Leashing Children. An Idea That Divides Parents and Educators

Kids love to break loose from their parents or anyone, even if left for a moment unattended. To prevent that, some parents equip them with a kind of suspenders and leashes to keep the toddlers at hand. This, however, stirs a lot of controversy.

Sometimes an everyday walk with your child turns into a true survival test. Kids are very fidgety and one of their favorite tricks is running away from their parents. Some of them have to go to lengths to catch up with them. And perhaps it was them who came up with the idea of harnessing kids. The question here is whether leashing ids is an ethical thing to do. Doesn’t the phrase itself sound weird?

According to many psychologists, who point out that leashes were invented for dogs, not for children, we need to explain things to kids and teach them proper behaviors. They need to be given a chance to practise certain patterns. So let’s use leashes to walk a dog, and when we go for a family stroll in the park, let’s hold hands.

As for parents, their attitudes are divided, since each and every parent holds a specific opinion in this respect.

- the child might feel humiliated,

- they can’t control their bodies,

- they are not able to satisfy their curiosity,

- the leash might be a symptom of parental laziness or their inability to handle their own child.

- a great help in case of twins or triplets,

- a sense of security when you know that your kid won’t run free out of nowhere or burst onto the street,

- very helpful for parents of autistic or hyperactive children,

- really appreciated by pregnant women,

- parents have the right to lose their concentration for a moment and kids can be really unpredictable at times.