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I have two kids (one is 9 and the other is 10 months) and I didn't harness the first and I won't be harnessing the second.
While I can see why people would want to use a leash or a harness on their kid (anything from a wrist device to full body harness) I don't see it as responsible parenting. I've read all the replys in this thread and it hasn't changed my opinion that leashing is a symptom of parents that aren't willing to give 100% of their attention to their child.
It is a parents job to teach their child how to behave and act responsibly. A leash removes a child's choice in the matter. They don't have the choice to run out of eyeshot. They don't have the choice to run wild. The choice remains with the parent.
This does not engender any sense of self control or responsibility in the child (i.e. someone posted that they wore a harness but when it was off they ran into traffic).
Is two or three years of hand holding and paying careful attention to your child too much to ask? I certainly don't think so.
A child that cannot be controlled in public (i.e. running wild in the mall) shouldn't be taken to a mall until the child is ready to behave.
That said I wouldn't bother telling anyone else how to raise their kids just as I wouldn't expect them to tell me...
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
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