I think most parents can agree that everyone has their own way of looking after their little ones.
What works for one child doesn’t necessarily work for another and as parents we can often feel like everything is trial and error.
Some parents are lucky enough to have toddlers who stay by their side no matter what and others like to run free at every opportunity, having no idea of the dangers they could face.
There are many areas of parenthood that are up for debate; everything from food to suitable toys, but one piece of toddler equipment that sometimes raises eyebrows are harnesses, sometimes referred to as leashes.
They can come in the form of a backpack or those that attach to a child’s wrist and are designed for those many unpredictable moments when your child falls or decides to make a dash for freedom.
Mom Desiree Hoye felt the need to publicly express her views on the matter after she felt shamed by other parents and admitted she didn’t always like the idea of putting a leash on her child.
“Before I became a mom I would have been the person that said, ‘I will NEVER put my child on a leash, he’s not a dog!’… and then I became a mother,” she told Love What Matters.
After reading the shocking statistics on the number of toddlers who are taken from their parents’ sides or the disturbing stories of toddlers climbing into animal enclosures at zoos, she decided she wanted to use one for her child.
But what she didn’t expect was the comments she would receive from others.
“I had someone comment today, ‘Look at her putting her kid on a leash…how terrible,’” she said.
But Desiree said she felt she had no choice when it came to her son Hudson’s safety.
“Before you judge me, imagine losing your child. Imagine them being there one second and gone the next. Hudson was able to walk around the zoo with us, enjoy his freedom, and also walk around with the safety of his backpack that he still thinks is pretty darn cool!
“Today and every day, I choose safety because I love my children more than anything in this entire world. I will gladly take a few awkward looks from strangers over never seeing his precious face again.”
What do you think about putting leashes on toddlers? Is this something you are against or have you felt it necessary to use one on your own children?
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