Leashed Minion:
You may have read the other SaS articles in this blog or one of he other ones I have written and now know I have two girls 2 and 6 years old. Going out with my minions can be an interesting experience as each child is vastly different from the other. My eldest was a rather placid kid and the second one is constantly climbing the furniture (anything taller than her) and running off in all directions when possible. The kid has no fear and is all muscle.
Now that Miss F is nearly 3 (July) she is testing our limits on behavior seeing what she can get away with, all kids go through this stage a few times. When we go out as a family she loves to explore a bit but always stays within a few meters and returns after a few moments (always in sight).
Due to two incidents while out with the family, she did a runner at a very crowded Belmore Basin playground during the New Years Eve fireworks. She was only gone a few minutes but was found safely. Freaked us all out.
Just two weeks ago she did it again at the same location, my husband and I were talking and also watching both our girls when in a blink of an eye she was gone. The park was busy but not crowded so we could move around people kinda freely. After about 5 mins (or eternity as it felt like) of frantic searching from both of us, my husband found her 1km away about to cross the road!!
After these incidents and a few catches at other times, we all lost trust in her when out with her. So for some peace of mind and safety I invested in a backpack with a leash. Miss F loves it as she can put little things in it but occasionally gets a bit annoyed with the leash part but forgets about it after a few seconds, and we have been tangled up a little but she's safe.
The point of this post today is the looks strangers gave us while shopping lately, a kid on a leash has some likeness to a animal on a leash like a dog. It may seem demeaning but it is for her own safety.
(This isn't my daughter but it is the same bag I used for her. Source: Google Images)
So I am prepared if someone comments on Miss F wearing this I will just kindly inform them that she's a runner or flight risk. The use of these things is invaluable especially when I am distracted by paying for stuff in a shop, talking to receptionists in offices or any other grown up interaction when I am alone with her. Also the fact that I am hearing impaired and unable to hear her if she takes off make this contraption even handier.