Never Say Never

I used to hate those 'kid leashes.' My husband thinks they are hilarious. He got one from his sister and couldn't wait to use it with our kids. Something about a Saturday Night Live skit where a hyperactive, overgrown kid runs through the streets dragging a set of monkey bars behind him on his leash. I pretty much made the leash 'disappear.' Then, oh...then, I gave birth to this:That kid you see there is 22 months old. Before he could walk, he could climb. When he was 10 months old, he figured out that he could climb on the kitchen table and swing the chandelier back and forth. He has become incredible proficient at wiggling his way out of various harnesses. While he still appreciates a good ride in the stroller or the backpack, it is clear that my stroller/backpack days are numbered. This poses a problem, because the kid in question is lacking that pesky little thing called 'fear.' Without some sort of restraint, a simple trip to Walmart could end with me curling up in the fetal position in the tire aisle while he climbs the 10 foot tall pyramid of Turtle Wax. That would not be good. Something had to be done, and I hate to say it, but the leash seemed appropriate. I found an awesome tutorial for a leash, which also doubles as a shopping cart/highchair harness. This harness is very easy to put together. I only wish that I had left a little more strap for myself at the top seams, because I already have to pick it out due to fraying. It is very easy to use, and fits perfect. He's not too sure about the whole thing, but I am hoping he'll get used to it. Here are the pro's and con's of using a kid leash, as I see it:

Pros

• Knowing that your kid can only go so far from you is nice
• While I haven't tried it out yet, I think that it will render the shopping cart inescapable for him, which will be nice for me.
• Watching your kid run full blast, only to realize that the leash only goes so far

Cons

• Despite being on the leash, a kid can still get into a lot of trouble, and grab at a lot of merchandise, while on the leash
• The feelings of guilt after laughing when your kid just clothes-lined himself (Like...should I really think that's funny?)
• Same concept as walking a dog: if the kid runs in circles around your legs, you are rendered pretty much useless until you untangle yourself

What's that you say? Oh...yes. I will stop rambling and show you actual pictures of the thing. I'll try to get some action shots and post those later.