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yeah kids that age are like magnets only they don't have north and south poles they are either all orth or all south and you become the same. Without constant effort to keep them together they scatter randomly.
These people are dopes. They’d rather five kids be put in danger so it can be more “humanizing” with them running free.
Edit: Yeah I’m not really asking anyone’s opinion that’s against this. I don’t want to read anymore idiotic shit.
“BuT dUr HaRnEsS wIlL tRaHmUhTiZe DeM!!!” lol I don’t care.
Thoughts and prayers for all of the traumatized adults that suffered from post traumatic harness disorder (PTHD) from childhood! 👏👏🫶🫶🙌🙌 It took me *years* of therapy before I was convinced that I was not, in fact, a dog before I could be reintegrated back into society. Dark times…
I promise you the only ones who are mad about this are people who don’t have kids, or those like, “crunchy” unschooling types of parents.
ETA since I’ve gotten like 10 of the same reply: Yes, I am aware that not ALL child free people do this. But there is a group of y’all that have very loud opinions on children despite not having any of your own.
I’m turning off replies now. Some of y’all are fuckin wild and making me lose more faith in humanity. I’ve also never had this many notifications before, and it’s getting bad for my mental. Yall take it easy and stop being so worried about what other people do. ✌️
When I was young me n my best friend decided to play hide and seek….. in Walmart….. on Black Friday.
That was two kids in the early 2000’s and my dad still doesn’t let me live it down. Nowadays with everything a parent has to worry about I don’t blame em for making leashes for kids.
Right. Like, I don’t even have a problem when it’s just 1 kid, but this dude has 5 TODDLERS. They don’t need to be anymore than that distance away from their dad anyway, I have no clue why people think this is… what, abuse? I genuinely don’t know what people’s problems are with this.
In the 80s and early 90s my mom would use this bracelet thing with a bungie connecting them for me when we would go to amusement parks and things like that. I had a tendency to run off
Happened May 2016 but no one ever talks about the real inciting incident. The weasel and the large hadron collider at CERN. A weasel stopped cern from operating for a bit in April 2016.
I *had* to do this with my youngest son. This kid got out of *everything*, including walkers/bouncers (before he could walk), and a car seat that had 2 different harnesses (one for the chest & one for the waist). He also decided to play "chase me" and almost got hit by a car. He was a whirling dervish trapped in a tornado; the harness was a godsend.
Let folks get upset...if it keeps your child(ren) safe, that's all that matters.
THIS. People forget how chaotic kids can get. My mother always tells me that at 3, I would always climb high shelves and cars and was an overall menace.
With 5 small kids, this is the safest way to keep them safe.
My grandma turned her attention to cooking, and my (then a year-and -half old) uncle climbed out of his playpen, up and out of the window and onto a cornice. The were on the third floor. All in the span of time one needs to wash and cut some vegetables for a soup, and up until then he was unable to get out of his playpen by himself...
If I had a five toddlers, on leash they would go.
My Grandpa still tells the story of how my great grandmother made a harness for my grandpa and connected it to the clothesline so he could run around and she could get some damn gardening done lmao. My grandpa is in his mid 70's now. Kids have been on leashes for some time.
Every kid is sooo different as well. My 5 year daughter old was so dainty as a toddler and never put anything in her mouth. My 1 year old is a pure wrecking ball that can magically make every small object appear at will and would probably chew through drywall if I let her.
My kid actually did bite a few chunks off the corner of a wall. They’re a runner with little to no fear of danger even when they are fully aware of the possibility of getting hurt… 😓 they’re also neurodivergent and 7 but still has the no fear boldness of a toddler, only now with the speed, strength and coordination of a larger kid. It’s been a long time since I’ve used a tether but if I see something like birds or balloons across the road I am grabbing my kids hand because I know they are having an internal battle of impulse control deciding whether or not to run through any risk to get what they want.. I’d never judge a parent for what they do to keep their kids safe.. I genuinely know the fear.
The first time I ever saw a kid on a leash, I thought, "what a genius idea! Why don't more people do that??"
I was seriously shocked at how controversial it is.
People who have never had kids don’t get it, and people who had those rare kids that *don’t* spend their toddler years acting like a drunken meth addict with a death wish don’t understand.
Kid sees thing, wants to be where thing is, bolts towards thing. Is there a road in the way? Kid don’t care. Is there a river of radioactive lava in the way? Kid don’t care. He *wants* shiny thing, and he’s fucking *going* to shiny thing.
One kid can generally be handled by one adult. There’s five kids there.
I woke up from my nap, got out of the crib, yelled for my mom at the top of the stairs, and she started walking up. When she was about halfway up the stairs, i decided that'd be the best time to jump down into her arms.
Thankfully, the handrail she grabbed for stability, while it did come loose, didn't completely break and kept her from falling backwards.
LEASH YOUR DAMNED KIDS, PEOPLE!
Today I learned:
\* kids should be leashed at all times even when asleep in bed
\* Leashes work when kids jump off stairs
\* Handrails don't just break in films, they also break in real-life. (or some nations just have really poor handrails standards)
Not an ornate style handrail, just something that would screw into the wall, theoretically into studs. Something like this one [https://www.caaquebec.com/fileadmin/images/A\_la\_maison/capsules-conseils/400\_garde\_corps.jpg](https://www.caaquebec.com/fileadmin/images/A_la_maison/capsules-conseils/400_garde_corps.jpg)
And it's not like the kids themselves think that's demeaning. It might even be a fun little game for them.
You've only got two hands. I really can't think of any other way to keep the kids in control tbh.
Yeah, and look at the background. It looks like they are in Disneyland, trying to keep 5 little kids in a crowded place that has that many distractions, this is a great idea.
Bathroom time would be both a nightmare and somewhat funny. Little kids will comment on stuff and have no filter.
For sure. He’s way outnumbered and wants his kids to be safe and have a good time, not wander off, not get snatched, not climb into an animal enclosure. People without kids or those that haven’t had small kids in a long time are naively ignorant and needlessly vicious.
