Kid on a Leash

Has anyone seen these kid leash products around? Sometimes I see them at the zoo, farmers market, or other crowded areas. If a company can make a product that will make a parent feel a little bit safer, there will always be people out there to buy it. When I see one, it reminds me of that scene in Rise of the Planet of the Apes when a leashed Caesar sees a dog on a leash and turns to Will and signs, "Am I a pet?"

The idea of the product is that it will keep the child safe and nearby. It is designed to subside the fear that a child will run off or get abducted.

I think that if someone is out to abduct a child during the few seconds when a parent is looking away, a leash is a very small deterrent, and likely, not effective. All the abductor would need is a nice pair of scissors or simply their fingers. The latch cannot be that hard to work. If anything, having a leash might give a parent a false sense of security causing them to pay less attention to the child. In that case it makes a leashed kid an even more likely target for an abduction.

As far as keeping a child from running off, it would seem that education is key here. It did not take much for Chris and I to teach Jupiter that he needs to hold our hand when crossing the street and stay nearby whenever we are out. He also knows how to be aware of his surroundings, especially in high foot, bike, and car traffic situations. When he is not, because toddlers tend to get distracted easily, I make sure to pull him aside and remind him to be aware of his surroundings. This seems to work out just fine. And what's more, he does not even need to feel like a slave! He is doing what he knows is best for him. I think that working with children to learn to protect themselves can go a lot further than restraint can.

Free the kids!