Toddler reins - What's your opinion of them?

[Passion]

I ask because I have a 19 month old dd and am due to have my next baby in October. My parents in law and mum have both asked if I intend to get reins - my mother in law says that they literally saved my dh's life when he nearly ran out in front of a car when her other son was playing up.

I have started to think that it makes sense to get some especially as one of my dd's favourite games is to run away from me in street and with a baby in tow it wont be easy to run after her. But looking around me it seems that nobody uses them any more. Is there a reason for this? Have they just gone out of fashion? I sense a general disapproval from my friends when I mention them but nobody seems to be able to give a good reason why. Is there something I should know?

I think they are very useful for stopping small toddlers hitting their heads on the pavement as they hurl themselves forward in the early days of walking.

Depends on the child - my DD was a "runner" and reins were a godsend. DS stood happily with me so I didn't need them so often.

My MIL used to say "she's not a dog".

I used to say "better she is on reins than under a car because she lets go of my hand and I can't catch her in time".

My MIL used to say nothing else about it after that.

I used them for a short window of about six weeks at 16-18 months with dses, they certainly do have their uses

that was a very very boring post wasn't it

I tried them with dd but she hated them - screamed and fought, so we gave up. Not sure whether we'll try again with ds - depends how much he runs away I guess. I do think they look a bit odd, like having your children on a lead, but they're effective and do save your back. We live in London and I've seen quite a few about recently.

I think the trick is put reins on them in the pram from about six months so they are used to them (my harness in the pram was useless so had to use reins or DD would have leapt out!). Neither child ever stropped about wearing reins because they were used to it and it was habit.

has this all kicked off yet?

is it likely to? over reins? am I naive-bear?

oh yes, there has been many a debate over reins on mumsnet

but if nobody gets all rude and personal and stroppy I'm sure we'll be fine! (am definitely naive-bear)

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Ds is 2.8 yrs and will hold my hand, but doens't know how to cross a road (unsurprisingly) so when we're in town and he wants to walk he has reins. When he turned 2 I switched from reins to a backpack with a strap attached - he thinks he's Dora the Explorer and wears it round the house singing "backpack backpack!"

He gets to keep a matchbox car and a snack in it and I get to keep him under control - fab invention!

It's made by LittleLife but I can't find it online atm - I got it for £10 in an outdoor hiking shop.

never used them and never will .. personally don't like them .. BUT if they work for you and you don't care that some people are adamantly opposed to them (and why should you?) then go for it

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think if Jamie Bulger was in them!

I think they're very useful.

I used reins with ds nearly five yrs ago, he walked brilliantly in them from about ten months old and then we moved on to the wrist strap and he used this till he was nearly 4 only because he was happy to wear it until then. My dd on the other hand was 2 last week and I tried to use reins on her from 1yr but she would stand and walk round in circles until she had wound the reins up and swing round in them like a little monkey, we never got far in them, now she is 2 and walking next to me I have tried the wrist strap just incase she darts away from me but she wiggles her little wrist out of it so we have gave up on that too. But so far so good she hasn't run away from me YET!.

My niece used to sit on the floor and flatly refuse to get up when in them. DS also hated them but was a runner, the only use i found for them was 'if you run away from me I will put the reins on' it stopped him in his tracks. Would have made my life a lot easier though if I could have got him to walk nicely with them on.

My dd screams when I get them out.
I get the feeling she doesn't like em!!

Think they are good though

I would have used them on my toddler but found them ineffective. She would do a sit down protest and refuse to budge unless I 'released' her from them.

Have used them with all mine when necessary (busy places mainly). They don't really like them but given the choice between reins or the buggy the reins always win.

Would love to have had the old-fashioned leather ones - that retro-look would go down well in North London I'm sure.

We've used them with both as we have the World Champion Run Away Ha Ha Ha toddler dd at the moment (with a nod to Janh there). And they are handy for extracting your klutzy kid from puddles without getting wet and muddy yourself.
I find wrist-straps just wrench the poor child's arm if they are a determined Bolter.
Not used them past two myself, but think they are a good thing in early toddlerhood.

She either wears them or goes in the buggy. The only time she's turned loose is on a football pitch in the park.

found it, I found it - little life thingy

The idea of reins sound horribly controlling, but my dd loved her reins! And So Did I.

I use them with GS (2 1/2) - they're great. He can't run off and he's totally safe. We have a deal - he wears reins or goes in his buggy, he prefers to walk and does walk miles.

sorry, marslady, posted and then went to bed...
started using the reigns when they were 2yrs. We did have them before, but they very rarely walked. can't believe they are now 2 1/2, I did look at the twin reigns, but already had 2 sets from older children so decided to use them. they only tend to get tangled up when we stand in the school playground and they run round me in circles!