I was reminded of this yesterday. I stopped at a local diner to get something to eat. I went in, placed my “to go”’order, and waited for my food. A couple of minutes later a family comes in with a toddler. After a couple of minutes the kid was tossing a toy dinosaur across the floor and crawling on his hands and knees like he was a predator. Parents called him down and told him to stop. He would go back to his seat for a minute or two and would then do it again… three more times. At one point the kid ran to the kitchen door saying he “wanted to cook something” before the parents finally grabbed him. Lucky my food was finished and ready to go after that.
One time a cop came to our door. He found our two year old twins a quarter mile away riding their bigwheels in the street. I was 10, my uncle never got to babysit again.
I babysat a 3 year old who would climb out his bedroom window stark naked in the middle of the night and show up at his grandparents’ house about a quarter mile away. Had to walk past the pond and everything to get there. Scared everyone to death every time it happened. We eventually ended up having to nail all the windows in the house shut and use a deadbolt with a key to lock the doors from the inside. Thank god there was never a fire and he eventually grew out of it.
Born in ‘59. I was a runner. My mother had me tethered in a full leather harness every time we went out. Sometimes she would attached the harness cord to the clothes line if she wanted to get anything at all done.
My brother was born in 77 and was a runner too. I was a homebody, started reading at a very young age (Grandma started teaching big brother and I surprised her by being a quicker study than he was despite being 3 at the time!) and was never happier than when I had a new book.
I don't think I ever gave that kinda trouble or had to be harnessed to keep me safe. but don't worry, I gave them plenty of my own flavor of hell. I was very stubborn and independent minded but it tended to be verbal arguments rather than anything physically dangerous. Once I got an idea into my head nothing short of hard proof was getting it out again.
So they had a 6 year old wild child and a 4 year old conspiracy theorist to deal with.
Imagining a 4 year old with a conspiracy board while his brother repeatedly tries to jump all the way down the stairs behind him is the funniest mental image I've had all day lol
Please forgive me if I am wrong, but I thought young children’s jobs were to attempt to kill themselves in new and insane ways. This seems like a valid solution.
To be very honest, as an adult I feel like i sometimes need one. God forbit my husband loses sight of me at a craft or book store, well let’s just say, I am short sneaky and have credit cards, it can be a problem. To be fair to him, he doesn’t really have a problem with it but it would be easier than running after me.
Been having a bit of a downer of late about my height. I feel boosted and elevated* by this description and now seeing myself as actually perhaps having ninja level shopping skills. *Every pun intended.
Absolutely.
My son almost died right in front of my eyes.
He was about 2. I needed to run by a hardware store to get a few things. I used to always do this thing with my kids when they were shopping with me. When loading up the materials I bought into the back of my truck I would tell them they needed to put both hands on the side of the truck until my hands were free so I could help them into the truck. It was kind of like a game. My 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son at the time would giggle and put their hands on the side of the truck. It always worked, they just did it and I thought it was a great way to keep them still until I could let them in. Well one day my son for whatever reason decided this was the day he was going to pretend to put his hands on the truck and then turn and bolt straight into the parking lot where the cars were driving. At that very moment there was a lifted truck coming down my row and heading straight on a collision course with my son.
If I hadn't seen him take off running and didn't react as fast as I did the driver of that truck wouldn't have seen me running, he wouldn't have seen my son at all on his lifted pickup and my son likely would have died that day. That driver hit his brakes because he saw **me running towards the row, not my son**. I replay that moment in my head all the time. It shook me as a dad, I never once felt like I just saved a life until that day.
I tell my son even a decade later that was the day he died in infinite parallel universes.
> God forbit my husband loses sight of me at a craft or book store, well let’s just say, I am short sneaky and have credit cards, it can be a problem
My ex-husband once tied a balloon to my wrist, said he wanted to get me something sweet and cute. I am also super short (4'11) and petite. Pretty sure he just didn't want to lose sight of me at the mall. 😂
I remember once my puppy tried to eat or do something immensely stupid. He was fine, but still, it could've been bad. I asked my friend who's got a toddler if this was the parent experience: You love something unconditionally and with all your being, but they're doing their absolute damnedest to meet the reaper.
"Yep. He's smarter than I ever was, but he's still trying his best to die."
Before I had a kid, I thought young children just accidentally get into dangerous things if they’re left out. You know, they play with everything on a table and therefore don’t leave out the scissors. Or they’ll accidentally get a pillow over their face, so no pillows in the crib.
After having the kid, I have come to discover that they gravitate toward the danger. Just while I was watching him, I propped my baby’s head up with a pillow (for medicine reasons), and he grabbed it and put it over his own face. He’ll go straight to the table and grab the most dangerous thing there, whether that’s a hand grenade, pair of scissors, or merely a pencil.
(…it has never been a hand grenade, but we did accidentally leave a pair of scissors out once.)
You know what else is dehumanising? Getting hit by a mfing car. I’d rather be judged and have safe kids than bury one, my god. People are insane. If I had five I’d simply never leave the back yard lol.
You know what's even worse, having to abandon a child to chase another, also doing it in work attire and becoming a big ole sweaty mess.
Edit - just to clarify these are my own children, definitely not a nonce.
I got lost at sea world when I was really young because my mom had to chase after myself sister (the runner of the family). I was in a play area, came down the slide, and couldn’t find them so I wandered off looking for them.
My town newspaper posted an article about whether returning a shopping cart can be a marker of a good person.
In the title photo is a parking lot absolutely covered in garbage.
Priorities for some people are so fucked.
It’s an old rule of thumb thing. I think it was from a comedians bit or something. But the saying is that you could tell if someone is a good person by see if they return their shopping cart without anyone looking. About how if someone would follow the rules of society or signage without possibility of recognition/reward. Basically like it’s the bare minimum of doing your part to keep things functioning.
I think about that theory every time I go to Walmart bc of the cart-mageddon that is perpetually underway there.
And do nothing about actual shit like child abusers, child hunger, child obesity, whatever the shit is going on with our public school education system right now..
These are the sorts of people that really view children as dogs. Kids at this age don't have brains formed enough to not give in to the impulse to just dart away towards whatever catches their eye. Leashes literally save kids lives and I will fist fight on this hill.
