Would You Allow Your 2-year old to Walk Behind You?

[rastahomie]

Oh man, you just had to go there, didn't you? Children on leashes...

If there's an opportunity to go there, I'mma go there.

 

[Magpie]

I'll just leave this here.

Aw... that looks like one of the adorable monkey-backpack-leash things! Very good idea in a crowded venue like that, as long as you can manage to keep the kid from wrapping the lead around other people's legs (which I presume is why dad's holding it up like that). He may look a bit ridiculous, posing like that in a flowered purple shirt, but I do rather like that he's letting his kid walk semi-independently.

Fun fact: Way back in the late 1940's, my grandma was required to construct leashes for her toddlers before the US Army would allow them on a ship bound for Japan (they were one of the very first families to travel over to live on the base in Okinawa, shortly after 1945).

 

[rastahomie]

He may look a bit ridiculous, posing like that in a flowered purple shirt, but I do rather like that he's letting his kid walk semi-independently.

@Magpie do you not recognize the actor or the scene?

 

[mjkacmom]

Aw... that looks like one of the adorable monkey-backpack-leash things! Very good idea in a crowded venue like that, as long as you can manage to keep the kid from wrapping the lead around other people's legs (which I presume is why dad's holding it up like that). He may look a bit ridiculous, posing like that in a flowered purple shirt, but I do rather like that he's letting his kid walk semi-independently.

Fun fact: Way back in the late 1940's, my grandma was required to construct leashes for her toddlers before the US Army would allow them on a ship bound for Japan (they were one of the very first families to travel over to live on the base in Okinawa, shortly after 1945).

Actually, walks around the neighborhood are exactly the reason I had harnesses for my twins. There is no way I could safely take walks with a four year old and twin two year olds without them. I live in a very dense area, a bolt into the street would end in tragedy. I remember the first time without a stroller, got a half a block up the street and realized we had to turn back. Ds was a runner!

 

[Magpie]

@Magpie do you not recognize the actor or the scene?

Noo... give me a moment, and I'll do a reverse image search!

Edit: Oh! It's Modern Family, filming an episode in Disneyland!

I've never actually seen the show.

Ask me about Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, or Doctor Who, that's more my speed!

 

[Magpie]

Actually, walks around the neighborhood are exactly the reason I had harnesses for my twins. There is no way I could safely take walks with a four year old and twin two year olds without them. I live in a very dense area, a bolt into the street would end in tragedy. I remember the first time without a stroller, got a half a block up the street and realized we had to turn back. Ds was a runner!

Absolutely! And walking the kids is SO good for them. It wears them out, and makes them less wrangy in the evening. It's especially good if you've got the kinds of kids who won't spontaneously exercise when you take them to playgrounds. I actually took my son to the doctor to get him examined, when he a toddler, because all he'd do whenever I took him outside was plop his little rear down and start eating sand, grass, whatever was in reach. I was worried he was anemic, or something.

 

[rastahomie]

I've never actually seen the show.

Well, the flowered purple shirt is par for the course for that guy, considering he's hella gay and kind of femme.

 

[Magpie]

Well, the flowered purple shirt is par for the course for that guy, considering he's hella gay and kind of femme.

In which case, it suits him well!

 

[MIGrandma]

To be fair, you can't always hold hands (as a SAHM, I went on tons of neighborhood walks with my 5 kids). In parking lots, everyone had to be holding on to someone, we were a pack, but that wouldn't have worked on sidewalks).

You can easily still hold hands and walk in a single line.

Meh, I might. As a few others pointed out, it would really depend on the situation. On a sidewalk next to a busy road, no I wouldn't. But if we're walking through the grocery store, sure. Not have them wander an aisle all alone, but if they're a few steps behind me, that's fine. Sometimes you do that "game" to make them follow you. You know how that goes...."C'mon Johnny, time to go". "No mommy/daddy" "OK Johnny, we're leaving, bye" (you start to take a few steps). "Wait mommy/daddy!!!" (child comes running).

