Weigh in on the Child Harness Trend

Most child harnesses just seem cruel. Visually, they are one step above walking a Chihuahua . Now that I have two young children instead of just one, child harnesses seem safe and practical, especially the Blue Ridge Grow With Me Purse or Backpack with Harness.

The over-the-shoulder toddler-sized purse in two-tone pink sports white concentric circles and a flower on the flap. The backpack looks sporty in orange, blue, and lime green, and features a mesh sippy-cup holder with elastic grip.

The waist tether, which comes in pink and blue, respectively, is removable and adjustable.

The Grow With Me Harness is available in the current Babies R Us catalog for just $14.95. (Although the catalog indicates this item is available online, I have been unable to locate it on the website). For no more than the cost of a regular shoulder and chest harness, you can keep track of young children at the mall or the fair without trapping them in strollers (and possibly forgo a diaper bag, if you pack just a diaper and wipes).

My daughter wants the harness at Target that looks like a puppy ($9.99). She said that since I will not allow her to have a dog, I can take her and her brother for walks on their new leashes. "It will be just like walking puppies!" They also have a bear. The fair just came through our town, and I hear tell of a monkey harness for the same price at Wal-Mart that appears to be all the rage.

And yes, I have a humor piece on Imperfect Parent.com, which you can link to at left, called "Stick a Fork In It," which includes my tongue-in-cheek impression of the child harness trend. Shameless plug over...

Child harnesses...hip and happenin' or heinous?