Indian mom in New York City explains why she used leash on 3-year-old: 'We're not ashamed'

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

An Indian mother of two has addressed critics online after a video of her child wearing a leash during a family trip to New York City drew attention. Shubhangi Jagota, an Indian woman living in Canada, shared a clip of her 3.5-year-old son running and jumping around in Times Square, safely tethered to his father using a child leash. The Indian mom explained that the leash allowed their energetic toddler to explore the city while staying close.(Instagram/katchmyparty)
"He's 3.5 and we're not ashamed to say we put him on a leash. In a city like New York, this was hands-down the best decision for our trip. Our little runner always wants his freedom, and this gave him just that without giving us a heart attack every 5 minutes," she wrote in the caption.
Jagota explained that the leash allowed their energetic toddler to explore the city while staying close enough to be safe, without the stress of holding hands constantly or the fear of him wandering off.
Take a look at the video here:
"He got to explore without holding hands every second. We got peace of mind knowing he wasn't getting lost or—let's be real—stolen. The best part? He thought we were on the leash. He called himself the sheriff and us his captives. Honestly, everyone was winning," she added.
The mom shared that she used two different types of leashes, a shorter one in crowded areas and a longer one in open spaces, to balance freedom with safety. Comments on the video were turned off, seemingly to avoid backlash.
While safety harnesses are widely used in places like theme parks, airports, shopping malls, and festivals, the practice often draws criticism online, with some calling it 'inhumane' or 'lazy parenting.' However, parents of toddlers, especially those with more than one child, often defend the tool as a practical safety measure, particularly in unfamiliar or high-traffic environments.