My DD is 14mths old and very independent. She hates her pram so I am trying to get her to hold my hand when we are walking. When I try to hold her hand she sits down, if I let go she gets up. I keep trying to hold her hand then today she got angry and bite me! I have also tried if you don’t hold my hand I will carry you.

How did you ladies get your little ones to hold your hands? Or am I expecting to much of my DD?

I just wanted to add she has never tried to bite before

This message was edited by kusha on Monday, 6 September 2004 @ 3:51 PM

Your DD sounds a bit like mine - ie will not hold hands. After receiving advice from this very helpful forum, I brought a harness and a wrist strap. My daughter hates the wrist strap, but is better with the harness. She just hates me forcing her in a particular direction and usually throws a massive wobbly when I do.

It is taking her a long time to get used to it. I work 3 days a week and she has a nanny on those days. The nanny hates the harness, so we are only using it 4 days a week when I'm home.

We are slowly getting there (it has been about a month now), but it is taking longer than I expected. It is much better than having my cheeky monkey run on the road.

I thought that this was something that could be trained but really, there is no way I can force DS to hold my hand. I try constantly but he will always cry and yank his hand away.

I have a friend whose little girl always holds her hand when they are walking which makes me feel bad, but I think it's really an individual child thing.

I second the wrist strap or harness idea.

Mother of an active 18 month old boy

Thanks ladies, I was really hoping not to go down the hole harness road, my DD is so independent and has quite a strong will!!

I liked the idea of the wrist strap more.........I have only ever seen the harness, so where do you buy the wrist strap?

DD will only hold my hand if we are running, so I can see myself getting fit if she dosn't like the wrist strap

Thanks ladies, I was really hoping not to go down the hole harness road, my DD is so independent and has quite a strong will!!

I liked the idea of the wrist strap more.........I have only ever seen the harness, so where do you buy the wrist strap?

DD will only hold my hand if we are running, so I can see myself getting fit if she dosn't like the wrist strap

My DD usually likes to hold my hand, but sometimes (typically when we're walking through Westfields looking at the shops), she will try to break her hand away from mine, but I firmly tell her to hold my hand, otherwise she can't walk. She protests, chucks a tantrum etc etc, but I refuse to let her run wild through the shops - at 7+ months PG, I really don't want to be chasing her So if she refuses to hold my hand and continues with the tantrums, then I just pick her up and carry her. This usually means her lying across my arms, because if I try to carry her on my hip, she kicks and hits and protests.

I've also bought a wrist strap, but keep forgetting to take it with me when I really need it!

Melissa
DD - 06/02/03
#2 - EDD 18/11/04

[img]http://lilypie.com/days.php?e=041118&m=0&s=0][/img]

My DS was exactly the same at that age. He loves to walk everywhere and when he would walk he would refuse to hold my hand, crouching down in a squat position and refusing to move until I let go of his hand, and he would laso try and bite my hand too.

I persisted and occasionally he would walk holding my hand for a few seconds. I would really praise him and show him how much I liked it!

Now he's 17mths and he stops and holds his hand out for me when we're walking!!

So I guess it could be a phase, but I also think that it could be a personality thing, your DD might just be a really independent spirit - not such a bad thing in many ways ...

Good Luck

Sarah

Same thing here, my dd is very independant (aren't they all ). I told her if she didn't hold my hand then she'd have to sit in the pram or I'd carry her.

She now puts her hand out and asks me for mine.

Perserverance

Cheers nazza

dh~43
me~35
ds1~13
ds2~8
dd~3

Thanks ladies...........so I can live in hope that one day DD will hold her hand out for me!

MelissaL, I also end up carrying DD sideways legs kicking madley, looking like she is possessed by the devil