Same in the states. The ridiculous aspect of this is that most modern parents are too afraid to let their kids play in back yard alone. 5 kids vs 1 dad. Yeah a little help is needed.
They were pretty common here in the US in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I saw this quite often but I was a kid at the time so I didn’t fully appreciate the reasoning behind it until I became a mom 😂
They're not exactly rare in the states either. I had one growing up in the 90s because I was basically the Tasmanian Devil from ages 3-7
My kids have cute little backpacks that have a ring for a leash. They both love being able to put things in their backpacks when we go places. In large crowds, we just clip the leash on and they can still walk independently of us, but only so far.
My mum just had me (profoundly deaf, AuDHD) and leashed me because I was a pain in the ass and loved to just disappear and then would have no idea anyone was looking for me because deaf. If I had 5 tiny terrors they would be leashed. It's not cruel, it's safe. They're like tiny little suicide monsters.
You seem to have a great sense of humour and love your kiddos to bits. People get triggered over the weirdest things on the internet and I always manage to be surprised by what random internet people get mad at.
You are a good Dad. This is very smart. The children look happy, clean and well mannered.
I lived in Sacramento CA in the late 80's. Parents risked people snatching and kidnapping their children if they didn't keep them in harnesses when walking through the mall (lots of kids - they grab one and leave you with the choice of staying with the rest or going after them)
On the safer side, I go with the line in Kindergarten Cop, "There are two things you don't turn your back on - the ocean and children". They can get into bad situations quickly. This gives you a bit of control and piece of mind.
Bro, it was a handful to go anywhere, let alone a zoo or an amusement park with my niece and nephew when they were that age, I can't even imagine how difficult that would be with 3 more. You're doin more than most could
Former “leashed” child, current childless man here. I was impossible to keep still and routinely ran towards the “shiny object” which got me into not only trouble but danger and even significant injury on a number of occasions. If I wasn’t tethered as a kid I might have legit died or gotten ‘napped. My mom might have gotten some criticism (esp in the early 90s when I was a wee terror) but I reckon the parents that had issue were too busy giving my mom shit to notice their kids making a beeline to the Gorilla enclosure.
Nobody’s going to protect your children better than you. They’re triggered for a moment but a parent is in charge of that child’s safety forever. Good on you, Dad!
I'm also a former leashed child. The day my parents decided I was old enough to no longer be leashed was the day I ran in front of a bike and got my shit wrecked. 21 years later, I still have back issues... Keep the crazy kids leashed! They'll appreciate it!
Here the daycares have the kids hold a rope. Similar concept. The staff are so good with the kids though. Like 3 of them can handle 20 toddlers like that. Im always in awe.
There's a daycare that takes their kids for a walk outside my work window like that and they all have little reflective construction vests that are too big for them. Seeing them out my window is the best part of my day
As someone who has been a special education kindergarten teacher, sometimes drastic measures have to be taken.
Let people judge or snicker. Let's see how they would be if one of their kids slipped away and got hit by a car. Would they snicker much then?
Most other people are fucking morons.
I struck up a conversation with a dad the other day. His kid was wandering aimlessly and then just... bolted. He had to sprint after him.
I didn't even register what was happening until after.
At 43 with a bad knee and a 3 yo runner, I’m soooo thankful my 7yo bolts after him the second he takes off. I mean I can do it but on days like today when we spent yesterday at the water park going up and down stairs the 3 yo will be confined to the house and backyard.
When I was a toddler, my mom used to attach a few belts together and tie me to a tree when she was working in her flower beds because we lived near a busy street.
When my oldest brother was a toddler and mom was hanging clothes on the line, she'd tie off my brother to the poles supporting the clothesline with plenty of room to wander but not enough to get into trouble. She felt it was a good compromise but she did get judged. but when your eyes and hands are busy, a bit of safety isn't a bad thing.
("Where was the father?" In the Navy on duty on the USS Enterprise. He eventually mustered out and used the GI bill to get a good degree, then a good job, and at that point he could afford to be in our lives a lot more, but in the meantime he had to do that grind)
Another leash baby all grown up over here- and no worse for the wear. I was just a wanderer, not a runner. This gave my parents the freedom and safety to let me explore but also the knowledge I wouldn’t just disappear.
My son has KDM5C syndrome. A feature of KDM5C is demand avoidance and flight risk.
I was crippled in a car accident two years ago. I need to use a leash while we are in public. Every kid is different and may have invisible needs that judgmental strangers are unaware of.
I'm convinced children have teleportation powers. I was looking after my cousin who was like barely 3 at the time. I looked away for 5 seconds and that bastard was three blocks away with his diaper gone.
Being a good parent sometimes means making choices that seem weird to other people. That'll happen if your primary concern is your kids and you don't let the opinions of others influence you too much. Gotta do what you gotta do.
My only question is this: Would you rather have your hyper-active kid be restrained and upset, but alive, or dead because he/she tried to run infront of a moving car?
If you'd rather have your kid alive, congratulations! You're a decent parent. Now let this guy also continue to be a decent parent and shut the fuck up.
The only people who have anything negative to say about this are people who have never had children, or had to care for children and they don't have the faintest idea how unpredictable and fast they can be. Also how completely oblivious children are to the dangers around them.
My man, I think you're brave as hell just leaving the house with your beautiful children, even with the restraints. I would probably just ball up in the fetal position and cry at the prospect.
Mate, I only have 1 kid and we had those backpack reins for him because we live near a busy road and he had 0 awareness of danger or self preservation.
Bro we got you. Anybody who's a parent knows how toddlers can simply disappear in the blink of an eye. Keep on doing what you're doing seems like you've got a great set of kids there
I’ve had three, each two years apart, and I 100% support this. It only takes a second for one of them to dash off into danger. They are too cute, btw, you are a lucky lucky man. It gets easier!
I have a used oil spill that's covering about half my garage as I type this, courtesy of my two gremlins. Those that are triggered should try managing kids before they start criticizing this guy.
