[blparent] child leashes

Tue Mar 16 16:12:38 UTC 2010

It's interesting that this topic has come up on the listserv.  Some 
of my blind friends had a huge debate about this a few months 
ago.  Several of them said that they would never use a leash because 
they don't want to seem too different from sighted parents.  I, 
personally, think their minds will change once they have 
children.  I'm not really at the place where I'm ashamed of doing 
things differently anymore; I'm concerned about doing things 
competently.  I've already had this discussion with my husband, and 
he's completely on board with using a leash when we have kids.  He 
used to work retail and had to put up with kids running all over the 
store, jumping on furniture and breaking things with no 
supervision.  So, he says he thinks more parents should use leashes.  Haha.

Angela

At 09:12 AM 3/16/2010, you wrote:
>I agree with everything said here.  We also used the animal backpack type
>leash, and the only comments we got were very positive ones from sighted
>people such as "What a great idea!  Where did you get that?  My
>grandson/daughter could really use one of those..."  Of course we may have
>gotten dirty looks from people, but we didn't see them, so I really don't
>care.  We used the leash with Austin, at least in some situations, until he
>was at least 2.5 and maybe a little longer.  Now that he's more trustworthy
>we do not use it, but we just had to return from a trip to the playground,
>without playing on the playground, because he decided to run from me and not
>stop or answer when I called him.  Thank goodness he stayed on the sidewalk!
>This was certainly not behavior that was acceptable, so as soon as I got him
>I carried him back home, with him screaming all the way.  He has not tried
>that again.
>Melissa
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Leanne Merren
>Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:39 PM
>To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [blparent] child leashes
>
>My mother-in-law used a leash on her kids when my husband and his younger
>sister were little.  They're only 18 months apart, so it made it much easier
>
>for her to keep track of them that way.
>I don't care what anyone says about leashes.  If it's what I have to do to
>keep my child safe, I'll do it.  I only had one person say something to me
>about it, and her comment was "Poor kid, your mom keeps you on a leash like
>a dog."  So I said "Yeah, why doesn't she let you run out in front of a car
>instead?"  The reason we keep our dogs on leashes is to keep them safe,
>right?  Until a child is trustworthy enough to stay close to you, avoid
>dangerous situations such as running into a street, and always comes when
>called, a leash may be your best option for keeping the child safe.  I think
>
>the harnesses that look like animals are cute, and people don't seem to look
>
>down on those as much.  The ones that never really worked for me were the
>ones that go on the child's wrist.  My kids figured out how to get those off
>
>too easily.
>I also agree with whoever said teaching your child to come when called is
>important.  I start working on that as soon as they learn to walk.  Also,
>teaching them to stop when commanded to do so is another good thing to work
>on.  We live on a little dead end street that doesn't get a lot of traffic,
>so sometimes I let my toddlers run free in the front yard, and when they
>head for the street I tell them to stop, and show them what I mean.  As they
>
>get older, if I tell them to stop and they don't, I take them inside.  I did
>
>this with my older daughter, and my youngest who is now 2.  My kids have
>never been allowed to step foot in a street without holding someone's hand,
>until I decide they're old enough, and they show me they know to stop and
>wait to be told to cross.  So as long as your child is too young to fully
>understand these things, I suggest using the leash until she learns.
>Leanne
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Elizabeth Cooks" <elizabethcooks at comcast.net>
>To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 1:35 PM
>Subject: Re: [blparent] child leashes
>
>
> >I think child leashes make sense in any parenting situation, I don't care
> >who you are.  I maen, it doesn't matter if you're blind or sighted.  That
> >reminds me, I think I'll start searching for one soon myself.  My son is
> >thirteen months old, and he's walking now.  He started ten days after his
> >first birthday.  He usually stays close by, and comes back if he does go
> >farther than he intended, but I'm going ot get one anyway.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Kim Cruz" <autifroggie at comcast.net>
> > To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 10:35 AM
> > Subject: Re: [blparent] child leashes
> >
> >
> >>I used a child leash when my son was little.  It really helped me.  I
> >>could keep track of what he was doing.  he has learned since then to stay
> >>close to me.  So I think it is a good idea.
> >>
> >> Kim
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Colleen Kozubowski" <colleenkoz at yahoo.com>
> >> To: <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> >> Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:00 AM
> >> Subject: [blparent] child leashes
> >>
> >>
> >> Hi Everyone,
> >>
> >> This is Colleen - blind mom of Claire, who will be two at the end of this
>
> >> month.
> >>
> >> We've had a couple of unseasonably warm days here in Chicago, which means
>
> >> Claire and I have been playing outdoors for the first time since last
> >> fall. And I can already see what a challenge it's going to be keeping
> >> track of her this spring and summer. She's extremely active, and like any
>
> >> two-year-old just wants to run around and explore. Naturally I'm
> >> concerned about her safety.
> >>
> >> So for those of you who are in the midst of or have survived the toddler
> >> years...do you have any tips for keeping the reigns on this child? We've
> >> done squeaky shoes, and will continue to use them, but now that she can
> >> take off on me in a second I'm not sure those will be enough. Has anyone
> >> used those child leashes? I know some people think they're demeaning to
> >> kids but it seems to me they might make sense in the blind parent
> >> situation.
> >>
> >> I'm open to any and all suggestions. We have tons of kids on our block
> >> and the routine is that they all play out in front of the houses. So I
> >> don't have the comfort of a backyard fence to help me out here. And of
> >> course I can ask other parents on my street to help keep track of Claire,
>
> >> but I'd love to be a bit more independent than that if possible.
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance for any tips!
> >>
> >> Colleen
> >>
> >>
> >>
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