During a recent trip to Disneyland, former The Bachelor stars Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon did what was necessary to keep their two-year-old son Dawson safe; they used a kid leash.
As the soon-to-be parents of two admitted, there son, like most toddlers, “runs all over the place,” so when they were visiting a busy place like Disneyland, “of course our kid’s gonna be on a leash.”
“But I’ve seen too many videos of people trying to snatch kids in Orlando—or just like everywhere in the world, but specifically Orlando—because obviously it’s a kid zone,” Jared explained to E! News. “My kids going to be on a friggin’ leash, sorry not sorry.”
But of course, the decision to put Dawson on a “leash” didn’t come without judgement from other parents. “It bugs me so many times when people who are not parents are like judging parents,” Jared continued.
And Ashley agreed with her husband’s sentiments. “We had so many looks when he was on the leash. I’m like, ‘You gotta be kidding.'”
There isn’t a lot of date on kids on leashes, so it’s unclear what the right answer is in situations like this. In a 2019 article from Good Housekeeping, Ray Kleposki, R.N., M.S.N., CPNP, a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Fracture Clinic at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas and Frisco, admitted that they’ve “never seen a safety harness injury. That said, a harness doesn’t substitute for close and appropriate child supervision.”
However, Benjamin Hoffman, M.D., F.A.A.P., chair of the injury prevention council at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), added that while there isn’t a lot of data out there, “As a pediatrician, I’m not happy to see children leashed like pets. As the father of three, I am well aware of how quick, impulsive, and unpredictable kids can be. But from an injury standpoint, I would worry about entanglement or choking — we know the risks of other loose ‘cords,’ like on window blinds.”
As is with post parenting decisions, it should be left up to the mom and dad. Whatever feels right for them should be respected, in most cases.
And Ashley and Jared got a fair amount of support on social media. Real Housewives star Kyle Richards understood where Ashley and Jared were coming from, admitting she used the tethers too when her children were young.
“I use to put one on my kids there as well,” Richards wrote on Instagram. “Tt had a plush animal on it that went on like a backpack so the kids loved it and it gave them the freedom to walk around without getting lost in crowds and G-d forbid abducted. Maybe calling it a “leash” is the issue. It’s being smart.”
Another commenter agreed, adding, “If they weren’t nicknamed ‘leashes’ and instead called ‘safety lines’ literally no one would have an issue with these.”
Karlie Rae, who is married to former Olympian Ryan Lochte, also commented that she sees nothing wrong with using the apparatuses to keep children safe. “Why do they need to explain this…..I’d put my kid on a leash in Costco.”
“You only have to lose a child once and you understand. Please support the parents out there for keeping their children safe,” another parent added.
Where do you stand on the debate? Are you pro kid leashes? Or against them?
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