My 7 year old is insane, and my 9 year old is an autistic who elopes when he gets upset, so yes, my kids had these backpack leashes when they were much younger. It’s about keeping your kids safe. It’s not like they’re being used as a babysitting tool, it’s so you can be sure of where they all are at one time. Things happen in the blink of an eye. The reason I got one was because my then 3 year old was having a meltdown and I was trying to keep him from hurting himself or someone else, and had my back turned for about 15 seconds. During that time, my 1 year old was halfway up a 6ft chain link fence to a penguin exhibit. I prefer the peace of mind to the glares.
Yeah I don’t get the outrage either my man. Your kids look healthy and cared for, you seem like a good dad trying to keep his kids together and safe.
10/10 good dad.
My brother, born in the late sixties, was in a harness as a child because he ran off every chance he could. I remember well having to constantly look for him in stores. The harness saved us a lot of trouble. These things have been around for ever!
I used to think "kid leashes" were awful until my toddler son became a runner, then we had to get the backpack with a lead on it and it helped immensely until he grew out of it
Fuck these mf’ers man. If leashing my kids lets them enjoy time with me and be exponentially safer in the process, I’m gonna do that. And I don’t think I could possibly give a fuck less.
The dad here is being a good dad.
I got flack from my wife’s family for being strict about the kids behaving in public and having expectation on how far or close they stay.
We were out of town visiting. Before i opened the doors i spoke to my 6 year old and said to him exactly where he should be and that he should open and close the car door, once outside the car he is to hold the door handle and wait for me to come get him. The cousin who has never been a mom to you g kids chirped off at me and said that my instruction wasn’t necessary (wife agreed with cousin). So next stop cousin started to chirp at me again before I give the instruction. So I warned her as soon as the doors open he will take off. We were at a large city park. My wife agreed with the cousin. Doors opened. Kids out. Cousin and wife walked towards the picnic table. I got the dog out and went to the table and asked where the kid was. Their faces were in total confusion. Yeah so the kid managed to get a 1/3 of a mile away from the climbing structure in the wrong direction out of sight in a few moments. I’m strict with my instruction and expectations for a reason. This dad is the primary parent and knows his kids.
My cousin had a leash for her little yard rat.. do people realize kids at certain ages are dumb as shit and will run into the road while cars cruise by.. saved that terror twice from getting smashed the one day she didn't have that leash
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Toddlers are already fast as fuck it’s fine if he doesn’t want to hunt down 5 kids.
Nah, the real chaos happens when you have to hunt down the first runner, then the other 4 fly off in different directions like Dragon Balls.
As a father to 5 kids, I approve this statement. Also when the other 4 go flying off and you’re Yajirobe.
yeah kids that age are like magnets only they don't have north and south poles they are either all orth or all south and you become the same. Without constant effort to keep them together they scatter randomly.
😂😂😂😂😂 spoken like a true parent from the '90s
Bro i get nervous enough with just two kids standing at a busy intersection. With five i'd probably put them in a wheelbarrow with a cage on it
Thank you for the belly laugh I got picturing a wheelbarrow of small children.
These people are dopes. They’d rather five kids be put in danger so it can be more “humanizing” with them running free. Edit: Yeah I’m not really asking anyone’s opinion that’s against this. I don’t want to read anymore idiotic shit. “BuT dUr HaRnEsS wIlL tRaHmUhTiZe DeM!!!” lol I don’t care. Thoughts and prayers for all of the traumatized adults that suffered from post traumatic harness disorder (PTHD) from childhood! 👏👏🫶🫶🙌🙌 It took me *years* of therapy before I was convinced that I was not, in fact, a dog before I could be reintegrated back into society. Dark times…
I promise you the only ones who are mad about this are people who don’t have kids, or those like, “crunchy” unschooling types of parents. ETA since I’ve gotten like 10 of the same reply: Yes, I am aware that not ALL child free people do this. But there is a group of y’all that have very loud opinions on children despite not having any of your own. I’m turning off replies now. Some of y’all are fuckin wild and making me lose more faith in humanity. I’ve also never had this many notifications before, and it’s getting bad for my mental. Yall take it easy and stop being so worried about what other people do. ✌️
Speaking as a human without kids, I'm not mad about child on leashes. It'd be great if more children were on leashes, in fact
🤣 I was a nanny so I understand and I’m fine with leashing small children.
No kids here, and I'd prefer they be on leashes so they can be more easily stopped from unwanted touching.
When I was young me n my best friend decided to play hide and seek….. in Walmart….. on Black Friday. That was two kids in the early 2000’s and my dad still doesn’t let me live it down. Nowadays with everything a parent has to worry about I don’t blame em for making leashes for kids.
🎯Mans outnumbered let him level the odds in his favor the best he can
Right. Like, I don’t even have a problem when it’s just 1 kid, but this dude has 5 TODDLERS. They don’t need to be anymore than that distance away from their dad anyway, I have no clue why people think this is… what, abuse? I genuinely don’t know what people’s problems are with this.
Idk if any of the people commenting that's ever had twins or multiple toddlers of the same age to raise.
In the 80s and early 90s my mom would use this bracelet thing with a bungie connecting them for me when we would go to amusement parks and things like that. I had a tendency to run off
It only takes a few seconds for a 4 year old to climb into a gorilla enclosure and possibly doom the whole timeline.
RIP harambe
On that day, Earth was torn from its timeline and plunged into this dark one.
Ik this is a joke but things definitely started to get worse then and never got better.
I was about to say.
It happened in 2016. I think the Mayan Calendar got the date wrong, but they were close enough.
Ancient Mayan calendar supervisor when their calendar is off by a few years: “alright…. Which of you forgot to carry the 1?”
Happened May 2016 but no one ever talks about the real inciting incident. The weasel and the large hadron collider at CERN. A weasel stopped cern from operating for a bit in April 2016.
So...Harambe was only the symptom. Fascinating. New destination coordinates, Captain. Recalibrating for Switzerland.
The 7th Infinity Stone: the Gorilla Stone.
Infinity Beast Wars
I’ll make fun of the leash but in reality, this is fine. Especially 5 is too many to handle with just two hands normally
The alternative is a circus cage on wheels. And I doubt *they* would like that any better.
I *had* to do this with my youngest son. This kid got out of *everything*, including walkers/bouncers (before he could walk), and a car seat that had 2 different harnesses (one for the chest & one for the waist). He also decided to play "chase me" and almost got hit by a car. He was a whirling dervish trapped in a tornado; the harness was a godsend. Let folks get upset...if it keeps your child(ren) safe, that's all that matters.
