My MIL just bought my baby a set of reigns and I am horrified. What to do?

[BumblBeee]

I think they are horrid?!

[colander]

Reins have been fab for DD2 who will not hold hands and insists she knows how to cross the road. She is 2 btw, very independent, and the best way to avoid squishing DD2 under a car when we walk DD1 to school is using reins. I'm the only one though, but I don't care!

[Janni]

Squilly - I think I had the same reins. I loved them! I distinctly remember wearing them on trips to The Tufty Club (road safety for tots).

I think when you're on your first baby you can have great confidence that they'll always hold your hand and stop at the kerb.

Reins can actually give a very small child MORE freedom because you can allow them to walk out earlier and more often.

The comments about reins making children look like dogs are truly ridiculous. Anyway, round these parts none of the dogs are on leads as it impinges on their canine rights.

[Rosbo]

Reins reins reins
the joy of my and my dh's life!

[bluedomino]

My DD loves her reins, gets very excited when she sees them, likes putting them on her bears. Shes happy because shes walking, I can pull her up before she hits the ground and I love them because she pulls me around like a little husky dog. Whats the difference between using a reins on the road and a harness in the carseat?

[squilly]

Rosbo...is that post disturbing? Or is it just my filthy mind?????

[Rosbo]

haha squilly! Just realised how that may have sounded. No, I didnt mean it in a disturbing way at all, meant that reins come in very much useful for my little one!

[squilly]

Thought so...but had to check

[Peachy]

Squilly if I were a Good Person i'd have put ds3's needs before my own concerns over getting Looks .

[QueenofAllWildThings]

Would you rather your child ran into the street??? They can move FAST and you can't watch them every second. Reins are fantastic. If you don't like them try one of those Little Life rucksacks which has a rein attached.

Trust me, when you have more than one child, you will need some way to keep the older one with you while you're pushing a buggy.

[squilly]

Peachy...you are so good!!! And we all get concerned about Looks...no matter how right we know we are to earn them. It makes us human. It's the people that get looks and don't even know they've got them that you need to worry about!!!! Seriously self absorbed, I'd say (them not you). And they wouldn't be able to disagree with me because they wouldn't know about it...iyswim? (Wish I did...I think I'm on drugs, but no-one told me as I feel a bit ranty and ravey at the moment!)

[Janni]

There was an absolutely heartbreaking story in the papers recently about a mother trying to grab her child who'd run off. She momentarily let go of her baby's pram and it rolled into the path of an oncoming lorry...

Forget aesthetics, forget the weird opinions of those disapproving natural nurturers - if you have a potential bolter - YOU NEED REINS !

[Cam]

It seems odd to me that everyone straps their children into cars but doesn't use reins in the street

[tizzyinadizzy]

Reins are a great invention. In fact I reckon someone should invent retractable reins a la retractable dog leads could have done with one of these when dd was a toddler and literally all over the place. Trying to control her and push a pram not poss without the reins. They worked great tied to the pram

Emotionally scarred? hehe, if you like

My dcs thought they were a great game and made a good swing to test mummys arm muscles

[SoupDragon]

I can't believe this is still going on!

No one thinks twice about using restraints to keep their child in the pram or car. How are reins different??

[beckystaffs]

My dd2 is 19 months and our family think reins are great !! She can walk next to her big sister (dd1 is 3), whilst still giving parents security of a)can pick her up if she tumbles, b) trying to get her out of her thinking its a great game to walk off in opp direction and you chase after her & c) letting her use up a bit of energy as she's not sitting in her puchchair .
I used them on on dd1 and she had a pair for her ted too! She isn't scarred for life

[Lomond]

My reins were a godsend, they saved many a skint knee when she was just starting to walk but didn't want to be in her pushchair when out and about.

In busy places they come in very useful and it enables them to get plenty of practice walking even when they are wobbly!

I wished I had taken mine yesterday as we were out for lunch and the highchair had no harness, we had to tie dd in with a scarf (she is only just 4mths).
Going to keep them in my changing bag in case I need them again.

[Lomond]

lol used the reins with dd1 (she is now 4)

Not watching what I am typing either as dd2 is 7 mths! She could not sit up at 4mths lol

[DontCallMeBaby]

Reins are also very useful for pulling a small child's bicycle (either with or without small child on bike) when they've got too tired/lazy to pedal any more, just in case no one's come up with that one yet.

Most use we ever got out of ours.

[Roskva]

I love my reins - dd usually holds my hand but has this habit of letting go and trying to sprint off if she see's something that catches her eye. With the reins on I know she can't run in the road etc. They also prevent skinned knees and hands or soggy trousers if she topples over. And they are invaluable in shops - trying to shop while holding her hand is almost impossible