"Unleash Me"

Posted by Scott Williams
22 Comments
January 28, 2008
Family | Hmmmmm | Life Application | Why

I thought that I would share a post today that was inspired by my four year old son Jayden and many parents around the country.  Here is a glimpse of a conversation that we had while shopping in Target this weekend:   

  • Jayden: Dad, why do they have that kid on a leash?
  • Me: Jayden, use your inside voice son.
  • Jayden: I though leashes were for Dogs!
  • Me: Uhhh, (Trying to make a u-turn on the isle)
  • Wesley: Jayden, it’s so that their kid can be trapped and not run off.
  • Me: Laughing very hard, with my inside voice.  (LNOL, Laughing not out loud) 

kid-leash.jpgIf you look at this picture you will see the child-leash harness looking thing.  You know exactly what I’m talking about; you have seen those moms and some dad’s in public walking around the mall, amusement parks, grocery stores, Target, the park…. with their child on a leash.    Give me a break, is it just me or is that ridiculous and irritating?  Those children always have that look on their face, as if to say “Unleash Me.” 

For the Love…. if you are one of those parents who put your child on a leash; please stop the madness and just put them in a stroller; may I simply say “Bless Your Heart!”

Does this irritate you?  Agree, disagree…. discuss and share your thoughts! 

Are there areas of your life in which you are screaming “Unleash Me?”

  • http://www.blog.aaronhavens.com aaron

    so did we use this on our kids? (no way…Why, who says? do you have pictures?)

    well we actually did use it once. It’s great a letting your child get out energy that will come out to bite you later. Why did we not use it again, well people looked at us funny.

    so i guess the part of my life that is screaming “unleash me” is the part that cares so much about what people think.

  • http://www.annameadows.com Anna Meadows

    Unleash me to my full potential! Unleash me to all that You have for me, Lord!

    I hate those things… it’s a horrible substitue for even more horrible parenting… if you have to put your kid on a leash, you’re not parenting them strongly enough! The end.

  • http://littlepastor.blogspot.com Jonathan

    I only see it’s usefulness if the leashed kid is then tied to a tree or something. :)

  • http://jennifercady.blogspot.com/ Jenn Cady

    Now do these come with the shock collar option? Ha! Ha! Ha! I wonder if there are any psychological repercussions from the leash? I am sure there is a study out there somewhere! How about… Unleash my laundry…Does it EVER END!

  • http://www.manymeadows.blogspot.com Robin Meadows

    Love it! I’m living an “unleashed” life right now!! This is such a fruitful time in my life—it blesses my socks off!

    Leashes for kids? Give me a break…If they need a leash now, what will they need when the kids are teen? Yikes!

  • http://cindybeall.wordpress.com Cindy Beall

    Ahh, Miss Meadows…spoken like a woman without her own children! I do love you even though I disagree with you.

    For those of you who know Seth Joseph…dear Lord, I considered getting an electric fence to keep the boy in the yard. The child is a maniac. He ran out in front of a car two days ago and is constantly trying to steal donuts in the lobby of NDUB…and he’s nearly 4! Imagine the child at 2! I SERIOUSLY thought about one of those harnesses but the approval addict in me said, “No way.” So, I opted for what you suggested, Scott…a stroller. It was hard to keep him in there because he’d lean over and touch the wheels. And don’t even get me started on what the child does in his 5-point harness car seat. And I consider myself a strong disciplinarian. I used to think, “Discipline them and they will be kept in line.” I’ve disciplined consistently every day and the child still causes me to pray, “Dear Lord, please help me keep this child alive!”

    Thanks for allowing me to monologue.

  • tony

    you have way too much time on your hands

  • http://www.greenups.com greenup

    Different strokes for different folks.
    .
    I do not consider leashes immoral or provably Wrong. While I can’t at this minute think of a compelling reason that one would significantly ease a situation more than other methods, I recognize that children that can walk do not necessarily have good impulse control (despite whatever “PERFECT” parenting COULD EVEN POSSIBLY be applied) and a leash would be one solution to containing (and occasionally preserving the life of) an impulsive, hyper child. All that said, I do not plan to use one on my children, though “hyper” and “spastic” are certainly terms that apply to mine.
    .
    How about Your heart? Are you Discerning the heart of the parent, or Judging them? You say to them “Bless your Heart”, but in a previous post, did you not say that that phrase has a similar meaning to “You’re an idiot!”?
    .
    “anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca, ‘ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” – Matthew 5:22
    .
    Now, I’m not sure that’s what you’re thinking, but one has to be careful about one’s thoughts.

  • http://patricksievert.wordpress.com Patrick Sievert

    It could be worse… Last time I saw my cousin she actually did have her five-year-old daughter in a stroller.