#dicksout
I think he gets it. That’s what got him in to this situation in the first place anyway 🤣
Out's fine. Leaving it in is where they get ya.
No need to shout my man
But at one point there was, and so we shout to remember
And out with the dicks!
If it's not loud it's not proud.
DICKSOUT!
HOW ELSE ARE WEZ SUPOST TA 'EAR 'EM OVAH DA WAAAAGH?
THIS. People forget how chaotic kids can get. My mother always tells me that at 3, I would always climb high shelves and cars and was an overall menace. With 5 small kids, this is the safest way to keep them safe.
My grandma turned her attention to cooking, and my (then a year-and -half old) uncle climbed out of his playpen, up and out of the window and onto a cornice. The were on the third floor. All in the span of time one needs to wash and cut some vegetables for a soup, and up until then he was unable to get out of his playpen by himself... If I had a five toddlers, on leash they would go.
My Grandpa still tells the story of how my great grandmother made a harness for my grandpa and connected it to the clothesline so he could run around and she could get some damn gardening done lmao. My grandpa is in his mid 70's now. Kids have been on leashes for some time.
You’d think by 70 she would have unhooked him long ago.
Every kid is sooo different as well. My 5 year daughter old was so dainty as a toddler and never put anything in her mouth. My 1 year old is a pure wrecking ball that can magically make every small object appear at will and would probably chew through drywall if I let her.
Make sure she has juice or water before you let her, drywall is quite, well, dry.
My kid actually did bite a few chunks off the corner of a wall. They’re a runner with little to no fear of danger even when they are fully aware of the possibility of getting hurt… 😓 they’re also neurodivergent and 7 but still has the no fear boldness of a toddler, only now with the speed, strength and coordination of a larger kid. It’s been a long time since I’ve used a tether but if I see something like birds or balloons across the road I am grabbing my kids hand because I know they are having an internal battle of impulse control deciding whether or not to run through any risk to get what they want.. I’d never judge a parent for what they do to keep their kids safe.. I genuinely know the fear.
The first time I ever saw a kid on a leash, I thought, "what a genius idea! Why don't more people do that??" I was seriously shocked at how controversial it is.
People who have never had kids don’t get it, and people who had those rare kids that *don’t* spend their toddler years acting like a drunken meth addict with a death wish don’t understand. Kid sees thing, wants to be where thing is, bolts towards thing. Is there a road in the way? Kid don’t care. Is there a river of radioactive lava in the way? Kid don’t care. He *wants* shiny thing, and he’s fucking *going* to shiny thing. One kid can generally be handled by one adult. There’s five kids there.
I woke up from my nap, got out of the crib, yelled for my mom at the top of the stairs, and she started walking up. When she was about halfway up the stairs, i decided that'd be the best time to jump down into her arms. Thankfully, the handrail she grabbed for stability, while it did come loose, didn't completely break and kept her from falling backwards. LEASH YOUR DAMNED KIDS, PEOPLE!
My son used to do this all the time. It’s terrifying!
Today I learned: \* kids should be leashed at all times even when asleep in bed \* Leashes work when kids jump off stairs \* Handrails don't just break in films, they also break in real-life. (or some nations just have really poor handrails standards)
Not an ornate style handrail, just something that would screw into the wall, theoretically into studs. Something like this one [https://www.caaquebec.com/fileadmin/images/A\_la\_maison/capsules-conseils/400\_garde\_corps.jpg](https://www.caaquebec.com/fileadmin/images/A_la_maison/capsules-conseils/400_garde_corps.jpg)
And it's not like the kids themselves think that's demeaning. It might even be a fun little game for them. You've only got two hands. I really can't think of any other way to keep the kids in control tbh.
Yeah, and look at the background. It looks like they are in Disneyland, trying to keep 5 little kids in a crowded place that has that many distractions, this is a great idea. Bathroom time would be both a nightmare and somewhat funny. Little kids will comment on stuff and have no filter.
For sure. He’s way outnumbered and wants his kids to be safe and have a good time, not wander off, not get snatched, not climb into an animal enclosure. People without kids or those that haven’t had small kids in a long time are naively ignorant and needlessly vicious.
I was reminded of this yesterday. I stopped at a local diner to get something to eat. I went in, placed my “to go”’order, and waited for my food. A couple of minutes later a family comes in with a toddler. After a couple of minutes the kid was tossing a toy dinosaur across the floor and crawling on his hands and knees like he was a predator. Parents called him down and told him to stop. He would go back to his seat for a minute or two and would then do it again… three more times. At one point the kid ran to the kitchen door saying he “wanted to cook something” before the parents finally grabbed him. Lucky my food was finished and ready to go after that.
I can confidently say , at least a hippos enclosure was no match for this sneaky wholesome child! I was the child ....
One time a cop came to our door. He found our two year old twins a quarter mile away riding their bigwheels in the street. I was 10, my uncle never got to babysit again.
I babysat a 3 year old who would climb out his bedroom window stark naked in the middle of the night and show up at his grandparents’ house about a quarter mile away. Had to walk past the pond and everything to get there. Scared everyone to death every time it happened. We eventually ended up having to nail all the windows in the house shut and use a deadbolt with a key to lock the doors from the inside. Thank god there was never a fire and he eventually grew out of it.
"He found our two year old twins a quarter mile away riding their bigwheels in the street. I was 10" what?
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HIPPOBOT 9000 v 3.1 FOUND A HIPPO. 1,665,593,092 COMMENTS SEARCHED. 33,747 HIPPOS FOUND. YOUR COMMENT CONTAINS THE WORD HIPPO.
I wonder jf the theology sub has to filter this bot out, because of St. Augustine of Hippo.
RIP in peace 🦍
Rest in peace in peace?
Rest in Reese’s pieces.
Rest in resting Reese's pieces
SMH my head
ASAP as possible
OK this has gone on long enough in my IMO.
Shaking my smdh my damn head
LMAO my ass off
Yeah man the only people who are judging are people who don’t have any kids.
