Whether to Tether?

The sight that always cracks me up is the sight of a child on a leash. The visual of a child being walked on a leash…looking like they should be on all fours…is one that makes me look twice and chuckle.

I understand why some parents would want to walk their child like a dog in public places. Small kids like to wander off…and there is nothing worse than the fear you have when you think your child is missing. It is instant panic.

And I know this because Colinboy used to do this to me on a regular basis. I never lost him, or came close to it, but there were many times that I felt I lost him forever…even if it was for a split second.

This mostly occurred when shopping in clothing stores. His modus operandi was to hide under the circular clothing racks and not answer when I called him. Maybe it was his way to get me to stop shopping and immediately leave the store, or maybe to watch his mother turn into a Looney Tunes character…but his antics worked on both accounts.

After the initial shock and fear, I would be so happy when I found him and so p o’d when I found him. I’d give him a big hug...and a big scolding about hiding from his mother. I’d lecture him about stranger danger...and tell him about all the time-outs he was going to get later…and threaten him that I was going to send him to bed without…dessert. He would look at me with his baby browns...and flash a smile…as we left the store holding hands headed for home.

Anywho……

I’m thinking the child leash would have saved me from a lot of aggravation. I could have had many hours of worry-free, hassle-free, headache-free shopping. But then again…knowing Colinboy…maybe not. With a leash tethered to his back…he probably would have resorted to barking, panting, and lifting his leg to pee…granting him his intended result...an early exit from the store.