Harness for 2yr old?

[shygirl]

My 2 year old son likes to run away from me when we are in public places. He doesn't like the stroller and always want to be let down. When he is free he gets this devilish grin and takes off. He doesn't even turn around to check if I am still there! How can I train my toddler to stay with me when we cruise. I would hate to have to leash him with a harness/strap.

 

We have a little over a month to go before sailing, any help would be great.

 

Sara

[gerif]

Don't know how you can train your child to stay with you, but I was a "wanderer" at his age - after nearly losing me in an amusement park, my mom got a harness and leash - worked very well, too, and I somehow managed to grow up without too many psychological issues!

[seagulls]

I can't see anything wrong with a harness. It is just like holding onto his hand or his jacket to keep him from getting away from you, only the harness gives him a bit more freedom.

[aka_sally]

shygirl,

 

Whenever I see a mom with her toddler on a "leash" I think "Good for her"!!! You know your child best - had his safety comes first. Some of my friends had little "runners" and the best thing that ever happened was when the mom got up the nerve to use a harness...

 

Go for it!

[disney1st]

Morning...the harness works used with our 3yr old at Disney world,4 yr old had the wrist one. It was either stroller or the harness leash.We where lucky they took the choices.When you use this method though be ready for the nagatives(Thats a child not an animal.You should be reported.etc.)But when I saw or heard of a small one at lost persons or the frantic parent looking that week I knew I made a positive choice to keep my child safe.;)

[Rene in TN]

When my daughter was 2 I also used the harnes while traveling alone with her. Yes, some people stared, buy who cares. I knew she could not get away from me. DD could have cared less that she was harnessed.

[EmJakeBubbie]

my grown son suffers no ill effects from being "leashed" - rather harnessed than overboard! we even used same on the grandchildren! have fun and yes, Better Safe than Sorry!

[pkmason]

If you are thinking if trying a harness, I would suggest a trial run. A friend gave us one and the first time or two we had our little guy in it he threw a fit. He was fine after that.

[estherhead]

If you are thinking if trying a harness, I would suggest a trial run. A friend gave us one and the first time or two we had our little guy in it he threw a fit. He was fine after that.

 

My two year old too. COuldn't keep her next to me for anything, got a harness, she freaked comletely out (put it on her for the first time at Magic Kingdom) and she never ran away again! Better than time outs for sure. Or, if they don't mind wearing it than you know they are safe.

[cusyl]

I think a harness is a great idea. Those terrible twos can be very dangerous on a ship. Too many places to get hurt. Have a wonderful trip.

[shygirl]

I have an older 8 year old and never had this problem with him. This past summer we were at an art museum and I tried the wrist one for the first time. My 20 month old had a full blown arch your back kicking and screaming fit in the middle of the gallery. I was so mortified we ended taking him outside and never going back in.

 

I will try the body harness type. Perhaps a test run at the mall before we get to the ship.

 

Thanks for all your advice

 

Sara

[LHT28]

When my brothers were small we always had them on a harness.

They were safe, sometime they didn't like it but too bad. They were not lost or taken by strangers.

That was almost 45 yrs ago and time have changed since then but if it were me I would still use a harness if you cannot get the child to stay close by.

 

My mom always told be that any stranger may take me away so I never had the harness I would be on the porch if anybody was within a block of the house.:)

[mom2cats]

I have a harness for my 2 year old and I'm planning to use it on our cruise! She isn't a runner, but she is very strong and if she wanted to get away, she would.

 

Mine is from the One Step Ahead catalog but there are a bunch out there!

[serene56]

I dont like the wrist leash-- it could break their little wrist if something were to go wrong.. (like a quik fall) a harness is great. I have my 21 year old son today because I used that leash. If I didnt Im sure he would have been run over by a car or something else. My harness kept my son safe

[AWOL]

Our daugher has been traveling with us on cruses since she was 6 months old. Two cruises ago on Holland America (she was 20 months old) I started using a wrist restraint. We were not on the ship for 30 minutes when she tried to crawl through the rails. That was all the encouragement we needed. Any time we were on an outside deck she wears a wrist restraint. We do get a lot of statements, usually from older folks, and I tell them the story and state I would rather have her wear a wrist restraint than climb between the rails and fall overboard. After that, they all agree. It is NOT SAFE to have a 2 year old on board any ship without having them on a restraint system. It only takes 30 seconds for them to climb through the rails and that is not a chance I want to take. We are going on a month long cruise from Singapore to Australia this month and I can guarantee that any time our daughter is on an outide deck she will have a restraint. To not have a restraint is dangerous on a ship and not a chance I wish to take.

[AWOL]

Our daugher has been traveling with us on cruses since she was 6 months old. Two cruises ago on Holland America (she was 20 months old) I started using a wrist restraint. We were not on the ship for 30 minutes when she tried to crawl through the rails. That was all the encouragement we needed. Any time we were on an outside deck she wears a wrist restraint. We do get a lot of statements, usually from older folks, and I tell them the story and state I would rather have her wear a wrist restraint than climb between the rails and fall overboard. After that, they all agree. It is NOT SAFE to have a 2 year old on board any ship without having them on a restraint system. It only takes 30 seconds for them to climb through the rails and that is not a chance I want to take. We are going on a month long cruise from Singapore to Australia this month and I can guarantee that any time our daughter is on an outide deck she will have a restraint. To not have a restraint is dangerous on a ship and not a chance I wish to take.

[AWOL]

Our daugher has been traveling with us on cruses since she was 6 months old. Two cruises ago on Holland America (she was 20 months old) I started using a wrist restraint. We were not on the ship for 30 minutes when she tried to crawl through the rails. That was all the encouragement we needed. Any time we were on an outside deck she wears a wrist restraint. We do get a lot of statements, usually from older folks, and I tell them the story and state I would rather have her wear a wrist restraint than climb between the rails and fall overboard. After that, they all agree. It is NOT SAFE to have a 2 year old on board any ship without having them on a restraint system. It only takes 30 seconds for them to climb through the rails and that is not a chance I want to take. We are going on a month long cruise from Singapore to Australia this month and I can guarantee that any time our daughter is on an outide deck she will have a restraint. To not have a restraint is dangerous on a ship and not a chance I wish to take.