My son (3) ran and hid from me once. When I found him 10 minutes later I was balling crying and scared out of my mind. He was hiding in a small shed. First and only time I’ve ever spanked him. I explained to him as best as I could why I was so upset and why he could never do that again. And thankfully it hasn’t happened since.
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Leash-for his own good. He won’t use it for ling. It will give you peace of mind
Get him a leash dont set him down without having a good hold. In a stroller or in a cart he needs to learn how unsafe it is.
Leash/harness…we had a bolter too. We get it
My grandson. 2 1/2 yr old was same way I bought a backpack for toddlers, it has a “leash” on it. I only had to use it for 6 months he has been off it for bout 5months & always stops when I tell him to.
Whoop that ass.🤷🤷 Argue with me or whatever. He’s old enough to under the consequences and discipline 🤷
Get a backpack that had a string so he can’t run away
There’s a difference in love and child abuse spare them rod and spoil the child get you a belt and whip his butt a few times it will cure itself 
First spank his butt & put him in a harness!!! It is better to spank him than to let him run off.
No shame in my leash game here! Thankfully i don’t need to use it anymore but there was a good 1.5yrs with my son where i def had to leash him. I used to hardcore judge moms who used leashes before too and thought with all my childcare experience i had things down… yeah he was a real humbling experience for me! 
but whatever it takes to keep him safe momma! I didn’t do the backpack one, i just got the ones with the padded straps that go around the wrist connected by a springy wire and he liked it because it was comfy and he could still walk a little ways away from me if he wanted
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I’m about to be the mom everyone hates.
My daughter(3) did this ONE time she was about 2ish at the time. In the front yard, runnin towards the street. The one arm grab happened. She got spanked. She got told she doesn’t run from me when I call her. She got told the street is dangerous and she could get hurt. She screamed and cried and then sat in time out for 2min. Then we hugged it out and I told her again. She doesn’t run when I called her. She doesn’t go towards the street, that it’s dangerous and she could get hurt. She’s never done it again.
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A leash 1000%! My almost 2yr old loves it, she can be independent and also safe. Pro tip though make sure you get one that the buckle locks, she figured that out real quick.
Horse halter and lead rope
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A backpack with a lead…
Get a harness for him. If people don’t like it…tough! It’s your child and his safety. I used one and never regretted it.
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Definitely a harness they’re great apparently
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Yep completely normal for some boy, my 4 year old just got out of this just get a back pack leash
Boo freaking hooo!! DISCIPLINE!!
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Backpack harness/leash. It is meant for the kids safety, especially if you have a bolter
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It was a last minute decision for a flight, and since I was a single mom moving on a budget, I decided to buy a large dog collar and leash instead of and expensive leashpack or whatever. Looped it through my kids belt loops on her jeans. Worked Great. But never had to use it because my daughter actually learned from the experience
Get a back pack leash and put it on a runner, I’m having to do that with my special need child that’s almost 3 He literally has zero fear and zero awareness of his surroundings and this momma needs a little sanity. I tried everything I could think of but that’s the only thing that worked and he wasn’t freaking out cause he still has lots of freedom and doesn’t have mom up his butt all the time.
Scare him … I told my son someone would steal him from me and he would never see me again to always stay close to me … Hate me for it but whatever my son always stayed by my side
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My son was the exactly same way when he was at that age! I know how frustrating and nerve wrecking it is, especially with the fact that my son is profoundly Deaf. I tried explaining why he shouldn’t run off and it didn’t work. I had to chase after him countless times during his toddler years. I was hesitated about getting a child harness. Kept going forth and back. I even went to the store being so determined to buy one and ended up leaving without one lol I finally got fed up enough to actually buy one and he stopped right after wearing it few times! He hated it. Wish I did that much sooner. Thankfully it was just a phase, phew! I’ll never forget those days. Hang in there, mama - it shall pass eventually!
Toddler stage is the worst!! You have to just wait it out.
I’ve got a toddler who’s a runner, and refuses to hold my hand … I have one of the Backpack reigns and honestly best thing ever!
