Reins for a three year old runner

[Lurkingintheshadows]

Lo used to be wonderful at walking by my side and holding my hand, but recently he has taken great delight in running away from me.

He can run really fast and be gone in a flash. I am pregnant and can't run that quick and I am so so paranoid about losing him/ him running out into the road etc... He finds it all a big game. I do tell him off, make him do time out, or go home if its really bad, but the message hasn't been delivered and I guess the penalty doesn't outweigh the sheer delight in running away from mummy!

I think I am going to have to put him on some reins for when he decides to make a break for it, but he is very tall for his age and most say up to the age of three. Does anyone know of any larger reins? Or would a wrist strap be better?

Any advise greatly appreciated

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MNHQ

I just brough one of those rucksacks with a rein, my 18m hates it and just sits down - stops him running!

We had that too rucksack with a lead. Great because longer than reins so can loop round wrist while push pram.

DS2 has ASD and used normal toddler reins until he was 6. And he's not small. They didn't fit over his coat, after the last summer, but he'd learnt to get out of them or make me let go (twist furiously!) by that point, anyhow.

Wrist straps are a no, by the way - they can hurt their shoulders if they try to make a break for it or pull away too hard.They can also get stuck in things like lift doors more easily.

Get a littlelife backpack. They're great. I use them on my minded children and they fit comfortably on a 3yr old with a big winter coat on. Means I can have the loop over my wrist while pushing the buggy.

There have been many MN threads about reins; although bystanders might make sarky comments, it seems that reins are making a bit of a comeback.

(After all, if nursery "crocodiles" now consist of those brightly coloured contraptions to which the children are strapped, and all wearing hi-vis for good measure, why shouldn't parent use reins? It use to be advocated by the Highway Code!)

Trespass do a backpack similar to little life - but half price!

My DS (2.4) is very tall for his age but wears his backpack reins comfortably with a winter coat. He too loves running off. He doesn't leave the house without them on and frankly I don't care what anyone says about them, reins have saved his life a few times already.

Little Life backpack. Ds hated it so it's main value was being able to say "walk nicely or backpack on" when he staged a sit-down protest. Though I used a buggy until over 3 as well - I'm now saying to dd, "stop when I say Stop, or you go in the buggy. With The Straps."