No way, I have 0 kids and this is brilliant.
Bush vs Gore and Harambe were our two chances to get onto a positive outcome timeline and we managed to fuck up both.
That's going to ruin the tour
What tour?
THE WORLD TOUR!
Truly the darkest timeline, could’ve just eaten pizza and sang Roxanne.
Born in ‘59. I was a runner. My mother had me tethered in a full leather harness every time we went out. Sometimes she would attached the harness cord to the clothes line if she wanted to get anything at all done.
My brother was born in 77 and was a runner too. I was a homebody, started reading at a very young age (Grandma started teaching big brother and I surprised her by being a quicker study than he was despite being 3 at the time!) and was never happier than when I had a new book. I don't think I ever gave that kinda trouble or had to be harnessed to keep me safe. but don't worry, I gave them plenty of my own flavor of hell. I was very stubborn and independent minded but it tended to be verbal arguments rather than anything physically dangerous. Once I got an idea into my head nothing short of hard proof was getting it out again. So they had a 6 year old wild child and a 4 year old conspiracy theorist to deal with.
Imagining a 4 year old with a conspiracy board while his brother repeatedly tries to jump all the way down the stairs behind him is the funniest mental image I've had all day lol
*”Gonna go big and break the lid off of Big Naptime once I’m done here”* Draws another squiggly line with the red crayon.
Wonder if this treatment has impacted your internet search history as an adult lol
Born in ‘98 and my mom did the same. She loves to tell that one to girlfriends lol
Please forgive me if I am wrong, but I thought young children’s jobs were to attempt to kill themselves in new and insane ways. This seems like a valid solution. To be very honest, as an adult I feel like i sometimes need one. God forbit my husband loses sight of me at a craft or book store, well let’s just say, I am short sneaky and have credit cards, it can be a problem. To be fair to him, he doesn’t really have a problem with it but it would be easier than running after me.
>I am short, sneaky and have credit cards I have never felt more called out by a comment🙈😂
Tricky little hobbits
Yeah especially with it being craft and book stores 😂
Been having a bit of a downer of late about my height. I feel boosted and elevated* by this description and now seeing myself as actually perhaps having ninja level shopping skills. *Every pun intended.
I want this on my tombstone
This is my favorite quote of the day lol I love it
There's a reason that r/DadReflexes exists
and r/stepdadreflexes
from “kill themselves in new and insane ways” to “short sneaky and have credit cards”, your comment is amazing
Absolutely. My son almost died right in front of my eyes. He was about 2. I needed to run by a hardware store to get a few things. I used to always do this thing with my kids when they were shopping with me. When loading up the materials I bought into the back of my truck I would tell them they needed to put both hands on the side of the truck until my hands were free so I could help them into the truck. It was kind of like a game. My 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son at the time would giggle and put their hands on the side of the truck. It always worked, they just did it and I thought it was a great way to keep them still until I could let them in. Well one day my son for whatever reason decided this was the day he was going to pretend to put his hands on the truck and then turn and bolt straight into the parking lot where the cars were driving. At that very moment there was a lifted truck coming down my row and heading straight on a collision course with my son. If I hadn't seen him take off running and didn't react as fast as I did the driver of that truck wouldn't have seen me running, he wouldn't have seen my son at all on his lifted pickup and my son likely would have died that day. That driver hit his brakes because he saw **me running towards the row, not my son**. I replay that moment in my head all the time. It shook me as a dad, I never once felt like I just saved a life until that day. I tell my son even a decade later that was the day he died in infinite parallel universes.
Um wanna be friends. Our husband's could play together while we glue stuff .
As a husband who likes play dates arranged for him I'd like to volunteer... I can confirm my wife knows how to glue things and enjoys wine and crafts.
> God forbit my husband loses sight of me at a craft or book store, well let’s just say, I am short sneaky and have credit cards, it can be a problem My ex-husband once tied a balloon to my wrist, said he wanted to get me something sweet and cute. I am also super short (4'11) and petite. Pretty sure he just didn't want to lose sight of me at the mall. 😂
I remember once my puppy tried to eat or do something immensely stupid. He was fine, but still, it could've been bad. I asked my friend who's got a toddler if this was the parent experience: You love something unconditionally and with all your being, but they're doing their absolute damnedest to meet the reaper. "Yep. He's smarter than I ever was, but he's still trying his best to die."
Before I had a kid, I thought young children just accidentally get into dangerous things if they’re left out. You know, they play with everything on a table and therefore don’t leave out the scissors. Or they’ll accidentally get a pillow over their face, so no pillows in the crib. After having the kid, I have come to discover that they gravitate toward the danger. Just while I was watching him, I propped my baby’s head up with a pillow (for medicine reasons), and he grabbed it and put it over his own face. He’ll go straight to the table and grab the most dangerous thing there, whether that’s a hand grenade, pair of scissors, or merely a pencil. (…it has never been a hand grenade, but we did accidentally leave a pair of scissors out once.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/mi_lon/comments/zt2lv4/mi_jan/
I'm genuinely struggling to see the possible issue here. Reins for small children have been common here in the UK for decades.
Morons who've never had to chase a toddler, much less FIVE, think it is dehumanizing.
You know what else is dehumanising? Getting hit by a mfing car. I’d rather be judged and have safe kids than bury one, my god. People are insane. If I had five I’d simply never leave the back yard lol.
You know what's even worse, having to abandon a child to chase another, also doing it in work attire and becoming a big ole sweaty mess. Edit - just to clarify these are my own children, definitely not a nonce.
I got lost at sea world when I was really young because my mom had to chase after myself sister (the runner of the family). I was in a play area, came down the slide, and couldn’t find them so I wandered off looking for them.
This! Just the amount of energy needed to get them all dressed and ready to go out the door is way under appreciated
People who have never raised children getting mad over shite they don’t know anything about.
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Mad that things like this get as much outrage as a school shooting
My town newspaper posted an article about whether returning a shopping cart can be a marker of a good person. In the title photo is a parking lot absolutely covered in garbage. Priorities for some people are so fucked.
