Harness Backpacks

I know some people are very against using the harness backpacks on their kids. I however am not because its hard to control and hold onto 2 toddlers at once. Now that mine are wanting to walk everywhere and not ride much I need something especially when its just me and them out.

At what age did you start using them if you did use them?

 

I think we started around 18 months. We love them, they love them.

 

Our boys are walking well - they started walking at 11.5 months. I'm planning on getting a pair of them in the next month or so. They are getting so they don't like their strollers as much, so I'm thinking that might help if they can get out for a little bit at a time (and forget trying to hold them for more than a minute or two - not only do they want to get down, but they are heavy! 25 and 23 lbs).

 

I used them this spring for my older kids baseball games, so around 13/14 months or so.

 

DD started at 12 months (adjusted age) and DS is not quite ready yet. DD can walk fine but she can't yet follow directions well, so it can be hard when she is on the harness and trying to run away from the building to where we are going.

On a related note, how do you get two kiddos in harnesses into their car seats in an SUV when you are alone? I find that trying to get DD's harness off and her into her car seat (which is obviously up really high) requires my full attention and am concerned about taking my eyes off DS in order to accomplish this--KWIM? Maybe it will be easier when they are just a few months older?

 

start using them when they are walking! do it now!

you hold on tight to the one twin that's harnessed and take the other twin's harness off and put them in the carseat. it's such a necessity!

One thing that we've done is to practice walking in the driveway or neighborhood with them in them holding your hands. I only used the "leashes" as a backup, and trying to help them be a training tool to get the kids used to holding hands. good luck!

 

I started using ours around 16 months but I should have gotten them when they turned 1. I just didn't get around to getting them until 16 months. I love them and they don't mind. It does get a little embarrassing when all of a sudden they start to crawl while i'm holding the leash in the middle of the mall with me telling them they are not dogs. :rotflmbo:

 

Could you please elaborate. I only have two hands, and I am picturing needing at least three!

 

haha!

loop your hand through the end of the leash and it will slide up to your elbow... then you can use your hands for the twin in the car.

tell the one outside still to "hold your pocket" or something to keep them nearby so that they don't go running off and get stopped by the leash and then bump their heads or something on the car door etc. it's not the easiest, but at least they are fairly safe... you can also get them in "good enough" and then come back to the 1st twin after you get the 2nd twin in... though make sure that you come back to tighten up... or just take the extra minute to get the 1st in right the first time.

 

I put both of mine in the vehicle at the same time. Then buckle one at a time into their seats. We have a Yukon XL with captains chairs in the middle row and a bench seat in the back row. I put both the twins into the middle, climb in with them, remove harness's and then buckle them in, or leave the harness's on if I'm in a rush and take them off at home.

 

How long did it take your kids to get used to the harness? We have used ours a handful of times, but they always run to the end of their harness and get yanked back when they reach the end and fall. It's frustrating because it ends in more tears than it's worth.

 

We have them, never really needed them as a nice benefit of shy kids is they stay close.

They love to "walk" each other around the house. And the favorite game lately is they put them on and are reindeer and I am Santa - we run around the house delivering gifts to dolls, bears, and the dog :laughing:

 

I found that I had to actually tell them about the leash and that they needed to stay near me. I try to hold their hands to help facilitate this.

LOVE that!! how imaginative!

 

I call it a "leash" too. And I don't feel the least bit bad about that!