To Leash or Not to Leash, that is the Question?

So I was sitting here actually laying here not sleeping again, so I decided to put my mind to use and try and plan out my weekend. My husband has taken on the task of painting the outside of our house all by himself, so pretty much for the next few weekends Emma and I will be on our own. I have a few returns at stores and just some other errands to run and as I was planning this out in my mind it lead me to the title of today's entry. Emma has decided (notice I said she decided) that she is too big for the stroller and too cool for a shopping cart, so that leaves maniac child running through store! So several months ago my mom bought Emma an Eddie Bauer (get no money for endorsement) monkey leash.Before I had a child I thought these things are so cruel. I mean who walks there kids? On the leash do you buy a tag that says will fetch toys? If lost call home? But honestly now that I have a child I can see why people use them. For one thing it gives the child a chance to walk about safely, and you don't have to worry about them running off and getting lost. Still, I can't bring myself to strap on the cute little monkey pack. Knowing Emma as I do I think it would be a situation of not walking but dragging her and the monkey leash. What do you do when they go boneless with their little leashes on? Case in point I think the real reason I don't use it is I don't want people to stare and think that I can't control my child. So I guess I will have to do some field tests and get back to ya on this one. Maybe I will even have some pics!