Page 8 | What is the problem with reins?

bozza · 19/05/2007 19:41

I am surprised at a lot of this. I used reins on both my children from when they were first walking until about age 2. My DD was 3 this week and I don't even know where the reins are. I really don't get the point of putting the child in the pushchair until the age of 3 to avoid using reins. I would definitely prefer my children to be walking as much as possible. And surely a pushchair is just reins with a seat and wheels attached? So in the harnessing issue, not actually any different? DD has also not been in her pushchair for several months so I hardly think that 10 months or so of intermittent rein use has done much harm.

And I really don't think I am a chav either, although I do let DD eat sausage rolls - but not in a pushchair because she doesn't use a pushchair.

PeachyChocolateEClair · 19/05/2007 19:43

Pets r us I suspect

Oh I have often considered it- but couldn't cope with the flack!

Also like the look of those screw in pegs you sue to hold a dog when out and about

(joking!!!!)

3andnomore · 19/05/2007 19:45

lol LadyMacBeth...maybe the lil one was pretneding to be a dog....my ds's often take eachother out for a walk (in teh garden) with the dogs lead...and I have been known to walk one or another ds down the streets with me holding a doglead and them holding the other end...not because I am mental, but because they wanted to do it and I didn't see any harm in it, lol!

PeachyChocolateEClair · 19/05/2007 19:51

A-ha! you just solved on=e of my biggest dilemmas!

how to stop peole staring at DS1 in tesco:

when he crawls around barking (and he is 7) just atatch a lead, call him fido andn offer him a bonio

Therby the nopsy old biddies can stare at me (and admittedly report me to the NSPCC) instead of him for once!

Fab thanks for that

3andnomore · 19/05/2007 19:52

lol Peachy...glad I could be of assistence

alexw · 19/05/2007 19:58

Sorry if any repetition - haven't read entire thread, but we use backpac type with strap. Can put strap over wrist and hold dd's hand so she gets the point but if she struggles or i need the other hand she's still safe. I gave up use of pram once she started walking so vital imo.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 19/05/2007 20:04

in my experience of late, with ds1 being a little git for the past couple of weeks, i get disgusting looks and glances when i lead him along holding his arm, with him twisting and spinning and paddying and trying to prise my, gentle may i add, grip off his arm.
i have not noticed any strange looks with the wrist link, which i find gives him enough freedom to not 'violate' his human rights or some other such bollocks i read somewhere, and still be able to control, yes 'control' him enough.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 19/05/2007 20:05

he is quite strong and quickly 'escapes' and legs it without the link.
also i dont have to worry about his arm dislocating with the link, as it seems to threaten to when i hold his arm.

AitchTwoOh · 19/05/2007 20:15

but here's what i don't understand... how are these children getting tired out if they're in the buggy?

shhhh · 19/05/2007 22:27

Not read whole thread but dd is not the type to stand still next to dh or I and if we let go of her hand she honestly would run straight off..yes we do have control but dd (aged 2) is just being a typical child. We have a set of reins for her and my sister bought dd for her birthday the backpack type with a lead and she loves it. We walk while holding her hand and sometimes allow her to walk ahead of us..makes us feel safer knowing she is enjoying a bit of freedom without her knowing iykwim.

I would rather have it this way than her hit by a car or taken away by some stranger just becuase we looked away for a second. TBH I have never noticed andyone looking at us any differently because we use reins with dd but I wouldn't give a shit if someone did. Esp having a 14 weeks old ds it helps us toyally.

Not sure where the chav suggestion or view comes into it...Is it chav wanting to protect your child (esp one that has a mind of their own!)..? BTW I am not chav at all. I think dh being a company director on over 100k rules that out.

ThePrisoner · 20/05/2007 23:11

Three days per week, I childmind three 2yr olds and a baby. When out walking (with a double or triple buggy), any walking children will be on reins. We stop at all the roads, we are learning how to cross them appropriately. I don't hold the reins so tight that the child feels restrained.