Don’t care who doesn’t like them as others have said… your child you do what you have to to keep them SAFE! Personally I dunno why folk would be against them being used if it’s for a child’s safety! It’s a shitty world we’re living in today an ye just never know… 
Easy to say dont chase him it makes it a fun game…not so easy when they’re headed towards the road . My son managed to escape the leads available at the time so I gave that up pretty quick. Tried rustling a packet of sweets and sometimes that brought him back but was really just rewarding him for running. Resorted to a smacked bum…that worked
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Tell him his older brother did the same thing
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my toddler to stop running off? - Mamas Uncut
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Get a harness if he doesn’t like it he will soon learn to stay close and listen. It’s not worth the stress of him running off. Keep talking to him tell him you love him and just want to keep him safe. Keep explaining the Dangers. My youngest one was a runner. She would just laugh and run. Thank fully they do grow up and learn but it’s a stressful time. Keep him safe x
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This probably won’t be a popular opinion, but a pop on the butt is better than him getting hit by a car or something. 3yrs old know what no means. If talking to him don’t work you gotta do something. It’s dangerous for a child to think running off is funny or a game.
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My almost two year old does this. Honestly my husband and I just walk away from her instead of to her. We basically give it right back to her and say bye and walk away and then she panics and runs towards us
CONSEQUENCES 
do i need to say it louder for those in the back?! Seriously, I’ve got 4 kids, trust me on this one. That’s the only way they’ll ever learn anything. Teach them early that actions have consequences.
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He has no impulse control and finds your reaction funny. Kids will do just about anything for a reaction, positive or negative. Above all else his safety matters the most, invest in a toddler leash. When he can walk with you and hold your hand then he can graduate to not needing it anymore.
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I would suggest a harness with a strap connected to you,it is too dangerous to let a little one impulsively run out in traffic or possibly stray off into the arms of a molester…they can be found on Amazon or Ebay I think…it is only a temporary situation until he understands that he has to stay close …if others criticize you can tell them that it is for his safety for now until he gets older…you really don’t owe anyone an explanation, if they have any common sense at all they will know what it is being used for…There will always be someone against it and some for it…but it is up to you to make sure he is safe…
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I’m sorry the amount of people saying “hit your child” or " I chuck mine in a cold shower" and think it’s ok , you’re not ok! That’s child abuse , how about patience and good communication, showing them road safety , not jumping straight to smacking them , how will they learn that way , that’s wrong we are in 2021 people 
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Harness. I took grandma with me, who covertly followed my duaghter, while I walked away and ‘hid’ so she couldnt see me. She got a fright, cried, we talked about it. I told her how I felt when she did it to me. We talked about fear. She stays with me now.
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I never had any issues like this but I say have a friend snatch his little butt up. When he runs off…Boom…problem solved. It will probably scare the living crap out of him. Stranger Danger buddy…this is what happens when you run off. 
I told my son that mama wasn’t going anywhere until he came and held my hand and we went together. He used to run off in parking lots and i would be chasing him in a panic… but after i told him this he would always come hold me hand and say let’s go mom.
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Pick him up, say nothing, carry his ass back to caravan, sit there few minutes and do it every single time til he realises it’s actually not that fun anymore
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Maybe try a different none regularly used word for no. A slightly different tone, not panic but idk something used for specific I mean no not cause I’m a mean ol momma but a different word for no. I use no sir or no ma’am. It comes out different not yelling but different than we don’t do or no you’re not allowed another cookie. Maybe it’s a mom voice or phrase and from the beginning of using it they know different because from the first time if they disobey it’s consequence’s following.
Toddlers think it’s a game. Talk to your kid about what could happen if they run off. Someone could want to take them to a new home is a good start.
I have a kids leash for my little dude he just likes to run, I try to explain it to him. As he’s getting older (he’s 3 now) he asks for no leash I tell him I will leave it off if he stays by us and is nice, but tell him if he takes off I will put him back on. If we are playing on the park and he tries to take off we leave (I don’t leave it on while we play for safety reasons).
