Thread: Kids on Leashes: Sensible? Or Silly?

Try essential.

It has nothing to do with children being unruly and everything to do with protecting them. Leashes are used in situations where there is a danger to them that they don't understand and they provide extra security. Places with high traffic, public areas where they could become distracted and lost, places where there is the chance of an abduction. It provides extra security for them and you. Once they understand the reason for the leash most of them do not mind but in fact find it comforting as well. After all the leash means that you are attached to them as well. What child does not find it comforting to know that their parents are not going anywhere?

i agree. its not treating them like a dog to worry about them. my mom kept me on a leash because i had a problem of runnning off because i was in my own little fantasy world. so if we were in the mall or someother crowded area she put a leash on me.

I don't honestly know what's wrong with treating something like a dog, unless you treat your dogs badly. ...and of course if you don't think much of your dog.
It's odd that we sometimes treat dogs better than children. Then again, dogs are our partners - so we see them as more "grateful".

I do find it odd finding children on leashes, though I definitely see the uses of it.
I always wondered "why not put them in a stroller?" - not out of common sense, but because I never got to be in a stroller when I was a toddler... or as a baby. Always carried.
So that has nothing to do with this topic.


I don't see a leash as lowering a child... afterall, the child wants to explore and run and play - but without a good common sense, they can often get into heavy accidents and troubles if they're not restricted.
That's the same reason we do it for dogs: A lotta' dogs don't understand how human things work - like roads with cars and electrical hazards and etc - and often get themselves killed (or hurt other people due to lack of care). So we put them on a leash, to keep them in check.

In all honesty, I'd rather not leash my dog. My dog's proven enough times that he's smarter than most humans and already know how several devices and rules work (no idea who taught him those things)...
Does that mean that if my child knows all these things I should let them off the leash?
Of course not, my dog's an adult-turning-into-an-oldie. He has experience with his knowledge. The child? No.
The child's too young. And though they can learn experiences as well as any human if put into the correct situations: Most times they aren't and have no idea what's going on.

It's the same thing for intelligence. A young-young-toddler can learn basic-to-semi-advanced English. But why do most just babble?
Because we baby-talk to them.

In the same fashion, a toddler doesn't need a leash or stroller if they're taught about the world around them correctly - but most times we just hide them in a bubble.
...that's not to say we should let them run wild, but if they KNOW to stick to mommy and daddy and keep an eye on where they are at all times - then they can go out a little further.

But just the same for dogs within leash-law areas, an area known for panicky people, an area known for sacrificial cults, an area in close proximity to a dog pound: There's a good chance someone will be looking for your child for their own reasons, so keep an eye on 'em and make sure you can reach them in time if someone were to... let's say... pull up a van next to 'em and grab 'em.

It's all about the safety.

i dont think that they should keep there children on leaches they should learn there children responcblety from a young age like and every ones knows kids are courious and only wish to learn more about the world me personaily will never put my child on a leash because its degrading to ur child its like treatin them like an animal witch isnt fair

Originally Posted by equinn

should learn there children responcblety from a young age like and every ones knows kids are courious

So which takes precedent? Are they responsible or curious? Here's your fact for you, until they are 8 curious takes precedent every time. That is when cognitive thinking kicks in and they can actually reason "maybe I shouldn't do that". Until then teaching your kids is basic memorization and if they don't think of it at the time then they just don't think of it. "Why did/didn't you do ____?" "Ummm... I didn't think of it." (Standard conversation.)

I hope by the time your kid is 8 s/he's capable of making that responsible decision and a leash won't be needed anymore (joking, it really depends on the individual kid how long it takes) but until that repetition of "do/don't do ___" sinks in some extra security to make sure they live that long is hardly a bad thing.

Protecting your children is never degrading them. Caring more about appearances then their safety is.


@Soshi Kitai, it isn't actually good to have your kid in a stroller constantly once they can walk. It is a nice option but children learn by physical interaction with the world. Strollers force a passive interaction. It can stifle their learning plus some kids just won't put up with it. On the other hand when you get tired of them pulling your arm out of it's socket (and you think a large dog can be bad!) you can tell them "behave or you are going in the stroller!"

call it nativity, but is it crazy of me to think that the parents should be chasing after their kids when they get away, or shouting at them when they're about to do something bad? And if your a decent human being and see a kid about to run into the street, aren't you going to stop them? I find leashes rather silly, if you're in a high population area and are bringing your kid around doing chores and whatnot, I'd have my kid's hand or something. What ever happened to a good scolding? I just don't see the practicality.

its pretty stupid to keep your child on a leesh i wouldnt tolerate it. if a child is on a leeshe it either means that the parent is no good or doesnt know how to treat a child except like a dog and animal that cant be freed once in a while lol. this is stupid thats all i gotta say about it.