I think it is unfair to use the condemnatory label "bad parents" for those who use leashes with their children. There is a lot of social stigma attached to the practice but it gives an extra measure of safety -- it doesn't mean the parents have stopped paying attention to their kids. When you consider the danger posed by a busy street or parents who fear the possibility of kidnapping (and many do), you can see their are reasons why a leash may be an act of parental care. Especially with smaller children, teaching safe and proper behavior in urban areas can take time and struggle even for dedicated parents. Also, holding your child's hand above his or her head for an extended period can get uncomfortable for a kid.

Despite my long speech above, I'm not a mama yet. But I love kids and I understand a parent's concern for their child's well being and why the child leash exists.

*there are

I've used them. Better to have you kids able to walk by you than run off to who knows where... and to carry them all day is no fun either. I like them and they are NOT cruel. my girls loved them. Not bad parents at all.

If you don't look for 3 seconds at them , they are gone, I know, it happen to my, an you have a heart atac!
They don't know fear, you know and you take action!

"go get the stick!", "good boy, goood boy!"

I get why some parents use them 1. there are crazys out there who just run up and snatch kids and 2. in crowded places it is easy to lose hold of small fingers.
But using them just because you dont wanna have to run after them in a park or something is silly. You should raise your child with enough since to not run off like a wild animal while your in a public place.

I support reins

Buena idea

"You should raise your child with enough since to not run off like a wild animal while your in a public place." You can try... believe me you can try... kids are kids. They are going to do what they want, no matter what you do or tell them...

SuperMilow how many kids you got?

I know a lady whose 4 years old son is very curious and loves to go off and explore whilst in big cities, so I think that these can be very good for both mother/father and child if used for the proper reasons

I bought one of these, but I've never had the nerve to use it. I'm torn between the stigma of using one (afraid that someone will take pictures of it and post it in a list like this, I suppose), and the fact that they really are useful. They save your back if you have to stoop to hold their hand, saves their arm suspended above them, and save you the terror of losing track, even for a second. Even the most well behaved child will get distracted and wander off. Even the most dedicated parent has a story of losing track.

It sure could have stopped a lot of flights which are delayed due to kids running around the airports and playing hide and seek with their parents.

i always go up to ppl with their kids on a leash and say, oh what a lovley puppy you have, what breed is it

Nothing quite teaches a child to behave properly in public like a little public humiliation. They can also be trained to do tricks like dogs with snacks.

I don't blame them I was a kid like that. My mom was always worried something would happen to me like getting snached away, getting lost. Those parents are meerly doing that for their childs protection

God, they are kids, not dogs :|
The parents can't hold their hands, or what?

I really don't like the idea of the leashes for kids. I agree with 18, what are they? dogs? (although, let it be known that I LOVE dogs as well as kids and would love it if my dogs could be off leashes too). I think that parents should be able to keep track of their kids, hold their hands, etc. Heaven forbid parents actually be parents, like they did in the old days. Yes, you could argue that there are more crazies out there today, but do you honestly think that no one ever got kidnapped in the old days? Happened ALL THE TIME. Also, while parents today are very busy, parents were busy in the days of old too. Yet they were able to keep track of their kids. I can't stand it when parents use the leashes so that they don't have to follow their kids everywhere. You're a parent, it's your job!! And no, I don't have kids, but I am a teacher and have run around following kids myself (rambunctious first graders, some with autism who refused to come in from recess). Yes, it's tiring, but it's part of the job description. If you can't handle that, then don't become a parent! If you look at some of the pictures, the parents are paying no attention what so ever to their kids. They are using the leashes as a way of doing whatever they want without considering their kids' needs. Yes, I know that parents have needs, but having a kid changes your life and your kid becomes your main focus. At least that's how it should be.

That said, I can see SOME cases where a leash would be handy. I know of a girl who has some special needs (don't know what exactly) and she had little to no control of her impulses and would just simply take off. So, if a kid as problems like that (and I don't mean kids who are hyper by nature), then I can see using leashes. But even so, I don't like their use very much.

My husband is away overseas working for a military base and I am home with my son to raise myself. Let me me tell you how difficult it is to simply pay for something at a check out, or mail a package off to the post office. I need four hands! Why criticize parents for wanting to be safe?? How does that make sense? I am also torn, I want to use one for when I need my hands and cant have my eye on him while in checkout putting items on the counter or taping up a box at the post office. Its incredibly hard sometimes and this would make some tasks a lot easier. I dont think I would walk him next to my dog or anything, but I think its a very good idea for when you need your hands for doing something. Get over it people, for those that are appalled by it obviously havent had to raise a rambunctious toddler boy by themselves..

My parents used a harness on me when I was young because I was (in their words) a "bolter". I would run off to check out anything that caught my interest or if I was bored. The harness supposedly saved my life many times. I know they look cruel, but is a child that was killed or injured because they ran onto a busy street because something got their attention on the other side of the road an alternative? I know they are not Politically Correct, but I would like my child to be able to grow to adulthood safely.

My little one is only crawling and he can get up to enough mischief as it is. I am not looking forward to him walking (or running).

Oh please, this is just pathetic. I've got a 3 year old son and a one year old daughter and I never use a leash to walk them. This is a matter of good upbringing, you tell them what you await from them while walking and that they don't run near busy roads with cars, don't touch things etc. They are small but you shouldn't underestimate children, they get things very quickly even quicker then you think. You just should stop thinking: Oh, they are still little, I'll give them some slack. No, it's not the way to go. My wife has no problem walking them too. But don't think that they are not curious, they are, especially the little one, she started to walk 1 month ago and now all she wants is to run :) But this is not a problem. I'm just tired of parents who are paranoic their children got snached or they need all their hands to hold things - make your kid participate in what you're doing when you take him with you to do your stuff. Believe me, they will be happy to help, that way they think they are responsible and their parents can trust them.