under 5's, safety in public places

I was a huge fan of reins (the ones that were attached to a harness) when my children were toddlers. They were unable to run off into danger and if they stumbled you could prevent a fall by yanking the rein upwards. A dangling child was far better than one with grazed knees and hands. Why did they go out of fashion? Some health and safety nonsense?

My DDil was at her wits' end when DGS was born and DGD was only 18 months old, worried that she would run out in the mall car park (They are American).
As you say Merlot reins are deeply uncool for some reason, however I persuaded DDil that she was strong enough to resist peer pressure and she did get this sort of thing www.totslots.co.uk/goldbug-child-harness-pony-reins-safety-kids-backpack-free-uk-pp-1969-p.asp?gclid=CNPzqL-FwLUCFUnMtAodU2AAUw
They are like a cuddly toy with the reins attached.
DGD thougt it was wonderful and life was a lot easier for DDil.

Reins are still in fashion. My little grandsons, now 4 1/2 years old, have had backpacks containing reins since they started toddling. The backpacks look 'cool' and they can also have a rein round their wrist instead of round their body as they get bigger.

Snap Jane!

These are the ones we have:

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3768909.htm

Daughter has two children....4 and an 18mth old and uses reins - the back pack type. Both she and her sisiter were walking early and we quickly abandoned push-chairs. I am always amazed how many quite 'old' children I see in push chairs. Now and again its obvious that its a slighlty more rugged and/or larger push-chair and you quickly realise its a child who needs extra support. But,more often than not the child is quite capable of walking but the Mum seems to not encourage this important stage. Children need to learn pavement skills as it were so that they can understand where its safe to be.

Have to say, without boasting that my darling GD is pretty wellbehaved in public places, will wait and see what happens when my darling 2nd GD, who is only just walking, will be like. I work as an internet shopper in a local high end supermarket - so when I'm 'picking' I push a very large 6 crated trolley around our large shop. Many parents seem to think we are providing a place of play for their children and to hell with the many elderly people also shopping. Many young children tear up and down the aisles without any parental care or attention. We also have youngsters with scooters, skate boards, trikes and bikes. I'd like them all corralled let alone on reins. The amount of times I have narrowly missed an unattended small child or have seen an elderly person narrowly missing being collided with. Say something to the parent? Good heavens no their little darlings are only 'enjoying themselves' [I quote].

Weigh up the choice. A child on reins who can enjoy some independence and exercise or no child. There are lots on the market, plain, colourful, with bags, furry and many others.

I was happy to see child harnesses back in vogue when eldest grandson 7 had one with a monkey. They seemed to be frowned upon when my children were young. I always thought they were a great idea, especially for over active toddlers, such as my youngest granddaughter 15 months who runs and has no idea of danger at this age. She is a nightmare to shop with and squirms and cries if she is strapped in her pram, runs if she is out of her pram. I am glad to be reminded of these harnesses and will be buying one for her.

My DD and Swiss SIL refused to have reins. They said it would be treating the children like dogs. In my opinion the children were kept in push chairs far too long when they should have been walking everywhere. I believe it was for the parent convenience . My DD2 had th back back which was great. I said that the children could run faster than I did and I wanted to have control unlike the mums I see yelling their heads off when the children hurtle towards the road.

Another thing that I find annoying and really dangerous is the mum who has a child running about and who has no idea where the child happens to be and is either walking along talking or texting on her mobile phone!!! I think reins or wrist straps should be made law like seatbelts, up to a certain age perhaps. As a driver, as i am sure some of you ladies will agree, you become very nervous when you see a child roaming free and you know mum is not watching, especially if you are driving near a school at finish time, cos it can be utter chaos, with pushchairs and young children. I loved my reins and probably would have lost one of mine when picking up the other ha ha.

How uncomfortable must it be for a small child to walk along with his/her arm stuck up in the air to hold mummy's hand? And how easy it for that little hand to squirm away so that the chid can run across the road to talk to a friend/ stroke a puppy/approach the ice cream van? Reins became "politicly incorrect " as they were seen to be restricting the freedom of a child – restricting the child from running across busy roads, restricting the child from dangerous dogs and so on and so on?

absent Yes you have summed it up! Reins were a godsend to prevent a child running off. Those who have the idea you are "restricting their freedom" is totally misguided.

We are there to protect children from harm. Toddlers are unpredictable and far too young to understand dangers.
We are adults and have a duty to exercise safety measures and restrict their freedom for their own good.

I have heard about this self determination idea for toddlers before. You are supposed to ask a small child if they want to wash their hands, or put a warm coat on before they go out etc. Somethings are non-negotiable. It's time for hand washing before you eat no discussion just do it. If you offer a choice
when something is not negotiable you are asking for trouble!

What is the world coming to? Sigh!

Both my children were on reins when we were out and so did my grandson. He started walking at 9 months and there was no way he would ever have stayed in a push chair after that. They can be gone in a flash and it just isn't worth risking letting them loose. The only problem I found with modern reins is that they are attached with those little plastic clips and once a 3 year old has learnt to unclip them you have to watch him every minute!

My DD had reins for DGD who is now 4. I don't think she considered whether or not they were politically correct but bought them to keep her child safe.

Both of my two sons who are now 43 and 40 had reins.I can remember, on one occaison, my MIL declined my insistance of using reins when she was taking my elder son out.She said she could manage him without them.She lost track of him in a department store, and he was found trying to go down an escalator with a group of concerned people around him.That made her change her mind about reins, and she always put them on him after that.
None of my grandchildren have had them,my DH and myself bought a set for our grandson when taking him out as, being autistic it was important he had them.DIL thought the reins were ''silly''.One of our grandaughters who is now 19, was a toddler when the Jamie Bulger tragedy was in the news.Her mother bought a wrist strap rein when walking her outside.She(DGD) did not like it but soon got used to it.There was a spate of reins and wrist straps sold at that time, but you hardly see them now.

A lot of mums use wrists straps around here although I prefer reins. My DGDs all have/ had them - they win over wrist straps for toddlers in my mind as an unsteady toddler falling can be swung up and prevented from hitting the ground.

I always used reins for my DDs and have photos of me in reins. I bought them for the DGC who had them as toddlers.. just ordinary ones ... but may get some fancy back pack ones for baby Stan when he begins to walk. Cannot understand the thought that it is like treating a child like a dog to have them on reins! Safety has to be paramount whilst still helping children to feel independent & reins do that more easily than strapping them into buggies!

Dd uses them.

To be honest............on some shopping trips reins for dear husband would be useful. He dashes up an aisle with the trolly and dissappears leaving me wandering around looking for him with my arms full of groceries. I really have not got the ole 'retirement' shopping right yet.

Know exactly what you mean hilda

Reins and "leads" for children re-appeared after the awful James Bulger case
didn't they? Whenever I am walking with DGS I insist on the armstrap as well as the backpack/reins arrangement. I know hw easily little ones can slip their hand out of yours.
You may remember my horror story a few months ago of the young mum crossing the road on a road island as I drove into our neighbouring town - she had a buggy with one hand, and the other hand held her mobile clamped firmly to her ear. Lacking a third hand, there was nobody holding her other child - maybe 3 or 4 years old? To be fair the child did not step out into the traffic but we were passing very near and I was horrified at how blithely unaware of the danger the mum seemed to be.

Hilda, I could do with a harness for my DS2 and he's 40. Nothing changes.

And as for my sister - turn your back and she's gone. I managed to find her in Manchester Airport by phoning her but when I lost her in France she had her phone turned off. It was purely by chance that we arrived at the bus stop at the same time. And she was always like this as a child. Next time we go anywhere I will have reins for her.