Keeping Track
May 12, 2014 Shenanigans 12 comments scarpenter14
When you go to the mall and see a child on a leash what do you think? “Wow, thats a cute backpack on the kid, wait it’s a leash? What is wrong with their parents, they just need to learn to control their kids”. Or are you the person to think, “Awesome idea, I would do that with my kids, it’s not like they really know what is going on anyways”. Well I personally used to have the mentality that it was awful, you shouldn’t do that to your kids. If you can’t control your kids you need to look at what you are doing wrong. Since then, it’s changed though.
Over vacation I went to New York, and in the process of coming home, my family and I visited 8 malls in two days. It was ridiculous how many kids under the age of two were running around with no parents in sight. Now if that was my kid I would be freaking out trying to get them, but to those parents it just didn’t seem like they cared. As the malls went on it got worse, the bigger the malls the more kids, and the more kids running free. I saw that not only it was stupid of the parents to let the kids go free, but it was dangerous. The amount of people that were around, the amount of pedophiles that could be around, the stairs and escalators all around easy for someone to get hurt. A mall is a dangerous place for a kid, especially a young child running around with no supervision.
Going through the malls my opinion changed. I applauded the parents with their kids on leashes, and the ones that held their child’s hand the whole time. Then when I saw a kid running wild, I scolded the parents in my head. Going to 8 malls in 2 days was a stupid idea, but in the end, it taught me that sometimes those cute little backpacks hooked to a string really do come in handy.
12 Comments
I agree that in a place like a really busy mall it might be a good place for a leash as a last resort, but I think that the parents should be responsible enough that they wont need something like that, especially when they are not necessary at all. I remember once I was at a parade and there was a kid down the street from me on a leash, and as he would walk as far away as he could the parent would tug back on it, sometimes pulling him over. I was pretty young at the time but I was outraged at how irresponsible the parents were.
While a leash may be a good idea for someone who could otherwise be unable to chase after their child due to either a disability or the fact that their toddler is faster than they are, from what I’ve seen the idea of parenthood is to teach the child and help them grow into a responsible adult. While tugging at a leash is teaching in a way, there are a few safer and more effective ways to teach the child not to run off.
I think that leashes are good for if you cant run after your kids or if in a busy place where you are worried, like a big mall. For parents who just don’t want to try to watch their kids and just let them run around everywhere then leashes are the last thing they should be using. They should try to show their kids that it’s not okay to act that way.
I think it is a great Idea to have kids on leashes especially when they are younger they tend to run all over the place but the older kids or misbehaved kids would have to learn from their parents to behave in the mall and stay close to them. The parents are the main people responsible for their kid’s safety and well being.
You really told your point of view and I liked it. I would put a backpack leash as a last resort only if your child is acting up and not listening. Parents should always hold their child’s hand in public and certainly in a New York mall. This really got me wondering how many young kids running around free there actually were. Short, though very informative and gets your mind thinking. Well done.
I agree with most above comments. You made a good point where if they are in an extremely crowded place and they know that their child likes to run, it may be best to use something to keep them close by to you. On the other hand, most parents use those in the act of laziness because they don’t want to have to run after their child or even scold them. Overall, this piece was very well written with a clear statement.
Kids are fast and can be easily lost. This made my view change I was totally against seeing a child with a leash I thought it was wrong until I read this. Keeping your child safe i’m sure is a parents number one goal and if it takes a leash to keep your child safe then go for it.
I agree with you 100%. Although it is a successful way to keep track of children and keep them from wandering off, it just looks wrong. Children are not dogs, if you want to keep track of your child hold their hand while walking. After all the hand that is holding the leash could easily hold the childs hand instead.
I dont really agree with this because my little sister has one and she freaks out if she isnt wearing it she gets scared and thinks she is going to get lost. She like it a lot she calls it her pet and she named it. I feel it gives her a little bit of freedom to be able to wonder the length of the strap. I do agree that it looks like the child is sort of a pet but a lot of kids actually like wearing them.
I think that although it may be odd that parent’s put their child on a leash like a dog, I’m sure it is not the intention to treat their child like one. They are only trying to keep track of their child and keep them within a safe distance and unable to get taken by someone in a busy place.
Really good topic you chose here! It is very controversial, yet not a lot of people openly discuss it unless they see it happening. I see your point with not wanting kids running around free, however, I do not think leashes are the right answer. Maybe it is just my stubborn viewpoints, but I can not find a situation in which leashes should and can be used. If a parent can not handle watching their children, they should not have them. As you said, the parents did not seem to care, then would putting them on leashes make them care about their child’s safety?
All and all good piece, I only wish there was more to read.
I agree with this post so much,I feel that putting you child on a leash makes them seem like some kind of animal. Its pretty strange that you could walk your child the same way you walk your dog;it just doesn’t seem right to me. Yeah I guess your kid is safer while on a leash but many of us if not all of us have never been put on a leash and we’re all okay.