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I started whooping my son as soon as he could throw a tantrum. Around 1 year old I’d swat just hands, obviously not hard enough to leave a mark or bust a vein but enough that he knows. Swats on the butt or thigh so he understands I mean business. Everything is a game for my son so I try to play along with him & show him stuff before I ever swat. Example he used to throw blankets/towels as id fold them & run away when I’d tell him no. I would say “are you helping mommy” then physically show him what to do by example then grab his hands & mimic. Then let him try. Then praise him for putting up the towels/blankets with a big “Yayyy Musa” & he’ll clap. Then I redirect him to something else. So at a different time he tried to grab & run I’ll tell him “no help help mommy.” Sometimes he does & when he’s trying to make a mess he gets a swat. He understands very much & I rarely have to swat. In every situation this is what I do. My son is only 18 months, So considering your son is 3 he understands much more. You can be more specific. Like getting out the car, “race to the door not the street.” Something you can repeatedly say together. Going outside teach him to stay in the yard by making a game of the road or sidewalk is lava & the grass/yard is safe. Run with him so he understands it’s okay to run just not certain areas. Hope all that makes sense. My son is very active & sometimes I just have to give him a good swat. He cries & I tell him “no we don’t….” I give him a sec to calm down & often if there is an option for him I show him & ensure he is following simple step by step instructions then I always praise him & give him a hug & kiss. He gets love & is being taught obedience .
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Don’t let him outside to play… Until he can learn . When outside together… Backpack leash 🤷 whenever he tries to run take away his toys. And whatever privileges a 3 year old may have lol
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Only one of my kids has ever been a runner. I told him he was gonna get snatched up if he kept doing it and wouldn’t ever see his family again. He never ran again.
Consequences and consistency!! When you carry him back either give him a swat across the rear or sit his little rump down somewhere for 3 minutes. 1 minute per age for sitting for a time out. But no matter what you choose to do ya got to be consistent!! My nephews got to be out of control on this because half the time his mother chose not to deal with it. Well it’ll probably get worse before it gets better but keep at it.
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Yes mine is the same way. He is getting better now he almost 6. I had to get a back pack harness for him when we went out. My kid like to run across streets too that is better too. It was a struggle to teach him of dangerous situations such road safety with cars and strangers. It might sound cruel but we had to tell him if it keeps happening then he will e bye bye… Eventually he said… “I will get dead” We showed him videos of parking lot safety and road safety. Thr backpack harness was great because we made like it was his carry along for toys and his drink. It is very stressful and a true struggle.
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Try any and everything that you know and maybe you will find something that he responds to. Good luck!
I used to tell my girls that they had to hold my hand or I’d be too scared to walk without them… worked for years!
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My son did it twice at that age, I popped his ass both times. But also told him why it was really important that he stayed next to me/near me unless I say otherwise. He didn’t do it again
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My little girl is 3 & still on the reigns as she constantly runs off, she’ll even run into a road if she could so I always use them
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You lock down your house. Create safe spaces. Don’t hit em. Don’t yell freak out or act upset when they run away . It’s hard and I’m still going through it but those are the things that helped us the most
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Following because same here !!! My 2 year old son does this to me, f we play outside or just go check the mail he’ll want to just keep going and going. I’m a single momma and his dad just pops up whenever he wants.
So I don’t really like yelling at my son, but if it has to be done ill end up doing it, then that’s when he’ll listen. It’s like he thinks “oh I got mommy mad”
My son did too. I bought a child wrist leash to contain him. That was 30 years ago.
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I agree with the backpack leash - assuming he will keep it on - if not, maybe one of the wrist ones
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A kid harness is a godsend! Especially for the little ones that love too run off!
I never had that problem because I had a spray bottle and then they knew that I only had to give them baloney and bread by law of course they thought it was easy until the pizza came then their rooms were always clean
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What do you do after you pick him up and carry him back? Does he have any consequences?
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I’m down for some answer form some mom’s caus ethos shit aggravates me to death …
Put on the monkey backpack with the attached tail which is like a leash. Teach when he learns to stay with you, he wont have to use the monkey backpack anymore
If you don’t disciple now enjoy the monster he will grow up to be
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My son used to do that. But I explained if he run off and got lost mummy wouldn’t find him so whenever we go for walks now I remind him to stay close so he doesn’t get lost
Doesn’t work with every kid but that’s my advice 
good luck xx
Hide on him. Watch him and let him panic
When you pick him up, do not talk to him at all. Do not react. Take him home and say nothing. He is doing it for your reaction. I agree with others that you may want a leash on him ir at least hold his hand always.
A back pack leash but use a retractable leash like for a dog lol
Pop on the butt or a leash
Have him tested for ADHD. He might be eligible for services.
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A leash might curb his behavior
They also have these on Amazon. I’m fixing to get my son one because he won’t sit in a buggy but will take off in a heartbeat once he’s on the ground even if it’s the front yard… He will dip and be gone lol
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Bust his butt!! I learned that way!!!