  • Scott Williams

    Aaron- Get free from that bro. BTW, I’m digging the consistent posts on your blog.
    Anna- Don’t be afraid to tell us how you really feel. :-)
    Jonathan- I just about choked. LOL
    Jenn- LOL, BTW- you and my wife have something in common w/ the laundry.
    Cindy- Thanks for sharing; I always enjoy hearing stories about Seth. Kids are awesome both good and bad; especially my boys… man they have their days and their moments.
    Tony- Not enough time on my hands, can you spare some. My time is so scheduled it’s rediculous. Blogging just happens to be part of that schedule.
    Greenup- you said…

    How about Your heart? Are you Discerning the heart of the parent, or Judging them? You say to them “Bless your Heart”, but in a previous post, did you not say that that phrase has a similar meaning to “You’re an idiot!”?

    It’s not my place to judge them, I will use your statement…. I am simply saying different strokes for different folks and that just happens to not be one of my strokes! :-)
    Patrick- It’s always funny to see a kid in the stroller when their feet are rubbing the wheels, the kid has muscles and they are like in the third grade!

  • tony

    gosh Scott – it was a joke abuot thinking too much about the importance of leashes! good grief – a little touchy aren’t we?

    and no – I won’t get into the game of my schedule’s importance to the kingdom vs. your schedule’s importance to the kingdom – good try, though

  • Scott Williams

    Tony- Cmon’ bro., I am definitely not touchy; It takes a lot to get me touchy: You generally would have to do something or talk about my wife, kids or mom to make me touchy and sometimes that’s a stretch. Touchy and sensitive is like having a leash on and others are controlling; I don’t want to have to say “Unleash Me!”

    You defintely read it wrong.. I always need to multiply time, borrow…. It has nothing to do with kingdom importance… Not my style! I digress. Thanks for the comment… :-)

  • http://www.nataliewitcher.blogspot.com Natalie Witcher

    I don’t like the way leashes look, but hey, if you’ve got a runner and he/she is happy staying connnected to you at 5 feet, and you’re not running around to keep them close then by all means enjoy the darn thing! It’s only a season. Just becuase a child is active and can’t stay right next to you doesn’t mean it’s a discipline problem. TO them 5 feet might just be close enough. :) I think for each family it’s got to be one of those “choose your battle” situations. I didn’t use it becuase either my munchkins were clingy, in a stroller, or had a butt whoopin cuz they wouldn’t stay by mommy

  • http://5and2fish.com Ryan

    Never put a leash on my boys, but I am working on inventing the weighted lead suit for children. It would be socially acceptable, burns more energy, and builds muscle and burns fat for your energetic toddler. :)

  • http://geppapa.blogspot.com chris g

    my wife and i are adopting from siberia and we have name our youngest jadon (same pronounciation as your jayden!)

  • http://www.ichilly.typepad.com Chilly

    Leash = cheap, ignorant, substitute for proper parenting. Ultimately, the result is the parent follows the child.

    – God could easily put us on a “leash” but he leads as a Shepherd relying on the truth of His Word that says, “we KNOW His voice and follow Him.”

  • Scott Williams

    Natalie- Well said; it’s all about choosing your battles.
    Ryan- Maybe a lifejacket w/ dumbells connected.
    Chris- My Jayden is awesome; i’m sure that tour Jadon is as well.
    Chilly- You don’t mess around bro. you get straight to the point. I might have to listen to some of your podcasts.

  • http://princessjes.wordpress.com princessjes

    O, Scott…wow!
    I saw someone at our campus with their kid in a leash…did I mention they were at church! It just made me laugh!

  • http://princessjes.wordpress.com princessjes

    O, forgot, and when they’re teens you just buy a lock for their door and lock them in till they’re 18…Then you let loose and they run wild, but they are no longer your responsibility…and nby then, hopefully the years of confinment have mellowed them out some!

  • http://i-am-catalyst.blogspot.com Antwon J. Davis

    I think leashes were designed for animals who need to be trained, not children who need to be disciplined. I guess this is supposed to be an innovative approach to parenting. It seems like a sell-out to discipline.

    There have been times where I’ve been in a church environment and it felt like a leash… a bunch of do’s and don’t's. It’s like “Bondage Academy” where you’re trained to think, behave and act a certain way. I hated it as a child and I still hate it today. That methodology of doing church is soon to be just as extinct as dinosaurs. God is so not like that. He doesn’t walk around with leashes strapped to us. He gave man free will to think and process information and choose. He doesn’t “train” us like dogs, He “disciplines” us like children.
    :-)

  • http://krystelkemper.blogspot.com Krystel

    Unleash…i think it’s so cruel! I get so aggrivated when I see parents that have their children on a leash, it’s like they can’t control their own child!

  • http://www.thechrisrogers.com Chris Rogers

    i could never do that, i can’t imagine treating my children like i do my dog.

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