'They are humans, not dogs’: Dad shamed for putting child LEASHES on his quintuplets out on a walk
After a video of a Kentucky father walking his five children went viral, he was the target of a social media uproar. In the video which was posted on Instagram, the dad and his quintuplets can be seen going for a walk while all 5 kids are restrained by leashes. The social media was quick to judge dad Jordan Driskell, 31, take his kids Zoey, Dakota, Hollyn, Asher, and Gavin out for a walk on leashes recently.
“Come walk a mile in my shoes,” Jordan captioned his clip, seeming to defend his use of the restraining device. After receiving backlash the father of 5 has since justified himself, saying that it's a secure way for him to monitor all kids outside. Jordan claims that he and his wife, Briana, 34, prefer to take the kids outside in this manner because it provides them 'peace of mind and sanity.' Jordan revealed to Today that his children enjoy going off to explore because of their curiosity.
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Jordan explained: “Kids are so curious — they want to run off and explore. For our own peace of mind and sanity, we use a leash. It also allows us to leave the house and do fun stuff as a family without being stressed. The other thing is, they want to walk when we go somewhere crowded. A leash gives them the opportunity to do that — but we’re still in control. They love it.”
Instgram users were divided over the video that went viral.
“They are humans, not dogs!” said a user.
“Just a dad taking his pet sperm for a walk. Mind ya business,” another user added.
A user wrote, “Can’t you just train your children well? Explain to them why it’s dangerous to run away?”
“Don’t have that many kids if you can’t handle the pressure,” someone advised the dad. “That’s messed up. If you can’t handle that many children don’t get them in the first place,” yet another user remarked.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Hoffman, a doctor, and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) injury prevention council, previously Good Housekeeping that he discourages using child leashes because of the possibility of a child falling. He said, “As a pediatrician, I'm not happy to see children leashed like pets. As the father of three, I am well aware of how quick, impulsive, and unpredictable kids can be. But from an injury standpoint, I would worry about entanglement or choking: we know the risks of other loose cords, like on window blinds. I've personally witnessed parents pull back forcefully on a leash, resulting in a fall, often backwards.”
According to Assistant Professor Paige Safyer of Arizona State University's School of Social Work, it's crucial to let your child explore so they may learn about safety.
According to Family.com, Paige said, “Children need to know that when they’re exploring, they have a safe base to go back to, which is often their primary caregiver or teacher. They need to be shown what’s safe and what’s not, and talk through these explanations with an adult. A leash can’t take the place of these conversations. When they’re young, children are able to understand a lot more than they can express, so it’s really important for adults to take the time to explain how things work. Just as you would explain to a child why you hold their hand as you cross a busy street, I think the same information should be given if the child is put on a leash.”
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