A father of five, 31-year-old Jordan Driskell from Kentucky, caused an online debate by leashing his five-year-old quintuplets – Zoey, Dakota, Hollyn, Asher, and Gavin – during a walk. He shared the video on his Instagram.
In the clip, Jordan skillfully managed to walk all five of his kids by holding onto ropes tied to each of them with one hand.
The Instagram video went viral, amassing 70,000 views and nearly 600 comments. While some criticized him for using leashes on his toddlers.
“They are not dogs. How about teaching [them] what to do?” wrote someone.
“But teachers can look after 30 kids without using leashes,” said another.
“Are you gonna train them to pull a sleigh next? Which one has the red nose? Are any of them rescued?” wrote another one.
“Don’t have so many kids,’ quipped one commenter, while someone else said, ‘Those kids are way too old to be walked on a leash like a d**n dog.” a fourth added.
Numerous comments rallied behind the father of five, praising his actions and showing support for his decisions.
“I have nothing but respect for you sir. Better safe than sorry. If I had that many I would do the same. Rock on!” said one.
Another wrote: “With five kids you need that… Responsible parenting right here.”
The comments continued, such as “Considering my two-year-old tried to bolt into the street, yeah, we use leashes now too.” “Keeping them safe is priority number one. So you’re all good, sir. It’s not hurting them in any way.”
“There’s nothing wrong with this, I think it’s brilliant. I always used a baby harness with reigns on my two so they were always by me,”
“Not going to lie, some kids need leashes, nothing wrong with not wanting to lose your child every time you look away,”
Following his video’s viral spread on social platforms, Jordan made an appearance on the Today Show, where he shared that his kids tend to run off and scatter when they’re out.
Hence, both he and his wife, Brianna, reached a mutual decision to employ leashes, prioritizing their children’s safety.
He said: “Kids are so curious – they want to run off and explore. For our peace of mind and sanity, we use a leash. It allows us to leave the house and do fun as a family without being stressed.”
He explained that initially, they used strollers for the kids, but the logistics became challenging as two people couldn’t handle five strollers or even a five-seat stroller at once.
He added: “It was just too bulky and ridiculous to take anywhere. The other thing is, they want to walk when we go somewhere crowded. A leash allows them to do that – but we’re still in control. They love it.”
According to the Daily Mail, Benjamin Hoffman, a pediatrician, and chairman of the injury prevention council at the AAP, advises against using leashes on children, as reported in Good Housekeeping.
The pediatrician 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 backward. I worry about injuries to the head and limbs in that scenario. As a pediatrician, I would never recommend them. I would rather see a child in a stroller than on a leash,” he added.
According to the outlet, Dr. Deborah Gilboa expressed support for using leashes on children. She said for Today: “This isn’t treating kids like animals. This is creative problem-solving. The alternative would be just staying at home. It’s a great system for a parent with a neurodiverse child or a child who hasn’t nailed all their listening skills. 99.99 percent of moms and dads want what’s best for their kids, and they do it to solve a problem. Just because you can’t identify the problem doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
Do you think this father of five did well by using the leashes on his kids? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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