To wonder if people actually use reigns on a 4 year old?

[Thefitfatty]

Not thread about a thread, but just wondering for the whole Cincinnati zoo incident if people actually do put their 4 year olds in reigns?

My 4 year DS is 21kgs and 118 cm's tall. If I put reigns on him and he really decided to go for it I'd probably end up flat on my face.

I tried reigns on him when he was almost 3 and I had to take him DD (less then 1 at the time) through the airport myself and he flopped down onto the ground on his tummy and refused to get up. I end up having to drag him a few feet till I could put DD back in her pram and pick up our bags from the carousel. I felt like an absolute asshole and decided never to use them again!

I just can't imagine putting him in them now anymore then I would put him in pram.

Reigns are for dogs and other animals. Not human beings.
Whats wrong with holding your childs hand?

Ds ( with asd) often doesn't like his hand being held and will pull away/ get distressed about it. He prefers reins.

Whats wrong with holding your childs hand?

Hold your hand up above your head for 30 minutes and see if you still think that's a better/kinder option for a child.

I do use them with my DS who is 3 but because he has certain issue with walking. The reigns are not taught or pulled and he walked about as if he doesn't have them on but if we sense he is about to fall/or is falling, we can push back the reign, hold him back and prevent a bad accident (it has saved him on many many occasions). If we don't use reigns, we cannot go out as he will have dangerous falls.

We do get looks and comments, but I do not care. I have had to bite my tongue whenever I heard judgmental comments. I imagine we will have to use it until he realises he needs to pay attention when running/walking.

Taut not taught

meffhead great you had perfect children who did as you commanded. Young chikdren can be unpredictable it's better to be safe.

Not at 4. Mine is just 5. He's tall and if he refused to move I couldn't really make him as he's too heavy for me to move really ( I'm short and 7 1/2 stone). Luckily neither are bolters and listen. I did use them when they were 1 year sometimes as easier to have baby in sling and 1 year old walking on reins

confusionis don't be so bloody stupid! I value my child's life, i woukd rather he look like a dog than dash into the road in front of an oncoming car you fool!!!

Try holding your child's sweaty and slippery hand for I hour, at times he has let go. He will be of for he backpack once he is consistently reliable and can listen to instruction.

If anyone wants to see the argument for using reins, I suggest you search MrsPresley's posts about her twins, both bolters.

And my own DS was an infrequent bolter, his hand could slide out yours so quickly, no matter how tight you thought you were holding it.

Not usually, however I will be when he's nearly 5 and I take him through airports next year.

I have a fairly well behaved child in terms of not bolting but I will happily take the stares and not risk losing him or him not understanding the traffic on the other side of the road on that trip and would for any other situation I don't feel confident in. It's not like I can strap him in a buggy anymore

It's not only for bolters, but young children who can easily lag behind or get lost. You cannot 100% trust your child. Unless they are able to go and find help if they are lost, are able to say their full name, and able to hold your hand for a long time, then they need a backpack reins, when out in crowds.

Aero - most 4 year olds know their full name surely?

I have a very complicated dohble barrelled surname which ds finds difficult to pronounce, not only that but other things that I've highlighted. Even if ds was not a bolter, in a crowded situation, I woukd still have the backpack for extra reassurance.

Thefitfatty If you had used reins from day one it wouldn't have been an issue. We used reins on DD when she first started to walk, so for her, it was a normal thing to do.

We needed reins as we lived on a country lane with no pavement and we are both tall, so reaching down to hold hands was uncomfortable. I can't imagine it would be comfortable for a small child walking with one arm up in the air holding an adult's hand either.

"Reigns are for dogs and other animals. Not human beings.
Whats wrong with holding your childs hand?"

Are you always this monumentally stupid confusionis? It's reins, not reigns for a start. I assume you must be extremely vertically challenged to be able to hold your small child's hand comfortably without bending over. Or you have extremely biddable children who always do as they are told. Also, to hold on to a bolter's hand tightly you would have to hurt them to stop them running away. It is also rather uncomfortable to have your arm held up above your head for any length of time. Perhaps you should try it and go for a half hour walk like this.

I find your comments ridiculous in the extreme.

knowing their name or their parents name isnt much use when they have got themselves into a state or are indeed hurt/unconscious

I don't but that's because my dd (4 and half) knows how to heel

I would threaten them for persistent bolters (and follow through wherever necessary). I carry them in the buggy for when DS likes to get out and toddle (18mo), but don't need to use them on the eldest.

I used to use them when I was flying with 3 children under 6.

I'm sure I should have been able to hold both the bigger ones' hands while pushing a buggy and carrying all sorts of crap, but unfortunately I am only blessed with two hands.

Use reins until they are capable of road sense and not running away!

It takes seconds for a child to end up under a car.

I'm not going to try and lecture anyone on whether they should be used or not, but I will say, if you don't want to spend the rest of your life with grief, depression, suicide attempts (ex husband) and cemetery visits, then use the bloody reins!

31 years without my son, it doesn't get easier, it gets worse, seeing his twin sister have birthdays, a wedding day, children, knowing he should be here celebrating with us, not us going to visit his grave to tell him all the wonderful things that have happened, he's an uncle, a brother in law.

He should be a man, a husband, a daddy instead he's forever 2 years old.

So it's up to you if you want to use reins or not, if you don't want to use reins, use a wrist strap, a back pack, or piece or rope, just keep your child safe!