Aussie shares shocking sight as kids are walked 'like dogs' by daycare

"Why are we walking children like this now? The worst part is that it isn't teaching the kids a thing about road safety."

A photo taken in the bustling streets of New York by Aussie influencer Caitlin Emiko has left many viewers stunned. 

The Instagram story showed a group of young children, all around the ages of three to four, crossing a zebra crossing.

The kids, dressed in fluorescent vests emblazoned with "Guidepost Montessori," were all connected via a child leash system.

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Image: Instagram

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The photo of kids crossing the road

The photo depicted eight children, all joined together by the harness, being guided across the road by two supervisors.

One supervisor led the group, holding the front of the leash and a sign to alert traffic, while another followed at the back, ensuring the children's safety as they navigated the busy street.

Caitlin's caption for the photo simply read, "Bruh."

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"Like dogs"

Given the nature of Instagram stories, followers couldn't directly comment on the post.

So, to gather opinions, we turned to the Kidspot office for their thoughts on the photo.

One staff member quipped, "It reminds me of that one scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off where they're in the gallery and all the kids are holding hands in a big long chain ... but like, the sadder version."

Another questioned, "Why are we walking children like dogs now? The worst part is that it isn't teaching the kids a thing about road safety."

Then a colleague shared, "I think the only time I like seeing a child with a leash contraption is when toddlers are snowboarding cause it's cute AF."

"I get it"

However, some saw the practicality of the approach.

One explained, "As a parent who not only knows what her kids are like but also consents to her children going on excursions, I back this notion entirely. It means the same number of children they went on the excursion with, will be the same number they return with. The high-vis is a great idea so the kids are easily identifiable."

Another added, "1. Visibility to cars 2. Easy to do a head count and hard to lose a kid 3. Harder for one to be nabbed by a predator. TLDR; chaos vs. precision = kids alive."

Then one mum confessed, "I'm coming from a judgement-free zone as someone who was SO TEMPTED to use those toddler leashes on my daughter because she was a runner. I didn't, but I've seen so many parents with them, especially in busy areas. So, while I wouldn't do it myself, I get it. People just want the kids to be safe - even if it does mean going the extreme with a dog leash."

Lastly, this team member offered: "I think this is a fairly common practice for a childcare centre to keep the kids safe and together when going on local excursions (where they walk to the destination)."

Originally published as Aussie shares shocking sight as kids are walked 'like dogs' by daycare