What do you think about ....

[Daisy]

..... using reins for toddlers?

My DS2 ( nearly 21 months) no longer wants to go in the buggy - walking is the only way! But she won't hold hands, and wants to run ahead all the time. I'm very grateful her mum and dad have got reins for her - I certainly wouldn't want to take her out without them. But I just wondered what other people think? You don't seem to see them being used much these days, and I wondered why.

[aggie]

I think they are great , but I don't see them much either , my heart was in my mouth looking at wee ones running away from parents in the shopping center recently

[Shemadee]

Plain common sense to me. Had them for all mine and also for grandsons. GS2 objected quite strongly until he realised this wasn't something I would budge on! Some use the wrist straps but I think reins are more comfortable for both parties.

[Enfys]

My GS had a little back pack with reins attached. Very useful to put a couple of toys in and most if the time he didn't realise the reins were there!

[Oma]

Had reins for both mine and the boys J was no bother didn't run away much but O would escape at any chance he got

[Nanto2girls]

I also used reins for our 2.Agree, you don't see them as much now. The grandchildren didn't have them.

One day, we were in the Ridings in Wakefield and I noticed a lady going into a shoe shop with 3 young girls. Then I saw a girl about 2 years old running towards the main doors.Something told me she belonged to the lady who had gone into the shoe shop. We ran after her, and she did indeed belong to said lady. She thanked us for bringing the toddler back. I said you need some reins for her, reply was what are they.

I dread to think what could have happened if the toddler had gone through the doors, that lead onto a very busy main road.

[ZIZI]

I had reins for mine but none of my grandchildren had them. For Ben it wasn't really an issue as he didn't do a lot of moving around Whe he was younger due to his illnesses. Wt geothermal two I more or less kept them strapped in the pushchair if we were out shopping, they didn't always like it but I felt it was the best thing to do. If we had all three in the recent years there is usually two of us and we make sure all hands are held or we don't go anywhere!

[Gemini]

Daisy, we had a backpack reins for GS, like Enfys mentioned. GD is an ultra careful child and always had been so I had no worries with her.

[Nana]

My DD2 has just got reigns for her little one. They are padded & has a pattern of a lion on them. GS loves them & it helps the adult with back ache. He's only little & you have to bend down to hold his hands.
On the other hand DD1 hates them & refuses to use them. She says it's like leading a dog. My girls are oposite in parenting.....hard to remember who likes what😱😄

[grannyjules]

I've heard the modern mums have this "Dog on Lead" thinking about reins, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, if we had a "runaway toddler". Mainly I put Ryan in the pushchair, but have a Buggy Board, which he likes to stand on, when Rhys needs a rest in the pushchair. That works really well for us.

[Bizzy Lizzy]

I had reins for both of mine and don't know how people manage without them. I hear little ones asking to get out of the pushchair and Mum's in too much of a hurry and will not allow them to do so. Then the crying starts. Perhaps that is the problem, young Mums rushing around and not having time to enjoy that early walking stage when kids just want to be out of the buggy or pushchair. Holding hands doesn't work anywhere near as well and they always want to go ahead it seems.

[Oma]

They worked wonders when O was about 3/4 I always had them in my bag and when we went out I would show him them and warn him if he ran off then he would have to wear them like a baby , worked really well , we did allow him to run slightly ahead but when I said stop he would stop and wait till we got to him then he was allowed to run ahead again it was a good compromise and he didn't feel like he wasn't allowed to do anything ,

[Glammanana]

Mine all had them they where the leather ones with the big chest pad at the front,DDs was pink so obviously couldn't be used when the boys came along but I used them with DGD when she started wanting to walk everywhere,when DD bought them for my DGSs they where the nylon type which could be used in the high pram as well as.I am scared sometimes when I see little tots running away from mum just this afternoon whilst waiting to cross the road a mum had two little ones with her and not looking at what they where doing as she chatted to her friend,they where right at the edge of the curb as cars went sailing past all it needed was for one car to come just a wee bit closer and there would have been a nasty accident indeed,but no mum just carries on chatting it scares me to death sometimes.

[Daisy]

I agree - a lot of Mums seem very casual about their toddlers on busy roads. About a year ago my DIL was shopping in our local high street when a toddler flew out of the shop straight towards a busy road. DIL scooped him up before he got to the kerb, and mum just said 'thank you' as though she'd held a door open or something. She didn't seem in the least bit concerned!

The comment about dogs on leads made me smile, because I walk GD2 and their dog together! Not on the same lead but the lead in one hand and the reins in another. It's fine until they want to go in opposite directions!!!

[Plantaholic]

Mine had reins but my DS used to dangle on them and wouldn't put his feet down, very annoying. My eldest GS didn't really need reins he used to stay close to my leg.