As for being 10 years old, I've got 10 year old twins. DS10 hardly wants to give me or DW a high five, let alone hold our hand. DD10 is a daddy's girl, she'll hold my hand if we're playing around, but I never ask her to for safety reasons.

Yeah, a grocery store is completely different from a sidewalk with a busy street right beside it.

And as for the leash/harness, I am one who applauds a parent for using one. I would much rather see a child in that, than dart out in front of traffic or wander off and get lost in a store, or worse.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Absolutely not and I hate it when I see that happening. I once saw a woman walking with her 2-3 year old behind her a good 4 to 6 feet and she went into the store and didn't even hold the door open for the kid. It closed on him!

 

[DopeyDame]

Behind me would scare me on a busy street. I've definitely had my kids walk to the side of or in front of me, though.
And, as the mom of an 8 year old who just last week had a camp counselor try to send him to the 5 year old group, I'm skeptical of people's age estimates.

 

[Micca]

You'll see an occasional thread around here discussing what is age-appropriate for a stroller at WDW. When our twin DDs were little they loved being in strollers until they were probably six years old(they were small for their age.) But the big advantage to having children in a stroller at a place like WDW is that they can't just wander off from you and you can keep them out of the path of on-coming pedestrian traffic. If you've never noted it, some time when you're out in public watch for kids walking through a store or a mall...they have lousy radar for navigating around crowds of people. The topic of children being out of sight of their parents made me think of this.

 

[wenrob]

Actually, walks around the neighborhood are exactly the reason I had harnesses for my twins. There is no way I could safely take walks with a four year old and twin two year olds without them. I live in a very dense area, a bolt into the street would end in tragedy. I remember the first time without a stroller, got a half a block up the street and realized we had to turn back. Ds was a runner!

Toddler twins are no joke. Mine about did me in.

 

[Jenderelly]

I have three kids and I had a pretty firm hand-holding policy when they were little. I preferred them to be in a stroller, but if they insisted on walking, they had to hold mine or their father's hand, probably until they were about 5 or so. It only takes a second for something awful to happen!

 

[Klayfish]

Toddler twins are no joke. Mine about did me in.

Twins are no joke at any age. My mine were toddlers, DS was about 4 or 5.

 

[wenrob]

Twins are no joke at any age. My mine were toddlers, DS was about 4 or 5.

Well at least now I can turn my back for a few seconds. The things they did and got into. Oy. They're 11.5 now and pretty good kids. I'll admit I'm a little terrified of the teen years though, the redhead in particular. And to stay semi on topic, they will both reach out to hold my hand on occasion.

 

[mrsv98]

DD was a runner so no way!

 

[Klayfish]

Well at least now I can turn my back for a few seconds. The things they did and got into. Oy. They're 11.5 now and pretty good kids. I'll admit I'm a little terrified of the teen years though, the redhead in particular. And to stay semi on topic, they will both reach out to hold my hand on occasion.

You can turn your back on your twins for a few seconds?!?!? Oh please, teach me your tricks... In truth, I can too. My twins are very, very different in personality. But they are both great kids and we can trust them to do things on their own. Like I said, DS10 is bashful about even giving a high five or giving DW a kiss, but that's OK. DD10 will hug me every chance she gets and will still hold my hand...we play thumb wrestling all the time...especially while waiting in line at WDW. DS13...well, he's getting into his teenage boy years so here we go....

 

[Grmnshplvr]

DD14 held my hand until about 4 years ago. Everywhere. That is way too young to not at least be next to a parent.

Am I missing something here? You made your 10 year old hold your hand? everywhere? Why on earth would you do that

ETA just realized you clarified you didn't require it lol sorry!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Near a road they are next to me away from the roadside or in front of me. In a store they have their hand on the cart or now that they're older, they just stick by me. But when they were little I ALWAYS held their hands in situations where being run over was a possibility.

I also can't stand little kids lagging behind their parents in places like parking lots. All it takes is someone with a blind spot to back right over them.