Jul

30

To Tether or not to Tether?

Filed Under World Travels 

tether my child in airportMy mother insisted that I purchase a harness while traveling alone with my little girl to France this year.

Now, it’s not like my daughter is still a young toddler, she’s 3 1/2 years old now, has been on many airplanes and certainly knows how to listen - (when she chooses.) I couldn’t see myself as one of those mother’s who ties up her child - after all, I have control. Right?

But you know how mothers are. Insistent. And I have one.

So I told my Mum I’d go shopping and see what I could find. - It was never my intent to actually use it, but just to bring it over to my parents house in France, and show them that yes, indeed, I had a harness.

So I found this cute little pink leash thing. I hate to call it a leash, but that gives you the visual. K was with me when I bought it (only $3.00!) and insisted that we try it right then, at home. So I looped one end around her belt and the the other around my wrist and K tugged and pulled and stayed and heeled and played doggie and loved the thing.

Surprise.

I still had no intention of actually walking through an airport with my little darling on a leash. That is until I got into line with my suitcase, passports, boarding passes, carry on and a problem with our ticket.

The agent never exactly told me what was wrong, but she was re-routing us through Africa to get to France or not, and making sure our luggage wouldn’t arrive in Portugal. K was fussy since it was 5:30 AM, and she decided her throat felt like the Sahara. I’d dumped all liquid in preparation for our top notch security clearances. Since she couldn’t have a drink that instant, she started to play that ‘hide behind the jumbo suitcase’ game with the man waiting behind us in line and out came that tether faster than you can say lost child.

K still fussed, but now I could concentrate on the tickets and the passports and taking my shoes off without the worry of K running to the water fountain on the other side of security without me.

So yea, I guess I am the kind of mom who tethers her child. Who knew.

~~~~~~~~~

Want one?

Amazon tethers and harnesses:

Walk-O-Long Blue Hawaiian

Walk-O-Long Pink Hawaiian

Comments

5 Responses to “To Tether or not to Tether?”

  1. Heatherk on July 30th, 2007 9:52 am

    A fun-reading blog with the wise message,”Better safe than sorry”

  2. dawn on July 30th, 2007 4:49 pm

    When it comes to juggling a zillion things when there’s a very real risk of losing said kid? I think leashes are pretty dang swell!

  3. DeAnne Dingwall on July 31st, 2007 7:59 am

    I had better be ready to go for a walk or get out of the car when my darling sees his tether. It speaks volumes about the freedom of ‘going’, nothing of the fear of restriction. Of course, my darling is a dog!

  4. Cindy on August 3rd, 2007 6:25 pm

    I’d rather get a bunch of stares than have to worry about a running toddler through the airport with all the other commotions going on around us! There is something to be said about ease of mind or a least some form of sanity for a mom.

  5. Jane "toddlers ahoy" Brown on December 29th, 2007 6:06 am

    If you have to, for your own sanity, then do it. I’d prefer to carry the kid, or use a stroller… but in an airport that may not be possible.

Leave a Reply