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?

just seen the link for the backpack with reign. Looks fab. wonder if my naughty dt(no other way to describe him)(willfull maybe?)would take the backpack off? he does manage to slip the wrist strap!

Index do a similar one its made by Lindam and costs 4.99 page 855

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I'd go with the reins. Toddlers don't feel demeaned, they like the idea of being a dog on a leash!

I definitely going with reins. I think restrictive is exactly what I'm going for. The DTs go in opposite directions and I can't keep both out of the road like that. Am really looking forward to using my reins.

Thanks toomany. I'm thinking of putting the DTs in their reins any time soon as they are so keen to be off, especially in the playground. So, I'll be the maypole in the middle lol

in one of my niece's favourite games between the ages of 2 and 3 was to pretend she WAS a dog - romped around on four legs, barking, cocking her leg, picking up sticks with her mouth, even wanted a bowl of water on the floor!
less opbedient than a real dog though!
she would have loved a leash, I think.....

I don't like them (for stupid woolly liberal mummy reasons) but have used them (for practical, sensible, intelligent reasons).

I think reins are fantastic, so safe. My dd wears them everyday and she is 20 months old. Her fav game at the moment is hiding from mummy and then running away when I see her so I'd be too scared to leave the house if she wasn't wearing them.

snafu! lol

I used reins with all mine especially as had a smallish gap (16 mths) between the first two and in situations like getting on a bus with a double bugger could put foot in the reins while folding buggy and holding baby.

Ds was a faller and reins much easier to save him.

I thought they were less popular these days because children seem to stay in the pushchair longer.

I'm surprised that people actually frown on them - no end to what is controversial these days

Should have previewed that er I meant buggy (mortified)

don't you all worry, I'll make them popular again lol.

I used reins a lot and also found them fantastic for securing dd into high chairs in restaurants, sitting in shopping trolley etc (I'm sure I was the only woman in these parts strapping her child into the supermarket trolley - never saw anyone else do it round here)

we found them very useful indeed - for when dd was old enough to wander/run all over the place but too young to understand any concept of danger. Go for it!

I used reins for all mine and was doubly careful after ds1 ran into the road one day and the driver had to do an emergency stop and only just avoided ds. The driver shouted at me - I don't blame her, she must have had a helluva fright, too.

I don't see reins as being any more restrictive than using car seats or pushchair harnesses, all of which we do without a second thought.

I use them with dd age 2 and 4 months and they are a godsend. She is willfull and still clueless about roads etc despite my best efforts. I think you will find them useful during your pregnancy as much as when the baby arrives. I have certainly got much slower and less mobile as my pregnancy has progressed and dd has certainly got quicker. I am lucky though that she likes wearing them and asks for them to be put on.

I have a harness for DD, who is 15 months and a strong, fast walker. She hates buggies, and it's the only way I can pay for anything in a shop. But they are not at all common in California. I get some "Oooh, that's what I need" and some "Awww, how cute" and the occasional shocked comment from behind me. Nobody's ever said anything to my face, though. I'm waiting for them to try it -- if being on a leash is treating her like a dog, isn't putting her in a buggy treating her like a sack of potatoes?

I used them with ds, who was a first class bolter from about 15 months. As he got faster on his feet, they really were the only way I could be sure of not losing him in anywhere remotely crowded. As he got bigger I swapped for a wrist strap, which he always hated, but that was quite useful for getting him to walk nicely - I could always say 'if you run off I will put the wrist strap on you' (in fact I still carry it as a threat and he's 4 now...)

Nobody ever said anything negative but frankly given that it was the choice between reins and risking losing him, I could not have given two hoots if they had.

Reins have the added bonus that when you're at the supermarket checkout with a stroppy child and need both hands free, you can stick one leg through the loop and let your toddler carry on his/her tantrum to their little heart's content safe in the knowledge they can't go anywhere .