To want to keep my 3 year old safe

[BlackCatTryingToFly]

Last year DD didn't want to go in the buggy anymore so I decided she could walk if she let me hold her hand.
Now she is 3.3 years old and when I hold her hand she tries to struggle (apart from crossing roads which is not negotiable).
So today I let her walk next to me as long as she didn't run off and she stay away from the road. She fell over a couple of times but this is part of growing up, isn't it?

AIBU for wanting to keep her safe or am I being over protective?

I used reins for both of my kids, and they were lovely, I remember the pride I had!m they were younger than 3.3 though.

Dd1 could be trusted to walk with me at that age but not dd2 so I moved onto the wrist straps with her. I would highly recommend them.

I hold hands with my dd constantly if we are out unless we are in a shopping centre or supermarket, she is 3.5. If she gets really antsy about holding my hand I have a little backpack she chose from jojo maman with a rein type attachment for her to have freedom. I would rather be cautious than have her run into the road. Yanbu.

I think we stopped using reins around 3 yrs old but they were a life saver for me having twins out on my own at the beginning. I continued to carry them in a bag as a threat for bad behaviour for a bit longer though and that worked too. The roads aren't too busy where we walk so I just tend to keep myself nearer the roadside and have them further in the path. Just lately they seem to like holding my hands without being asked.

When we gave up the pushchair we had a struggle with holding hands all the time, but after a week of being completely hard-line about it (we got the GP to do it too) she stopped arguing about it.

These days (now 3.4), holding hands when crossing the road is still non-negotiable, but she is pretty good at walking next to me on the path (although it helps that we usually have DD2 in the buggy which she likes to 'help' me push)

She sometimes asks if she can "do running", and if it's a quiet road then I let her, but we do play the Stop/Go "game". If we're on a busy-ish road then I'll say no, but say we can play it later - which might mean we have to run around the garden when we get home!

Get a wrist strap, best blooody invention EVER!!
My DD was a complete mare - walked at 9 months and had to be manhandled in the the push chair ever after ( you know the holding her down with a knee whilst fighting with the straps type thing by the time she was 18months!...oh the comments I got ...cruel bitch etc etc )
I spotted one and it was a flippin revolution in my life! And I think hers as we were both more relaxed going anywhere

Bloody hell, I still hold my seven year old's hand. Not if it's not wanted, but it just seems to steal into mine. Probably need to give myself a damn good talking to.

My 3yr old walks alone but he must hold hands crossing the roads. He never runs off though and stays by my side at all times

My Mum still tries to hold my hand now when we cross the road. I'm 31! that's when you've gone too far

one word "Reins" or not reins, but those little back packs, sorted