In wondering what's wrong with reins?

[beebuzzer]

Who uses them?
Who doesn't?

I do and I often get patted on the back for it by passing old ladies who "don't understand why they ever went out of fashion"
My mum used them on all of us. If I didn't use one my little one would be all over the shop and I am guessing holding my hand for any period of time would be quite uncomfortable for her. (she is only small)

I've only had one person comment on me using reins. I remember it vividly becuase as soon as she told me I was being "completely cruel and a terrible mother" her dd (aged about 3) suddenly ran into the road becuase an ice cream van was coming and luckily a car just missed her. And it wasn't the first time her dd has run into the road either.

My dd used to wear a rein all the time and I would hold her hand and tell her to stop as well. Now she doesn't normally wear it, I've taught her to stop at roads, wait for the crossing light man to turn to green and for cars to stop. However, sometimes my dd just has an off-day, won't stop and keeps bolting and I put the rein on her then. Better safe than sorry.

Reigns didn't work for me because the stroppy toddler would just lift their feet. I'd end up walking down the road with a toddler tote. The wrist strap was brilliant when DS1 was around 3 and DS2 was in the buggy. Eldest was jealous of the baby and liked to launch himself in to oncoming traffic to get my attention. The wrist strap stopped any such nonsense, and as soon as he had gotten over his death wish, we stopped using it. We did get the 'dog' comments though, usually from old people. Was I bothered? Nah.

Nothing wrong with reins. I suspect people who think they are the devil's work have not had "bolters". Child with reins or squished child? Hmmmm. Not a hard decison to make IMO.

I thought it was quite different thumbwitch and 5dollar because children can't be supervised every second while they are sleeping but they are (hopefully) supervised every second when they are out on the streets. Not rolling off a surface is not something you actively teach whereas being safe on the road is.

I never realised this was an issue to get worked up about.
I bought DD a backpack with a strap when she first started walking, to keep her safe and because I thought it looked cute.
Unfortunately she tended to either stand stock still and refuse to move when she had it on, or else she would wander round me in circles so the strap looped round her neck if I didn't revolve with her. We could never get anywhere, so I ditched it reluctantly, and just made her hold my hand instead. She went through a stage of trying to break free from my hand, doing jelly legs when I tried to walk holding her hand etc. Fortunately she seems to have outgrown that now (she is almost 3) and walks beautifully holding my hand - if I allow her to walk on her own beside me, which I do sometimes, then she will grab for my hand if she sees or hears a car coming.

I just saw some 'birth to four' reins on ebay. Reins and a newborn made me smile... here

I think they can look quite cute on very small children (under 2), but it's more the kids look cute wandering around being able to walk where they want, see what they want without being confined to hand holding, (which is quite restrictive).

Age 2 - grey area, not keen but not toooo bad.

But 3 & over I think 'they should know better'.

The only time I ever used a wrist strap was at a very busy market, one baby in a pushchair and a 2 year old - confident walker, good wee girl etc, but I was worried she's get swept away by the tidy of people!

However, I think they are massively useful if you have a bolter or a child with SN... so I no longer don't judge and now just think 'Thank god I don't need them!'.

Strawberry - I think it's just denoting that they can be adjusted to a very small size - they're good for highchairs etc - but yes, you probably don't need them before 6 months

My mum used reins on me and I will use them when my child is walking.

To me it's not about teaching them anything, it's about being sure that I know where they are when in a busy shopping centre for example and ensuring no-one can wander off with my child or that my child can't wander off from me.

I think some people don't see beyond their own noses....if you are in the position of having no car, not living near shops...and having nobody to help you or any cash for a taxi then reigns are a Godsend.

I have to do my weekly shop by hand....I walk 2 miles to Tescos along a very busy road...and a canal and then I do the shopping with a buggy and a todder....I hang carrier bags all over the buggy and we walk or get the bus back.

Sometimes we NEED reins. That is a long time for my 2 year old to be in a buggy..and if I get her out to walk then she has to wear reins...I am too encumbered with shopping to keep her safe.

