This Leash Demeans Us Both.. Not Really

Matthew is going through a very frustrating phase. He hates his stroller, car seat, or anything that restrains him and he also does not like to walk while holding my hand. When I hold his hand he immediately drops to the ground in protest and refuses to go any further. I discovered the solution while at the Houston International Festival.. a crowded event in Downtown Houston this past weekend. The solution: his monkey harness. Some might call it a baby leash but I say, "Nay Nay", it is a monkey backpack with a long tail with a loop handle at the end. I will let you be the judge.

Okay, maybe these photos don't support my argument, but I must say the monkey leash really came in handy. Nothing is scarier than the possibility of loosing a curious toddler in a crowd of people in the city. I enjoyed watching the varying reactions by passersby. Some looked at me like, "Wow, that is the most useful thing every.. I need to get one for my toddler". Other's looked at me in a condescending way as if to say, "I would never do that to my child". The latter passersby obviously have never had a 20 month old overly independent boy. I have a cousin who is an adult now. His parents had to use a leash to keep track of him.. he was the youngest of six. Some might think that he was traumatized because he grew up with the nickname "Pooch". But I think of the more positive side.. he is a great guy with a terrific sense of humor. The downside is that he occasionally scratches his ear with his back leg.