Does a curious toddler belong on a leash?

Growing up, my family camped in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, near Santa Cruz, at least once every summer.

We went with a few families and the adults drank beer while the children climbed on fallen trees and caught water skeeters in the creek. That was all of the children–except my younger brother.

When my brother was a toddler, my parents attached him to a long rope that was tied to a picnic table–in other words he was on a leash. This eased my mother’s fear of my brother diving into the creek.

Does a leash make sense when your out and about in a busy place?

Shutterstock/marilyn barbone


He was a curious boy who always seemed to disappear and find trouble, so this was my mom’s way of dealing with it. I never saw her use a leash in any other situations–though I’m sure there are times when she wishes she did–for example, when he climbed to the top of a ladder and pounded on a skylight with a hammer and when he disappeared at my grandparents’ beach house and went missing for 30 minutes.

I recently recalled this when reading SFGate readers’ comments on the tragic story about the toddler who fell in the fountain inside San Francisco’s Hyatt Regency and died.

Many readers feel this was a freak incident and could happen to any parent who turns her back on her child for a few minutes. Others think the mother (as well as the nanny who was present) acted irresponsibly. And then there’s a reader who suggests that parents of curious toddlers put their children on leashes.

jimswife writes:

When I was 18 months old in 1958 my grandmother my caregiver had me on a leash for reasons like this. People use to ask her why she leashed me like a dog and her response was ” to keep her where I can see her” I thank her every day for not listening to the fools who said it was cruel to be leashed like a dog. My condolences to the family, it only takes a minute of taking your eyes off your child and they are out and running about.

werefox444 chimes in:

Yes, definitely leashes!!! I have twins and when they were toddlers (6 years ago) I always had them on a leash in public places. They sell them everywhere, babiesRus, Lullaby lane. Holding hands didn’t work for me, I had to bend down to tie a shoe for one of the babies, 2 seconds later, I looked up and the other one was gone! Leashes were the perfect solution! Some one once yelled at me: “Your children aren’t animals!” To which I replied, “that they aren’t, BUT THEY ARE ALIVE!!!!” Poor mother, no one could have known! I hope she finds some peace!

Today, many parents scoff at the idea of a leash. They immediately assume that any parent who uses a leash is simply lazy and doesn’t want to do their job of keeping an eye on their kid at all times. But are there certain situations when a leash makes sense? Do particularly curious toddlers belong on the end of a leash?

Amy Graff