A Jewish Grandmother: Original, unedited daily musings, and host to the monthly Kosher Cooking Carnival. **Copyright(C)BatyaMedad ** For permission to use these in publications of any sort, please contact me directly. Private accredited distribution encouraged. Thank you.
I thoroughly believe in 'kid harnesses!' On Sunday when we had a little day trip with friends to the zoo, my friend with the 21/2 year old had exactly that: a little backpack-type giraffe harness with a long tail, which we held. This little girl has a tendency to run away from her mother, which is pretty dangerous in such a public place. If I think of a caption, I'll write it!
I have mixed feelings on the harness. I realize some children are difficult to control in a public environment, especially one with a large complement of people. Yet, part of me says no...
Batya, when I was a kid [many moons ago] it was very common to harness little children when you went on an outing so that they wouldn't wonder away and get lost or G-D forbid kidnapped.
It was called being a responsible parent. My caption: LOVE.
It was quite normal for children to wear a harness when I lived in England some 30-plus years ago. However, when we came to live in Israel we found it was unheard of. When I mentioned it to people they looked horrified. Felt that it was treating children like dogs. However, I still feel that it's so much safer to use a harness, especially when managing a few children on a busy street.
Remembering back to when my son used to wander at age 2 ... except we probably would have forgotten to hold unto the harness. We are just lucky he's now 17 and navigating on his own, quite well.
Very in favor of the harness in certain situations. i.e. Flew to CA. once with my (then) 5 year old HEBREW speaking daughter through O'hare in Chicago. Not knowing English, it would have been a nightmare had we been separated. We had to walk almost 45 minutes from gate to gate. So I had her on a harness and we stopped on the way so I could buy her a children's book for behaving so well!! I would NOT use a harness on a daily basis but in situations as the above, it can literally be a life saver!!
I can understand it in extreme circumstances, but I also think it more important to hold the child's hand and train them to hold onto the parent. It's safer in the long run. Not all sidewalks are wide enough, and a child can move into the street. That was one adult and one child on Agrippas. It would be safer to hold hands.
7 comments:
I thoroughly believe in 'kid harnesses!' On Sunday when we had a little day trip with friends to the zoo, my friend with the 21/2 year old had exactly that: a little backpack-type giraffe harness with a long tail, which we held. This little girl has a tendency to run away from her mother, which is pretty dangerous in such a public place. If I think of a caption, I'll write it!
I have mixed feelings on the harness. I realize some children are difficult to control in a public environment, especially one with a large complement of people. Yet, part of me says no...
Batya, when I was a kid [many moons ago] it was very common to harness little children when you went on an outing so that they wouldn't wonder away and get lost or G-D forbid kidnapped.
It was called being a responsible parent. My caption: LOVE.
Miriam
It was quite normal for children to wear a harness when I lived in England some 30-plus years ago. However, when we came to live in Israel we found it was unheard of. When I mentioned it to people they looked horrified. Felt that it was treating children like dogs. However, I still feel that it's so much safer to use a harness, especially when managing a few children on a busy street.
Remembering back to when my son used to wander at age 2 ... except we probably would have forgotten to hold unto the harness. We are just lucky he's now 17 and navigating on his own, quite well.
Very in favor of the harness in certain situations. i.e. Flew to CA. once with my (then) 5 year old HEBREW speaking daughter through O'hare in Chicago. Not knowing English, it would have been a nightmare had we been separated. We had to walk almost 45 minutes from gate to gate. So I had her on a harness and we stopped on the way so I could buy her a children's book for behaving so well!! I would NOT use a harness on a daily basis but in situations as the above, it can literally be a life saver!!
I can understand it in extreme circumstances, but I also think it more important to hold the child's hand and train them to hold onto the parent. It's safer in the long run. Not all sidewalks are wide enough, and a child can move into the street. That was one adult and one child on Agrippas. It would be safer to hold hands.
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