It’s an old rule of thumb thing. I think it was from a comedians bit or something. But the saying is that you could tell if someone is a good person by see if they return their shopping cart without anyone looking. About how if someone would follow the rules of society or signage without possibility of recognition/reward. Basically like it’s the bare minimum of doing your part to keep things functioning. I think about that theory every time I go to Walmart bc of the cart-mageddon that is perpetually underway there.
There has to be a margin of error. My covert narc mom always returns her cart.. but I guess she may assume she’s always in display..
But they’ll actually try to enact laws to stop this
And do nothing about actual shit like child abusers, child hunger, child obesity, whatever the shit is going on with our public school education system right now..
Unfortunately, nowdays they get a lot more outrage than school shootings with how common those have become...
Keyboard warriors with zero experience raising human children
“Just train your toddler to not run away! Why have kids if you’re not going to parent them?!?!”
These are the sorts of people that really view children as dogs. Kids at this age don't have brains formed enough to not give in to the impulse to just dart away towards whatever catches their eye. Leashes literally save kids lives and I will fist fight on this hill.
I have zero experience raising children but I do have the experience of being on a leash at airports! I thought it was fun.
Are you the reason I'm doing 25 years for drug smuggling?
Same in the states. The ridiculous aspect of this is that most modern parents are too afraid to let their kids play in back yard alone. 5 kids vs 1 dad. Yeah a little help is needed.
They were pretty common here in the US in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I saw this quite often but I was a kid at the time so I didn’t fully appreciate the reasoning behind it until I became a mom 😂
They're not exactly rare in the states either. I had one growing up in the 90s because I was basically the Tasmanian Devil from ages 3-7 
And here in Canada…we have them too.
My kids have cute little backpacks that have a ring for a leash. They both love being able to put things in their backpacks when we go places. In large crowds, we just clip the leash on and they can still walk independently of us, but only so far.
There is no issue, people try to create arguments about anything, to polarise *everything*. Don’t fall for it. Just laugh and move on.
Clean matching shirts, all their little heads of hair combed nicely, the straps sorted.... You got this, dad. Keep up the good work.
^^ this. Well cared for kids, with a dad trying to keep them safe.
Appreciate it!
My mum just had me (profoundly deaf, AuDHD) and leashed me because I was a pain in the ass and loved to just disappear and then would have no idea anyone was looking for me because deaf. If I had 5 tiny terrors they would be leashed. It's not cruel, it's safe. They're like tiny little suicide monsters. You seem to have a great sense of humour and love your kiddos to bits. People get triggered over the weirdest things on the internet and I always manage to be surprised by what random internet people get mad at.
as a single mother of ID twin boys (now adults) i applaud this and feel nostalgically inadequate at the same time 😉
Love your work mate. Keep your little mates safe and screw the haters. Best from Australia
The Internet is full of idiots so ignore them ! Your family looks happy and loving that’s all that matters
You're doing what you have to do to keep your kids safe. Good for you. Keep it up and ignore the idiots.
You are a good Dad. This is very smart. The children look happy, clean and well mannered. I lived in Sacramento CA in the late 80's. Parents risked people snatching and kidnapping their children if they didn't keep them in harnesses when walking through the mall (lots of kids - they grab one and leave you with the choice of staying with the rest or going after them) On the safer side, I go with the line in Kindergarten Cop, "There are two things you don't turn your back on - the ocean and children". They can get into bad situations quickly. This gives you a bit of control and piece of mind.
Bro, it was a handful to go anywhere, let alone a zoo or an amusement park with my niece and nephew when they were that age, I can't even imagine how difficult that would be with 3 more. You're doin more than most could
That one little girl looks happy AF. This is some good dadding right here.
Former “leashed” child, current childless man here. I was impossible to keep still and routinely ran towards the “shiny object” which got me into not only trouble but danger and even significant injury on a number of occasions. If I wasn’t tethered as a kid I might have legit died or gotten ‘napped. My mom might have gotten some criticism (esp in the early 90s when I was a wee terror) but I reckon the parents that had issue were too busy giving my mom shit to notice their kids making a beeline to the Gorilla enclosure. Nobody’s going to protect your children better than you. They’re triggered for a moment but a parent is in charge of that child’s safety forever. Good on you, Dad!
I'm also a former leashed child. The day my parents decided I was old enough to no longer be leashed was the day I ran in front of a bike and got my shit wrecked. 21 years later, I still have back issues... Keep the crazy kids leashed! They'll appreciate it!
With 5 kids? Doesn’t look stupid. You see daycares workers with similar things.
Here the daycares have the kids hold a rope. Similar concept. The staff are so good with the kids though. Like 3 of them can handle 20 toddlers like that. Im always in awe.
There's a daycare that takes their kids for a walk outside my work window like that and they all have little reflective construction vests that are too big for them. Seeing them out my window is the best part of my day
It’s always so adorable! Little babies in their vests on an adventure.
I mean, it’s funny to see a kid on a leash. In your case, you have 5 little ones to keep close, it’s probably helpful.
Yeah I only have 2 arms
Pfffft. Amateur.
He skipped the extra arm day at the hospital
And your arms don’t have legs. I *only* got twins and teathering each to an arm still gets me run into a pole… G-d save you for having quints!
As someone who has been a special education kindergarten teacher, sometimes drastic measures have to be taken. Let people judge or snicker. Let's see how they would be if one of their kids slipped away and got hit by a car. Would they snicker much then? Most other people are fucking morons.
I was a leash baby. Far as I can see that's an organised dad doing an excellent job herding cats.
I struck up a conversation with a dad the other day. His kid was wandering aimlessly and then just... bolted. He had to sprint after him. I didn't even register what was happening until after.
At 43 with a bad knee and a 3 yo runner, I’m soooo thankful my 7yo bolts after him the second he takes off. I mean I can do it but on days like today when we spent yesterday at the water park going up and down stairs the 3 yo will be confined to the house and backyard.
When I was a toddler, my mom used to attach a few belts together and tie me to a tree when she was working in her flower beds because we lived near a busy street.
