Raising children these days can be challenging. Young parents not only have to hear opinions from family members but also deal with random strangers on the internet commenting on their parenting methods.
Jordan Driskell is a young father of quintuplets, who are now 5 years old. As you can imagine, looking after five children of the same age can be quite taxing, especially at 5 years old when children are curious and love to explore.
31-year-old dad, Jordan Driskell decided to find a creative solution to his problem. He bought leashes meant for children to control his rambunctuous little kids when they are in public together.
In the past, Driskell had a 6-seat stroller that they used for their big family. However, that grew tiresome very quickly because the kids would be bothered when inside it. The stroller was also incredibly inconvenient to take anywhere.
This helps the little kids get to wander and explore their surroundings when the family goes out without their dad losing sight or control of them and hence keep them safe!
Driskell posted a video of the family’s outing to the acquarium that caused a lot of negative feedback directed towards the parents. The video of the kids on leashes went viral with over 3 million views. Hundreds of people commented about how the children were not animals and hence should not have been leashed.
Others commented, “If you can’t manage the pressure, don’t have so many kids.”
Other offered disdain masked as advice, “Can’t you just properly train your children?” Discuss to them why fleeing is risky.”
Dr. Deborah Gilboa, an expert in parenting and adolescent development, has a different opinion. She does not believe that using a leash will make a child feel like an animal. If the alternative to a leash is staying at home, then the leash is a much better option.
Dr. Gilboa said a leash is a great tool for younger children or neurodiverse children to be controlled in a public environment. However, she noted that if a neurotypical child is still on a leash by the age of eight or nine and has not developed their listening skills, that might be problematic.
By that age, parents should be able to effectively communicate with their children verbally instead of relying on tools like leashes.
Parents should have the freedom to parent the way they want without facing unneccesary judgement from society.
What do you think of children on leashes in public? Let us know in the comments below. Share this article with friends and family to know what they think as well!
