# Toddler that ‘bolts’



## CLD6 (Sep 10, 2013)

Help!! My little one aged 2 has got a bad habit of ‘bolting’ He will hold my hand walking on the pavement and crossing a road etc but when we get somewhere ‘safe’  such as the beach he will just run and run. We went camping a couple of weeks ago and he just kept running across the entire campsite, he didnt even turn back to check we were there. He loves being outside , is definitely a explorer and is very active . I feel like he just gets totally overexcited and distracted. When we go to get him he just giggles and runs faster as he thinks it’s a game 🙈 We want to give him some freedom as he doesn’t enjoy being in the pushchair and there are some times when we don’t even have it with us for example if we take his bike instead. Struggling with tactics to make him stay closer to us. I have friends with toddlers and they tend to stay close, it’s only me that spends most of my time running after my child. Is it too late to try reins at this stage, he has been with us 9 months and we have never tried them before 🙈 I know he will hate them. Does anyone have any tips? Thanks in advance


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## cosmopolitan4112008 (Oct 18, 2013)

We had the same problem until he was 4. We used long reins so it gave him somel freedom. He was like that until he was 4 and then he started being more mature although occasionally, he runs inna known place esp when he wants to reach a playground. He is allowed so only if there are no streets around or anything dangerous around. We kept telling him to walk nicely entire time and with the time, he settled.


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## mummy2blossom (Feb 21, 2013)

2 is still very young to be expected to walk safely and especially as still newly placed he needs to know you are there to keep him safe. Our AS2 is on reins whenever we let him to walk unless we are in an area where we feel he’s safe. We even use reins still (when needed) on AD4. 

Both of ours do run off when they get a chance and I try not to chase as this increases their need to run. I usually use things such as “wow you ran all that way, can you now jump all the way back”? etc. I also play a stopping game “you must stop at the next lamp post” etc which gives some freedom but also teaches them the understanding of stop. Obviously I make sure these are played in safe areas. 

You can get fun character back pack style reins which make them more appealing (I fill ad with heavy ish bits to help slow her (she does also have sensory processing disorder which this helps too)


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## -x-Lolly-x- (Feb 3, 2012)

When my daughter hears me shout ‘stop’ it can often make her defiant / controlling side kick in and she will become more determined to keep going! So instead we often say ‘red light’ and it makes it into more of a game. When we’ve caught up she’s allowed her ‘green light’. Now she’s older we can do things like ‘red light at the tree’ which she loves


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## Londonwriter (Mar 18, 2015)

Our 'bolter' has reins. 

He prefers them to holding my hand as he can run ahead of me.


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