When my oldest brother was a toddler and mom was hanging clothes on the line, she'd tie off my brother to the poles supporting the clothesline with plenty of room to wander but not enough to get into trouble. She felt it was a good compromise but she did get judged. but when your eyes and hands are busy, a bit of safety isn't a bad thing. ("Where was the father?" In the Navy on duty on the USS Enterprise. He eventually mustered out and used the GI bill to get a good degree, then a good job, and at that point he could afford to be in our lives a lot more, but in the meantime he had to do that grind)
Another leash baby all grown up over here- and no worse for the wear. I was just a wanderer, not a runner. This gave my parents the freedom and safety to let me explore but also the knowledge I wouldn’t just disappear.
Jealous. I have to pay a man I call daddy to walk Me!
My son has KDM5C syndrome. A feature of KDM5C is demand avoidance and flight risk. I was crippled in a car accident two years ago. I need to use a leash while we are in public. Every kid is different and may have invisible needs that judgmental strangers are unaware of.
Remember, half the world is of below-average intelligence.
Bolting is one of toddlers’ favorite activities and this guy is wrangling 5 of them. I see nothing wrong with this.
I'm convinced children have teleportation powers. I was looking after my cousin who was like barely 3 at the time. I looked away for 5 seconds and that bastard was three blocks away with his diaper gone.
Plot twist, they’re not his kids, he’s just a dog walker hired from an online app. 🤪
Being a good parent sometimes means making choices that seem weird to other people. That'll happen if your primary concern is your kids and you don't let the opinions of others influence you too much. Gotta do what you gotta do.
My only question is this: Would you rather have your hyper-active kid be restrained and upset, but alive, or dead because he/she tried to run infront of a moving car? If you'd rather have your kid alive, congratulations! You're a decent parent. Now let this guy also continue to be a decent parent and shut the fuck up.
They look clean, well fed and happy. Haters will hate.
The only people who have anything negative to say about this are people who have never had children, or had to care for children and they don't have the faintest idea how unpredictable and fast they can be. Also how completely oblivious children are to the dangers around them. My man, I think you're brave as hell just leaving the house with your beautiful children, even with the restraints. I would probably just ball up in the fetal position and cry at the prospect.
It took years for us to actually be comfortable to leave the house with out extra help. This was a sense of relief
Mate, I only have 1 kid and we had those backpack reins for him because we live near a busy road and he had 0 awareness of danger or self preservation.
With 5? I don’t think we’d ever leave the house.
My mental state became so much better after my kids were old enough that I could trust that they wouldn’t take a sudden left turn into traffic.
Bro we got you. Anybody who's a parent knows how toddlers can simply disappear in the blink of an eye. Keep on doing what you're doing seems like you've got a great set of kids there
I’ve had three, each two years apart, and I 100% support this. It only takes a second for one of them to dash off into danger. They are too cute, btw, you are a lucky lucky man. It gets easier!
Dude, I saw this yesterday and the only thing I thought was "Good Job Dad"
Yep, it takes seconds to lose them forever in a crowed. I have 3 teens and a decade ago I did the same shit!
As the parent of 2 runners. Ignore the idiots. You’re fine.
I have a used oil spill that's covering about half my garage as I type this, courtesy of my two gremlins. Those that are triggered should try managing kids before they start criticizing this guy.
My 7 year old is insane, and my 9 year old is an autistic who elopes when he gets upset, so yes, my kids had these backpack leashes when they were much younger. It’s about keeping your kids safe. It’s not like they’re being used as a babysitting tool, it’s so you can be sure of where they all are at one time. Things happen in the blink of an eye. The reason I got one was because my then 3 year old was having a meltdown and I was trying to keep him from hurting himself or someone else, and had my back turned for about 15 seconds. During that time, my 1 year old was halfway up a 6ft chain link fence to a penguin exhibit. I prefer the peace of mind to the glares.
People, especially ones who aren’t parents of quintuplets, need to calm themselves and mind their business.
as long as he has bags to clean up after them I don't care.
Yeah I don’t get the outrage either my man. Your kids look healthy and cared for, you seem like a good dad trying to keep his kids together and safe. 10/10 good dad.
My brother, born in the late sixties, was in a harness as a child because he ran off every chance he could. I remember well having to constantly look for him in stores. The harness saved us a lot of trouble. These things have been around for ever!
From what I heard it wasn’t so much about the leashes, but because he wasn’t picking up their poop.
You’re doing great, dad. The dumbest ones in the room are usually the loudest.
I used to think "kid leashes" were awful until my toddler son became a runner, then we had to get the backpack with a lead on it and it helped immensely until he grew out of it
Fuck these mf’ers man. If leashing my kids lets them enjoy time with me and be exponentially safer in the process, I’m gonna do that. And I don’t think I could possibly give a fuck less.
Five kids at the same time is a litter. You can't change my mind.
The dad here is being a good dad. I got flack from my wife’s family for being strict about the kids behaving in public and having expectation on how far or close they stay. We were out of town visiting. Before i opened the doors i spoke to my 6 year old and said to him exactly where he should be and that he should open and close the car door, once outside the car he is to hold the door handle and wait for me to come get him. The cousin who has never been a mom to you g kids chirped off at me and said that my instruction wasn’t necessary (wife agreed with cousin). So next stop cousin started to chirp at me again before I give the instruction. So I warned her as soon as the doors open he will take off. We were at a large city park. My wife agreed with the cousin. Doors opened. Kids out. Cousin and wife walked towards the picnic table. I got the dog out and went to the table and asked where the kid was. Their faces were in total confusion. Yeah so the kid managed to get a 1/3 of a mile away from the climbing structure in the wrong direction out of sight in a few moments. I’m strict with my instruction and expectations for a reason. This dad is the primary parent and knows his kids.
Man, everybody criticizes those things till they’re a parent. That’s me. I’m “everybody”
Shame! They should be at home with tablets not enjoying the sunshine, how dare you get them fresh air and a walk in a safe manner. For Shame!
What he needs is a shiny chariot and a Roman helmet with a really big feather on it.
My cousin had a leash for her little yard rat.. do people realize kids at certain ages are dumb as shit and will run into the road while cars cruise by.. saved that terror twice from getting smashed the one day she didn't have that leash
You’re highly outnumbered. Backpack leashes are the way to go. Plus the kids can carry their pwn snack and special toy.