A father-of-five is being shamed online for using a leash with his five-year-old quintuplets.
Jordan Driskell, 31, of Kentucky, recently uploaded a video to Instagram showing him walking with his five young children – Zoey, Dakota, Hollyn, Asher and Gavin – who he shares with his wife Briana, 34.
However, the clip quickly sparked a major debate among viewers as the toddlers all wore leashes to ensure they couldn’t run, run away or get lost.
“When people judge me for using kid leashes,” he wrote in the video while Doja Cat’s “Vegas” played in the background.
A father-of-five is being shamed online for using a leash with his five-year-old quintuplets
Jordan Driskell, 31, of Kentucky, has uploaded a video showing him with his five children, Zoey, Dakota, Hollyn, Asher and Gavin, whom he shares with his wife Briana, 34
However, the clip quickly sparked a major debate among viewers as the toddlers all wore leashes to ensure they couldn’t run, run away or get lost
“You’re nothing but a dog, Player, ah, get it,” the lyrics read.
The clip showed Jordan holding on to five ropes — each connected to a harness worn by one of his children — as the family all quietly walked together outside an aquarium.
The clip showed Jordan holding on to five ropes — each connected to a harness worn by one of his children — as the family all quietly walked together outside an aquarium
“Come walk a mile in my shoes,” he captioned it.
The Instagram video quickly went viral – it was viewed more than three million times – and it sparked a row between Instagram users, some of whom “respected” the father’s decision to keep his children on a leash and others, who beat him up for it, pointing out they are “people, not dogs”.
“I have nothing but respect for you sir,” wrote a supportive viewer.
Another added: “Better safe than sorry. If I had that many, I would too. Go on!’
“With five kids, you need that,” said another. “Responsible parenting right here.”
“Considering my two year old trying to run into the street yes we use leashes now too,” read a fourth comment, while a fifth said, “Your protection is priority number one. So you are fine, sir. It doesn’t harm them in any way.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, I think it’s brilliant. I’ve always worn baby harnesses with reins on both of my so they were always with me,” commented another parent.
“I won’t lie, some kids really need leashes, nothing wrong with not wanting to lose your kid every time you look away,” agreed another.
The Instagram video sparked a row between Instagram users, some of whom “respected” the father’s decision, while others criticized him for it
“Don’t blame yourself,” wrote another user. “Can’t you imagine a leash? And all running in different directions? Someone could get hurt.’
Others, however, were not here for children’s leashes and slapped the father-of-five for treating his children like “animals.”
‘Are they rescue?’ asked one user, referring to rescue dogs coming from an animal shelter.
“But teachers can babysit 30 kids without leashes,” pointed out another.
Another person added: “They are not dogs. How about teaching [them] what to do?’
“Are you going to teach them to pull a sled next? Who has the red nose? Are any of them saved?’ read another comment.
“I don’t have that many kids,” one commenter quipped, while another said, “These kids are way too old to be walked on a leash like a dog.”
While chatting with the Today Show, Jordan explained that his kids like to “run away and explore” because of their “curiosity,” so he and his wife use leashes for their “own peace of mind and sanity.”
While chatting with the Today Show, Jordan explained that his kids like to “run away and explore” because of their “curiosity,” so he and his wife use leashes for their “own peace of mind and sanity.”
He added that it “allows them to get out of the house and do fun things as a family without being stressed.”
Jordan explained that they used to push a five-seat stroller around, but that it wasn’t practical since it was so “bulky.”
“The other thing is that if we go to a place where there are a lot of people, they want to walk. A leash gives them the opportunity to do so – but we’re still in control. They love it,” he added
“Children are so curious – they want to run and explore. For our own peace of mind and sanity, we use a leash,” he told the outlet.
“It also allows us to get out of the house and do fun things as a family without being stressed.”
What professionals say about children’s leashes
Benjamin Hoffman, a pediatrician who also chairs the Injury Prevention Council at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), told Good Housekeeping that he discourages children’s leashes because of the risk of falls.
“For injury reasons, I would be concerned about tangling or choking – we know the risks of other loose cords, such as on window blinds,” he said. “I have personally seen parents forcibly pull back while on a leash, resulting in a fall, often backwards. I am concerned about head and limb injuries in this scenario. I would never recommend her as a pediatrician. I would rather see a child in a stroller than on a leash.”
However, another doctor named Deborah Gilboa described the leash as “creative problem solving” when speaking to Today.
“It doesn’t mean treating children like animals,” she insisted. “It’s creative problem solving. The alternative would be to just stay at home. It’s a great system for parents with a neurodiverse child or a child who hasn’t yet perfected all of their hearing skills. 99.99 percent of mothers and fathers want what is best for their children and do so to solve a problem. Just because you can’t identify the problem doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
Paige Safyer, an assistant professor at Arizona State University’s School of Social Work, told Famly.com that letting your child explore their surroundings is important to learning about safety.
“Children need to be shown what is safe and what is not, and discuss these explanations with an adult. A leash cannot replace those conversations,” she explained. “When they’re young, kids can understand a lot more than they can express, so it’s really important that adults take the time to explain how things work. Just as you would explain to a child why you are holding their hand when crossing a busy street, I believe the same information should be given when the child is held on a leash.’
He explained that they used to push a five-seater stroller around, but that wasn’t practical as it was so “bulky”.
“It was just too bulky and ridiculous to take anywhere,” he said. “The other thing is that if we go to a place where there are a lot of people, they want to walk.
“A leash gives them the ability to do that – but we’re still in control. They love it.’
Benjamin Hoffman, a pediatrician who also chairs the Council on Injury Prevention at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), previously told Good Housekeeping that he discourages children’s leashes because of the risk of falls.
“As a pediatrician, I’m not happy when children are left on a leash like pets,” he said. “As a father of three, I know very well how quick, impulsive and unpredictable children can be.
“But for injury reasons I would be concerned about tangling or choking – we know the risks of other loose lines, such as B. with window blinds.
“I have personally seen parents forcibly pull back while on a leash, resulting in a fall, often backwards.
“I am concerned about head and limb injuries in this scenario. I would never recommend her as a pediatrician. I would rather see a child in a stroller than on a leash.”
However, another doctor named Deborah Gilboa described the leash as “creative problem solving” when speaking to Today.
“It doesn’t mean treating children like animals,” she insisted. “It’s creative problem solving. The alternative would be to just stay at home.
“It’s a great system for parents with a neurodiverse child, or for a child who hasn’t yet perfected all of their hearing skills.
“99.99 percent of mothers and fathers want the best for their children and they do it to solve a problem. Just because you can’t identify the problem doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
Paige Safyer, an assistant professor at Arizona State University’s School of Social Work, told Famly.com that letting your child explore their surroundings is important to learning about safety.
“Children need to know that as they explore, they have a safe base to return to, which is often their primary caregiver or teacher,” she said.
“They need to be shown what is safe and what is not, and discuss those explanations with an adult. A leash cannot replace these conversations.
“When they’re young, kids can understand a lot more than they can express, so it’s really important that adults take the time to explain how things work.
“Just as you would explain to a child why you are holding their hand when crossing a busy street, I believe the same information should be given when the child is held on a leash.”