talk to me about harnesses

littleheaven · July 2014

so with 73 days til disney (not like i'm counting....) i'm in crazy planning mode

now dd is all go go go go go all the time and isn't a huge fan of holding hannies and walking with us...we don't usually let her out of the stroller at the mall/stores for this reason, but we do have a diner at the end our block that we walk to for dinner every now and again...she's gotten a little better at staying on the sidewalk but tends to go crazy in the parking lot! of all places

and the other day getting into the car, she kinda ran out into the street (didn't get too far, but we live near a corner off a busy street, and cars turn on our block without any care in the world)

i admit, i used to side eye parents with leashes, but now i totally get it

and i know disney will be too much walking for her, but, i also know that if we take her out of the stroller for a ride or to eat, at least half the time she will fight us back into the stroller

so i've been looking at the skip hop back pack harnesses....and i know at least one of you ladies here has one....does the leash just clip on? do you recommend it? are there other brands types to look at? i wouldn't put it past her to figure out how to get out of it or unhook the leash

i'm not sure why i keep hemming and hawing about getting one....part of me keeps hoping in the next 2 months she'll learn to hold our hands or walk next to us or hold onto the stroller....but then part of me is all disney is crawling with creepers and she can't talk so if she gets lost what is she going to say? omg what if she gets lost? and then i freak out so then i think harness...

and then i worry if i'm thinking too much about it

ReeceFamily · July 2014

I have no advice, but wanted to say I am 100% supportive of people using harnesses in Disney-like situations. It just makes sense. You could have your attention diverted for a fraction of a second and lose your child in the crowd!

jobiann · July 2014

I too have changed my attitude about them, I however have not looked into purchasing one....yet.

martha919 · July 2014

We have the Skip Hop ladybug one and yes, the harness has a chest strap in the front and the "tether" strap latches on to the bottom of the backpack. DD loves wearing hers and hasn't tried to take it off, but who knows how your DD would be, ya know?

littleheaven · July 2014

we are definitely leaning towards harness....she doesn't last very long in the stroller....but she runs more than walks....we never wore her so i think it's too late in the game now....we're going the end of sept....we usually go in sept and the crowds are much lower than they usually are.....
i am going to work on the walking close and holding hands too....
and we'll probably get the safety tattoo too....
we have time to figure it all out...
just not sure which harness to get....def think a backpack one is best, esp if the leash comes off so she can use it as a regular backpack
leaning towards the skip hop ones bc they're cute but saw a brica one that looks like a regular backpack and it looks like the leash is longer....

AshleyDehaven · July 2014

We have a harness and used it at an aquarium and a zoo, i have to say, it was a life saver. DS is very independent, he holds hands well, but would prefer more freedom most of the time. This enabled him to explore to his hearts content, but he was never more than 5 feet from us, and we were able to keep eyes on him constantly. I definitely recommend them for large crowd situations.

==N== · July 2014

We have a "monkey backpack". It was ds's, I think I've only used it once with dd because she's not a runner yet.

I'd rather have a toddler on a leash than a lost toddler.

aklawrence1 · July 2014

We have a skiphop ladybug harness, and a monkey from carter's. Both have detachable harnesses that clip to the back at the bottom, and then it clips around their chest. DD loves hers, has never tried to take it off, and will actually ask to wear it while playing at home sometimes. I just take the harness off and she will stuff things in there and wear it around. We had it for the aquarium and zoo, and it was great. DD is a wild one; she just cannot be still. Ever. She also wriggles out of hand holding, so this was the best thing. It gave her freedom to explore, but safely. I definitely would recommend it.

littleheaven · July 2014

it helps to know that moms here have used it and recommend it...i want her to have fun, and i know she likes to walk around on her own...she wriggles out of hand holding too, she wriggles out of being held sometimes too...i think she might be ok with a backpack...she likes to carry her own lunchbag and carry her bag into daycare...

i'll try and get it in enough time for her to wear it and use it so she's used to it for disney

thanks everyone!

this decaf life · July 2014

I love our leash. DD was only like 18 months when we went to Disney Sea and she spent most of the time in her stroller. I think it was a little overwhelming/too many people so she'd get really shy and wanted to ride around anyways.

We have a Hop Skip backpack with a leash though for at the mall and I love the thing. DD is pretty wild about not wanting to hold hands and doesn't like to follow us so she'd wander off on her own if given the option. DD LOVES the backpack and the leash is detachable so she'll just use the backpack when she starts school in January.

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