Anyone use a harness or wrist strap?

[amandanmv]

Just wondered if anyone had a recommendation? I'm thinking of just doing a wrist strap, but we'll see how much he tries to pull away from me. DS will be 5 in January and he's a bolter. He's at 50 lbs now and too heavy for me to lift into the cart in the store but it's impossible to hold his hand and push a buggy when shopping so I have to do a harness.

I bought one tonight from babies r us, but it's too small. He's a solid big boy (most people think he's already 5 or 6 because of his size....he's tall for his age) I'm thinking if I go with a harness I'm going to have to make him one. Good think I sew.

[LynnS6]

My kids were younger when we used them (they were under 2). I found the harness worked better because it gave me 'full body control'. With the wrist strap, my dd at least, was able to undo it and it bothered her. The harness wasn't as noticable. The wrist strap also make me worried that I'd dislocate their elbow (nursemaid's elbow).

[Petie1104]

I have, some days I wish I could find ours. But we used a harness with dd until she was about 5 1/2 depending on where we were going. If we went through an airport even today I'd probably still try to find something to use. DD would have been able to undo a wrist strap, so we used the harness, I just felt better about that one. Plus it was a fun one that was a teddy bear backpack and the tail was the part you hold onto, so she loved her teddy backpack.

[amandanmv]

We went trick or treating tonight and I brought along a wrist strap I had that I never had to use with DD. He did fine, but once it got dark, I slipped it on his belt instead of around his wrist and it worked great. I'll be using it everywhere from now on so he can enjoy the freedom of walking. He tried to run down a hill in someone's driveway once and thankfully he had the strap on or he would've run into the road.
I think I'll just make sure he's wearing a belt and attach it to the belt instead of his wrist. I bought a harness, but it was too small. I found one online for special needs kids (that are made larger) but they're $50.

[elmh23]

I'm glad you found something that would work! I love our harness, but ds is only 3 and small for his age, so it wouldn't work with your son.

[~cassie]

I have a money harness(the full body one) and love it, my 2 yr old is a bolter and my 3 yr old is a runaway fit thrower so it definitely comes in handy when I have the 2 of them together by myself.