Reins for toddlers

[moomin35]

Do parents still use reins for kidsto prevent them running off or as these seem as unacceptable these days? Does anyone know of any good ones/nice ones etc? Thank you!

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MNHQ

little life backpacks are good.

I do for my toddler. He is a bolter and would leg it down the road or in front of a car in seconds.

Would rather be safe than sorry and have not had any negative comments.

We have the backpack reins and they work really well.

The little backpack things weren't around when my twins were small. I used a standard Clippersafe harness with a dog lead clipped to the back. It was the only way to safely get to the shops and back and manage to speak to the assistants, pay for goods etc. You can loop the handles over your wrist so you can root about in your purse and so on.

I did get a couple of judgypant remarks, on the lines of 'they're children not dogs!', usually from people who didn't have children.

I use them, I'd rather dd be on a 'lead' than under a car or in the lake.

I just use Lindam reins. They were on offer in Tesco recently for around £3. Just plain black ones.

I think most people who use them now use the little life backpacks. They're not so obviously reins and DS loves his.

I use reins, as pp said, couldn't care less what anyone thinks, my priority is my kids being safe.

We used them for a while, unfortunately DS (23m) now planks when he sees them

I see alot of people using them out and sbout, i dont think theres anything wrong with them!

DD isn't a fan of reins but will happily wear her little rucksack. This has the added advantage she carries her own nappies and wipes!

nothing wrong with reins.

My ds had the little life backpack. He chose the design and happily Wore it. He used to pop a couple of his night garden toys in there to take out and about too.

I use reins with my nearly 2 year old. He doesn't really bolt but he does run faster than he can manage and usually face plants the pavement so reins give me a chance to catch him a bit.

I got some from mothercare for my toddler who is 19m and currently uses them a lot. Prefers them to the buggy and I'd rather he walk than be pushed anyway. I really can't see any issue with them. Holding his hand is fair enough but I'm currently 7m pregnant and bending over just isn't an option atm.
I would genuinely like to know what some people's issues are with them. Particularly useful to keep them safe in car parks etc

I've never needed them- I just made sure my children held my hand if they needed to-and if the didn't comply I put them in the sling! ( they learned quite quickly to do as I asked!)

I had 2 pairs ,used them with ds from about 12m to 2.5 when he got a likabike. I didn't drive so lots of train platforms. Better on reins than in a buggy surely ?

We had a little life back pack when DD was little, I found with normal reins she'd try and lift her legs up and swing.

She's 5 now and I got a bigger one from Trespass (it has a window on the front and a pocket you can put a note pad to show off their drawings lol) for when we are in very busy places, not because she's likely to wonder off but incase we get separated in a crowd as she's too heavy to carry (in London, air shows etc). She normally carries her drink, snack and a toy/colours and maybe ear defenders depending on where we are.

Like all baby products they can be used in a manner not intended, or as part of poor parenting. In the same way that there is nothing inherently wrong with a playpen, but a tiny minority of parents will misuse them, thus associating it with poor parenting. (or door bouncers, baby walkers, etc etc).

If you have a bolter or need reins for another reason then use them. Don't worry about how they are perceived by other people.

DD tended to bolt and was prone to tripping over so I loved reins. I had these ones as you could also use them as an additional buggy harness (she could escape from the buggy)
www.amazon.co.uk/Clippasafe-Harness-Easy-Wash-Multicolour/dp/B000YHHWQ4

Oh and they were great for highchairs in cafes!

Ours was a bolter - early walker with speed and no sense. Was prob similar to having a puppy :)

Got some strange looks, but you know your child best. They have so much more freedom to explore and opportunity to learn pavement and road sense on reins than they do strapped in a buggy all the time. Sod the other people, let them out the buggy, run around with you and enjoy themselves, but safely.

DS wears his reins around the house if he gets the chance, he loves them!
They also make good straps for the trollies in Aldi.

Yes, I've used them however DS insists on holding his own lead which is kind of pointless, then we have a massive tantrum if he can't.

So I've now bought a wrist strap, hoping that he'll kind of not notice he's wearing it....

Mine were great as a deterrent. After the first few weeks of wearing them they were looped over the handles of my bag. I'd ask DD2 whether she wanted to wear them or walk nicely

It did help that she got over her bolting stage pretty quickly. (And moved on to the sitting down and refusing to move stage, which is harder to combat)

As a pp said, they were great in cafes too