Everyone has a different way of parenting their kids. When it comes to raising children, there’s no “right” answer. Whatever works for some parents, may not work for others.
Some kids are a little more rambunctious than others, so parents have to do things differently.
When you see a parent doing something you disagree with, remember: you don’t always know the full story.
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Clint Edwards, a dad who runs a parenting blog called “No Idea What I’m Doing: A Daddy Blog,” opened up about a particular thing he does with his toddler.
Edwards puts his daughter on a toddler “leash” (also called a “safety harness” by many manufacturers) sometimes when they’re out in public — something that many parents disagree with.
However, he had some solid reasoning behind his choice.
He wrote :
“She’s a wild child, and this thing has already kept her out of the road and from sticking her hand in an ice cream machine, along with keeping me sane.”
He said, with wild children, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
“Because the fact is, if I didn’t put Aspen on a leash while at amusement parks, the zoo, a crowded mall, or the farmers’ market, she’d be the lost child announced over the intercom.”
And, he knows his daughter better than anyone.
“She’d be the kid popping up in every Facebook feed for wandering into a shopping center parking lot, unattended. She could be the child climbing into the tiger cage. Because I can’t, for the life of me, keep her from moving. Her curiosity is incredible, and for only having a 12 inch stride, she moves faster than any Olympian.”
He knows people give him dirty looks.
“And sure, I get dirty looks from strangers. In fact, I’ll probably get some ‘I’m the perfect parent and this is why you suck’ comments on this post.”
But, he knows he’s keeping his daughter safe.
“I’m keep this kid safe while maintaining my [peace] of mind, and that is 100% worth it. Because the reality is she’ll calm down. She’ll figure it out, because all kids do. But until that day comes, I’m going to do whatever I can to keep her out of danger, even if it means a leash.”
Parents on Facebook responded with support.
One person wrote:
“There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with leashing your kid. My mom had a velcro leash that went around my wrist when I was a kid back in the late ’80s. She only used it at amusement parks when her younger sisters weren’t there to run around after me. I was easily distracted by anything flashy or shiny. Still am to this day. But you know what? I was never kidnapped. I lived to adulthood. I wasn’t abused. It’s all good. I’d rather see kids on leashes than dead kids or lost kids.”
Another added there’s no shame in using leashes.
“We have no shame in using leashes, too. The one time my oldest wasn’t on a leash he ran out of a grocery store with a car approaching in each direction. He wasn’t hurt, but I cried and cried for a while after that happened. I once had a stranger come up to me (a different time) and tell me it’s not really a leash. It’s a love line. You love that child on the other end, so why wouldn’t you keep him/her safe?”
One parent said it’s all about safety first.
“My son is the same. I don’t even think twice about putting him on a leash. Who cares what everyone thinks. If it keeps him safe, I’m all for it.”
So, before you judge other parents, remember you don’t know the full story.
In many cases, these parents are just acting in the best interests of their child.
