Why I designed my own Child Safety Harness
I designed my own Child Harness because I felt a new and realistic approach to children’s harnesses was required to address the shortcomings of some other harnesses on the market.
In my opinion, a "safety" harness that does up in the front, or has a lead that the child can reach around and detach themselves, or is made with stitching that may not withstand more than a few tantrums is not very "safe" and not a product for me.
But toddler harnesses are difficult to find and when my husband eventually found a leather one, I used it with limited success.
I didn't like the store-bought leather toddler harness...
- it did up in the front, making it easy for my 2 1/2 year old to remove
- the lead was detachable and so short it was not much different from holding hands
- the ‘reins’ design was very restricting for my boys and yanked uncomfortably on me
- the leather was stiff, of poor quality and cracked at stress points soon after initial use
- the part of the harness that took the tension during a tugging match was the wrist strap and this actually broke, but thankfully not when my oldest was throwing one of his fits trying to cross the street
- it was uncomfortable for my boys when they were lying in the stroller/car seat but because of the stiff leather, it was also difficult to continuously put on and remove
- it did not expand enough to fit over a winter coat - a Toddler Harness that didn't fit my toddler!
- it could not be folded into a stroller bag/purse and was difficult to compact in any way for transporting
Features I wanted in my own Safety Harness
This wasn't rocket science! I just wanted a basic toddler harness that would keep my boys safe and be easy for me to use!
- a Safety Harness that buckled at the back
- that had a long lead to give my boys a sense of freedom
- and it had to be made of strong, flexible material with stitching I could trust not to come apart at all, and especially not at a dangerous time.
Problems my customers have had with other toddler harnesses
A number of my customers have spent money on other toddler harnesses before purchasing one from me. Some of the stories I have heard include:
- a Mom telling me how quickly her 18 month old could remove the velcro wrist strap from his arm when she tried using the Wrist Link with him
- a Mom who bought my toddler harness to replace the one she had because her old one did up at her daughter's back with velcro
- many parents have told me their child did not like the bulk of the animal's head at the back of their neck when they tried using the animal backpack harness. I also had one parent tell me they were tired of stitching it back together...
- I made a Safety Harness for a Mom whose 6 year old liked to ‘hide’ when they went shopping and she needed a harness he could not remove.
Whose Safety Harness should you buy?
You know your child better than anyone and you know how much security you need in a safety harness to keep your child safe.
If you think about your child's behaviour, then look at the features and durability of an inexpensive harness from a local store, you will know if you can or cannot trust that harness to keep you and your child together.
An inexpensive harness with a 2 1/2 foot detachable lead that attaches to your child's back with a plastic D-ring and a plastic snap-hook may be perfect for your needs, it may not.
Recently a father told me the lead on the animal backpack harness he was using with his 3 year old son broke when they were descending some outdoor metal stairs. His son fell face first down the stairs, broke his nose and his face was a mess.
Of all the stories I have heard from my customers about inexpensive harnesses coming apart at a bad time, this one had to be mentioned.
My Child Harness costs $35 (Cdn or US) plus shipping. That's more than pocket change but it will last you for years and it will last you for more than one child.
But most importantly, you know it's been made by a Mom who understands that it's critical to be able to trust the strength and durability of that harness ALL THE TIME.
You can read more about the features of my Child Harness and how to put on the Safety Harness if you would like more information.
Order your Child Safety Harness
Do your research. Take a few minutes to look at other designs and their prices and what you get for that price. Try to be smarter than me and try to get it right the first time.
If you have done all that and you've ended up here and would like me to make a Safety Harness for your child, you can order your harness by using my order form.
Please see my pricing page for shipping details and the cost of any Accessories that can be ordered with your harness. Thanks so much.