People really annoy me with their comments about what age it is ok to use reins. It's about individual circumstances.
If we're talking about me taking my toddler for a walk up the road to the park then no...I dont need them. But unless you are in the position of having NO car and no access to one thenplease don't judge.

The last thing I need on a journey like that is to feel some people might be looking down on me,

Nothin' wrong with reins except the general principle that you're not supposed to use them after the age of about 4, tis a shame as they would be fab for my DP when in a shop selling anything electronic.

muhahahad....well I shoud hope not....my elder DD was able to make the journey I described above with no reins by about three and a half

I use them for my DS3 (3 today!) when we go visiting castles/ruins. DH is really into history and battle sites so we go to a LOT of these sorts of places. There is no way my DS3 would be safe without reins - I'd have to grip him so hard to stop him pulling away and escaping the poor wee man would be bruised!

I don't use them other times because I've not found a need to but wouldn't hesitate to use them if I was worried about his safety. Tutters be damned!

Reins should be compulsory!

Ther is nothing more heart stopping than seeing stupid parents letting their toddler walk/skip/run/ along the edge of the pavement, you are waiting for them to fall into the road under your wheels. Even worse when they're on a bike or scooter.
If you are holding reins you can at least stop them falling.

If you've ever seen a child bolt into the middle of a road you wouldn't think reins were unnecessary.

Shanan, I'm with you. Littlemad did that thing of getting out of his pram one day and walking and refusing to use it afterwards. He's a bit random and without reins we'd have had all sorts of problems. I have no problem with reins at all :)

They're very useful & I wouldn't be without them. I don't want to risk my child's life. Also when they're in the early stages of walking you can use them to stop them from falling over.

Thats it Malificence...Ibet half the people who are so against them dont actually walk anywhere.

Muhahahad...my DD is doing that too...it's blinking hard work!

Couldnt be without my wrist strap for ds1, he needs tethering on busy roads, he loves trucks and lorries and cant understand why he cant go up and have a closer look...

I dont use them, but not for want of trying...have you ever put a cat on a lead? well thats the reaction I got from all 3 of my kids, pure manic rolling on floor pawing at reigns, screaming, I gave up fast, I got a littlife toddler backpack thing when dd2 was about 16 months and this worked really well, ds uses one now, and if I know we are going somewhere really busy I still stick one on dd2 who is now 3.

We walk everywhere and have done since DS was born, he used reins/wrist strap until the age of 4 (although not all the time but always kept it in my bag) you can teach them about torads and things anyway infact I find them a bit less restricting for small kids they are always in shot and they can wander along beside you without being clung onto.

Personally I don't really care if some people do/don't use them, I did but it was MY decisiona nd I don't see why anyone else wouldbe judgey about it.

I'm sure all the judgey folks have done some things that others would question them about!

I tried using them with my eldest. It was a nightmare. He wouldn't walk using them and would stand stock still or sit down. Any attempt to get him to walk or stand up would result in him dangling from the reins like a stage version of peter Pan. Once he rea;ised he could 'fly' on them that's all he wanted to do!!!

i have a 2 1/2yr old, 15month old and am 6 months pregnant so if i didn't have reins we would be spending a lot of time indoors! i'm also 6ft tall and my 15month old likes to run as fast as his teeny little leggies can carry him towards the muddiest area he can see. ds1 didn't really need them, ds2 does!

when the boys absolutely have/need to run about in a crowded area i'd rather have them on reins so i don't have to shove strangers out the way to reach my small child before he disappears. i've had a few too many 'OMG where's my child?!?' moments that reins could have prevented.

we're going to an outdoor christmas market in a big city centre on sunday and i'll have a double buggy, reins, DH and grandparents so there are various options of keeping them from disappearing.

I only used them on a busy airport. we practiced walking on the pavment from the moment they could walk and luckily didn't have runners.
have seen parents with children on a leash/with harness on a fenced in playground. that is ott imo.