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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hate reins for kids?

196 replies

lulamae · 28/06/2007 16:22

I almost choked on my lentil goulash when dh suggested buying kiddy reins for dd as she's now walking and beginning to enjoy her freedom. I do hope he was trying to wind me up.. Imho they are for lazy parents who could'nt be arsed chasing after naturally exuberant kids.....

I am aware that many parents are afraid of losing their kids.....but surely this is taking things to extremes. Apparently my MIL used them on dh, but she's an overweight control freak. I rest my case.

OP posts:
slayerette · 28/06/2007 16:51

I hope the OP doesn't indulge in such brutal and barbaric practices as strapping her child into a highchair or a car seat - and I hope she doesn't use a seatbelt herself. In my opinion all these straps are for lazy, overweight control freaks who can't be arsed to stop themselves flying through a windscreen. I love to enjoy my freedom in the car, and consider that ending up dead in the road is a small price to pay for that.

ThomCat · 28/06/2007 16:49

Last time I used the reins we were at the aquarium and it was packed. I was trying to keep DD1 happy in the buggy and DD2 wanted to run around. Having the reins on meant she could do just that while not running off on me and getting lost amongst the hundreds of people who were there.

What would have been lazy and cruel would have been to have kept her strapped into her buggy just becuase her sister couldn''t walk anymore.

Original poster
lulamae · 28/06/2007 16:48

So you are saying that you are being negligent by NOT putting your children on reins? Is the majority of people I know negligent?

I can see now that when a mother has 2 or 3 toddlers they can be a godsend, and of course it's shocking when children run in front of cars....

I think it boils down to the fact that everyone knows what their own children are like/ capable of. Maybe we were just fairly biddable children anyway, and never needed them and it is a quick fix solution that I would rather avoid, personally.

OP posts:
coppertop · 28/06/2007 16:48

Far safer to stay at home with the lentil goulash IMHO.

moo · 28/06/2007 16:48

Stops 'em biting too. S'marvellous

Oblomov · 28/06/2007 16:47

LOL moo. Lulamae is naieve. Wait till her child runs off and she has that terrible thought of ......

Hulababy · 28/06/2007 16:46

Or the house in the first place maybe?

ComeOVeneer · 28/06/2007 16:46

The muzzle is a nice touch Moo.

Kathyis6incheshigh · 28/06/2007 16:46

I think the best thing is never to let them out of the car.

coppertop · 28/06/2007 16:45

LOL at Moo's link.

ComeOVeneer · 28/06/2007 16:45

That should read "twice in the last month"

bookwormmum · 28/06/2007 16:45

Horses of all descriptions wear reins to control them when they're being walked or ridden. Surely a child's life is much more important? .

Besides, dogs wear leads not reins.

Hulababy · 28/06/2007 16:45

'I simply do not wish to treat my child like a dog.'

That is the comment that I always think is really bizarre.

Why do people have dogs on leads? Presumably so they don't rush off and get lost, or maybe so they don't run off and either cause an acccident or be hurt in an accident.

Why is it reasonable to protect your dog in this way. Yet a parent does it to a cild, who I assume is even more precious to them than a dog, it is deemed wrong?

I just don't get the logic?!

moo · 28/06/2007 16:44

I hate reins too, I think the OP makes a perfectly reasonable point. As I am a lazy moo who can't be bothered chasing after her children I always took them out like this.

ComeOVeneer · 28/06/2007 16:44

Fine you don't want to use them, but as the mother of a 2 year old that has 2 in the last month managed to escpe from 2 different building and end up it the middle of a road with oncoming traffic, forgive me for wanting to do everything I can to keep him alive.

ThomCat · 28/06/2007 16:43

No not at all, but it's not UNresonable to use them. Each to their own. Some children bolt off, some don't, some mums don't have an 18 months old who likes to run off laughing while pregnant mum struggles with her SN's sister etc.

What IS unreasonable are comments like :
'I simply do not wish to treat my child like a dog.'

lulumama · 28/06/2007 16:41

I don;t think you can goulash a lentil...

overweight control freak....nice touch

Hulababy · 28/06/2007 16:41

You are not being unreasonable not using them. You are being unreasonable to call other parents who do chose to use them, for the safety of their own child, lazy though.

bookwormmum · 28/06/2007 16:40

Untie or cut.

one or the other .

AttilaTheMum · 28/06/2007 16:40

If you're serious lulamae,presumably you only have one child - or do you abandon your other child(ren) while you dash after the naturally exuberant one?
However the lentil goulash reference seems to suggest a wind-up.....

bookwormmum · 28/06/2007 16:40

I couldn't afford reins so I tied my little girl to me with a piece of string as I'm both lazy and slow.

I must find some scissors to untie the string soon since it's a bind having to go to school everyday now she's 7 .

flibbertyjibbet · 28/06/2007 16:39

We've just been to the shops across several roads, with baby in pram and toddler on reins which is the only way he can be safe while I've got both hands pushing a pram up a steep hill. If I chase after my naturally exhuberant son I will be battered by old ladies for leaving my pram unattended.
I am now building a kennel for him.
Obviously OP is a parent of 1.

tiredemma · 28/06/2007 16:37

negligent would be a word would use to describe them, not unreasonable.

Original poster
lulamae · 28/06/2007 16:36

As I hardly ever see other mothers with reins, are they being unreasonable by not using them?

OP posts:
ThomCat · 28/06/2007 16:35

Yep, people who use reins are 'lazy' and 'can't be arsed to chase after naturally exuberant kids', yep that's right love, spot on. Nothing to do with having a child that makes mad dashes for it while you try and handle other children, nothing to do with wanting to actual give them some independence whilst also keeping them safe.

If you haven't had an 18 month old who ran out in a road while you tried to get your child with SN's out of car / inb buggy whatever, then you don't know what a godsend they can be.

I'd never ever use them all the time, but now and then they havce been a godsend to me.

A 2 yr old in my area ran out between 2 cars the other day and was killed
Bet his mum wishes he'd been on reins.