnier when they relate it to treating your child like a dog. No - sorry, I am NOT pushing a 2 or 3 year old in a stroller and I am not ignorant enough to think that I can always carry my kid or have a hand on him at every second. Obviously I pay attention to my kid, I'm not irresponsible, but I also acknowledge the fact that he wants to be independent and that everyone, I don't care WHO you are or your parenting philosophy, has blinked and had their child 5 feet away from them already. It happens, it's life, this affords more security.

If you feel safer using one, use it. Especially if LO has a tendency to run toward traffic. Better to have LO leashed than under a tire

Quoting furrbabiesmommy:" This is going to turn into a mommy war. If you want to use a harness then do so. If you feel weird about then don't. It's your child. Do what you feel you need to do to keep him safe. your the mommy."

This.

Seriously.

This topic usually gets messy.

Yes, I would use one. I'm pregnant with severe back pain, so holding her isn't an option, although she's pretty good in public.

Some people will say they are for dogs, blah blah. I don't care what people think of my parenting choices, as long as my child is safe, happy, healthy, etc. I could care less.

Quoting ma ♥:" I know they're for safety & I'm sure the parents who use them mean well & everything... but just, ... [snip!] ... shopping cart/stroller. I don't see a reason why those few things wouldn't work so a harness is never necessary for my family."

Why those things don't work?

Jack can undo the strap in a cart and tries to leap over the side. I won't lay on my screaming child to go shopping.

Holding his hand, he does that smurffy "dead weight" thing, and I won't drag my kid through a store either.

Holding him? He arches his back and screeches, kicks, etc, to be put down.