They are not my children, and I need to be sure that they won't run into the road (they really aren't old enough to be left running beside a main road). If I have two children walking and am pushing a buggy, no matter how much "road respect" they may have, I cannot run in different directions if they choose to run away, or let go of one child (or leave the buggy) to get the other child. If we are in a safe area (nowhere near a road), they are allowed to walk without reins.

madamez · 20/05/2007 23:29

DS has reins and has had them since just before he could walk. I used to lead him crawling around the market, jsut like taking a dog for a walk . He likes his reins and rarely tried to get out of them; when we've got to the park I tuck the strap up into the harness and let him run around, only grabbing them again when we're going to leave and cross roads or wait for a bus.
Now he's 2.8 I'm starting to tuck the strap up and let him walk by himself more in safe spaces, as well as teaching him road sense, but I've never had a problem with reins or even a funny look. Or maybe I just haven't noticed because of not generally giving a fuck...

Skribble · 20/05/2007 23:42

LOL at the Tom Cruise Mission Impossible reference

Sorry as you were.

Skribble · 20/05/2007 23:47

Tom Cruise on his reins

viticella · 20/05/2007 23:56

Am I right most of us are using reins but would rather we didn't have to?

if anyone has some ideas for training your running-off child to walk with you then bring 'em on please! Need to be enforceable when burdened with pushchair and shopping and in a public place.

Holding hands very good in theory impossible in practice with a pushchiar or squirmer.

Friend of mine says she trained hers in Asda - simply walked around with the kid putting her in the trolley seat (screaming) every time she ran off until she learnt not to run off. Apparently it took nine days! True.

Skribble · 21/05/2007 00:06

Well I was a happy rein user, not something I objected to having to do. Mine walked well beside me but reins were an extra means of security, I don't trust toddlers and there attraction to random objects.

Skribble · 21/05/2007 00:07

I would have been happier if Tom Cruise was on the end of my reins though, come to think of it he has went a bit strange of late, nah I will stick with my gorgeous boy .

doyouwantfrieswiththat · 21/05/2007 00:13

can't be bothered to read this whole thread.

I use reins with 16mth old ds because he can walk & I want to keep him safe, personally I think it's much more chavvy to force a child who can walk (under 3 or not ) into a push chair when we all know that kids need as much exercise as they can take. (& yes I do have a car but I faff around with ds on reins & pushchair for when he's had enough)

blimey, since when was it chavvy to keep your child safe. bonkers

sorry if you were misquoted Twiglett but seems like some other people do think reins are chavvy.

amidaiwish · 21/05/2007 09:26

hey what's wrong with sausage rolls btw?

my DD1 always wants one from the counter at the farmer's market
organic high quality too don't ya know.
£2 each too and not full of cr@p.

americantrish · 21/05/2007 15:01

we use them. and have since ds was really walking (around a year old). he's 3 in june. i have nothing against them, its for a child's safety in several respects, and my ds is VERY active. even though i've been judged for using them on other online forums. oh well! to each their own!! i won't judge someone for not using them if they don't judge me for using them!
i dont think it has anything to do with teaching a child NOT to run off. i wonder how many younger toddlers are taught that successfully? as for any 'walking the dog' comments, heh, we call it ds's 'leash' ;o

madamez · 21/05/2007 20:14

Ok, so how old is too old for a bugg? DS is 2.8 and I put him in the buggy if we're going shopping or to the bank (or on a long trip when I know he'll be knackered at the end), but he's less and less keen to be in the buggy and now demands his reins.

alexw · 21/05/2007 20:25

Got rid of all pram usage (other than for sleeping in when on days out) at 12 months. At 2 no longer use any pram. Dd walks everywhere - good to build up stamina and use up that energy.

Justaboutmanaging · 22/05/2007 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PeppermintStick · 23/05/2007 07:37

LOL!

dionnelorraine · 23/05/2007 07:58

We used to use the wrist strap when dd was a year old. It worked really well. I would rather her wear that and 'be treated as a dog' than get run over or snatched or something!! But she is now 2 1/2 and she holds my hand. I still take buggy with me if im going into town because she gets tired. So she sleeps in buggy. But would otherwise walk with me.