Baby reigns

[Mammadibambini]

I’m a single mum and my DD is very strong willed. She’s getting to grips with walking but she already is pulling her hand away and my reaction to this is to ask her her to hold my hand and if she refuses I carry her. (We don’t have a pram with us when out walking. Yes I know I could just wheel the pram around too but what a faff.) I don’t want to carry her. She’s picking up speed with her walking but is also still a bit unsteady especially if the surface isn’t perfectly flat.

would I be unreasonable to use reigns?
I’m a bit worried about restricting her movements but then also want to keep her safe. Any alternatives to using reigns?

100% in favour of reins! I used them for both of my DC with no ill effects. I always encouraged them to hold my hand as well but knew they were safe if they refused or suddenly let go.

with the massive bonus that you can give them a quick swing. Toddler Heaven

And the kid can be a pony. What's not to like about reins? Safe, fun and the kid gets exercise and can engage better with their environment.

I have the backpack ones and theyre great. My daughters never been great in the pram and now only wants to push it or step on the brake which is super annoying..., or stand in it and play with the buckle. Have a look at the little life ones. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for protecting your child

I use them in conjunction with holding my hand.

YABU to think that using reins could ever be unreasonable.

I don't know why but this is the funniest thing I've ever read on this website. Proper LOL.

Reins auto translates to rains on my phone

Definitely use reins! We had some, and a wristband, but what DS really loved when he was a toddler - and yes, I got some funny looks but I didn't care! - was a dog lead attached to the belt loop of his trousers. We had two dogs and he always came out with me to walk them, and he was quite insistent on being put on the lead at the front door and found it absolutely hilarious. He used to bark at passers-by as well.

I was a bolter! I ran off on oxford st wasn’t found for a while after that my mum bought reins! My dc was a bolter. Used reins from the start. Remember being on holiday and very judgmental looks from a parent with similar aged two minutes later screech of breaks as the toddler ran into the road in front of a bus my dc was trying to run off so still with us!

Cute reins!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trunki-ToddlePak-Toddler-Walking-Dinosaur/dp/B00PGHHITI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=2GCQTEFWA5MJD&keywords=reins+for+toddlers+boys&qid=1695904723&sprefix=reins%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&smid=A3AYDEX8VPYBJK

I agree with this. I would be quite rude if I typed my own response.

And people, it's REINS not REIGNS.

Every time there's a thread on reins I always think of MrsPresley and her little child, her story made me more confident in keeping mine on reins at that age.

We did the thing of , if he wanted to walk, he had to hold my hand.
If he didn't hold my hand he went in his pram.
So he held our hand from young.

But there is nothing wrong with reins if you need them to keep them safe.

This. When I read the title, I thought it meant 'baby rules the household.'

Well, they do rule your life, I suppose... 😉

I used safety reins with all three of mine, kept them safe near busy roads. I couldn't give a monkeys what anyone else thinks.

Cross post. 😅

I used to dislike reins then on a course for work we were asked to hold our hands above our heads as if holding hands with someone a good few feet taller - it gets bloody uncomfortable quickly!

Always used reins or the backpack ones after that.

It’s reins (not reigns - that means something entirely different and I thought the post was going to be about a baby ruling the roost!).

Safety first - there’s nothing wrong with using them. We used them because my daughter liked the little bag they came in, rather than her needing them. I didn’t care what anyone else thought.

On this subject , I bloody hate seeing adults "walking" a non walking infant by holding their arms up and tippytoeing them along. Leave them be; they'll walk in their own time. Other than ensuring they were safe, I was strictly hands off with my three.

The old fashioned ones are best as they evenly distribute your hold over their whole torso. Bollocks to anyone who criticises reins. It's literally a parent's job to curtail anything which could hurt their child. This includes them running off.

the backpack ones aren't as good if they're unsteady and you might need to catch them with them if they fall - the backpacks generally attach at one point in the middle while traditional reins have one on each side.

The backpack ones have a longer lead generally as well, so good for when they're more confident but likely to bolt.

Some depends on where you live and walk. We have narrow pavements and close to busy traffic. I wouldn’t take the chance - it takes a split second for child to slip hand especially if you are pushing a buggy one handed too.

@UnctuousUnicorns I bloody hate seeing adults "walking" a non walking infant by holding their arms up and tippytoeing them along. Leave them be; they'll walk in their own time. Other than ensuring they were safe, I was strictly hands off with my three.

Plenty of babies enjoy being able to see more and cruise around with the support of parent's hands. In the same vein many babies would not appreciate a totally "hands off" approach from their parents.

Used with both of mine they were runners. Also saved them from so many scraped knees.

I find it’s an American judgement rather than here.

those who have issue have never had a problem with a child not wanting to hold hands or a runner

Big fan of reins! They give your lo a bit of independence while keeping them safe. I use the backpack ones and usually have the strap on my wrist and hold their hand but once they inevitably let go and toddle away they're still attached to me. I've also had some comments from older people saying what a great idea they are and how they wish they had them when their kids were little.