 It's kind of concerning when they're looking over the rail and you see the bungee cord in the water. You're not really sure what's happening at that moment, but a kid on a leash was a new thing for us as parents. I couldn't bring myself to do it, though we thought it from time to time. We just strapped them in strollers really tight. But think about it. There's safety in that child so long as they're tethered to mom or dad.