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My youngest used to do that all the time. I explained to him that there’s bad people in the world that could take him then I made him watch “kidnapped”. I told him that it was just a movie but stuff like that happens all the time. He started staying with me.
I’m gonna catch hell for this but oh well… My grandson would do that… I popped that butt and told him NOT to turn loose of the cart…or I was really gonna get his butt ! He was 3 at the time now he’s 6… He still holds on to the cart.
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My son does this. I try to give him a bit more outside time and control over some small stuff. But to be honest it’s for entertainment, attention, fun and to be antagonistic. I did 2 things:
Have a Lil pep talk before going outside. Also, I stopped chasing him or caring unless it got too bad. Yesterday I walked off and said “Okay well I’m going to go See ya later!” And walked away totally serious…15 seconds later he was freaked out and coming back
When I go outside to smoke we now take a huge ball and kick it back and forth and he really enjoys it 
How do you even have kids? Both my toddlers would run off, and enough times of telling them, “no, you can’t do that, you could get seriously hurt or someone could take you, and you’d never see us again,” accompanied with a swat on the butt. If you use a leash on your kid than you don’t need kids or a dog, because you can’t teach/train either. 
Edit: sorry to put it blunty but I’ve only been a father for 6 years and I had to pull my daughter out of traffic because she ran out into an intersection in Missouri and nearly got hit by a car and someone threatened me because I pulled my daughter out of harms way because had I not she would have been hit by a driver too busy looking at their phone. You can’t protect your kid from other people’s negligence but you can teach your children that if they don’t stay close and pay attention to their surroundings then they can be hurt or killed. Was my daughter upset with me that I was upset that they wondered out into traffic and pulled them by their arm out of harms way? Yes, but had I not, she might not be alive today. Has she ever done it again? No, never. She holds my hand and stays right by me or mom whenever there’s traffic, or lots of people. It’s my duty as a parent to protect them whether or not they like it.
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Spank his little hiney! He’ll stop.
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Make them hold ur hand
Smack the little bastard upside the head and tell him it’s going to happen every time he runs, and do it. He will stop
give him a good swat on the butt n see if he thinks thats funny then.
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I have this same problem
Pop his ass mama make him mind you
Spank his ass & give him consequences
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Following because I’m in the same boat 
All he needs is one good scare and he won’t do it again have a grown up that you know that he doesn’t know snatch him up and keep them for an hour or two and let him think that he really ran away from you and then when you finally get him back you tell him that little kids that run off get snatched and sometimes they get murdered that’ll teach him worked for mine
These are children — not dogs! A good ole spanking or a pop or two will end all that.
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We did the leash when we had to. Provide positive reinforcements whenever you can when he does the right thing. Find ways to work on those behaviors in safe places. When he does the right thing act ridiculous happy, like throw a parade😆
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When he runs off, turn around and walk the opposite direction. He looks back and waves to make sure you’re still chasing after him. It’s become a fun game. If your walking away from him (even if you’re only pretending to) he will come back.
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I would tell him he holds mummy’s hand or he will have to go in a pushchair like the he used to do when he was a baby.now he’s a big boy he needs to hold mummy’s hand.
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The only thing that worked for me with my little 
I rewarded him every Friday for being good with something from the shop only a couple of quid magazine or something been doing it for 2 years if I have to tell him not to run off once he don’t get it and I actually don’t get him anything shouting screaming taking toys away nothing worked but a bag a snacks on a Friday 
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My son is exactly the same and he’s 3. I use one of those little back packs with the reins attached he loves it he walks so much better with us now, some people don’t like them but in all fairness I’d rather him not be in danger so I use one xx
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He’s 3 so he understands what no means, so first you need to set the rule “ no running away from mommy!”
Alway hold my hand
If you don’t hold my hand we can go……
You must have rules and consequences …. Time out works wonders - don’t threaten it if you aren’t going to follow through you will just create a bigger monster!
When he does listen reward with stickers , hugs!
Once you start rewarding with toys again creating a monster….
Always point out the positive !
“Mommy is so proud of you!, look how nice you are staying with mommy”
“Wow great job for holding my hand “
It will take a bit of patience and time but stick with it!
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#1. Tell him NO!
#2. Put him in time-out aka NAUGHTY seat.( a min per age.)
#3. if he keeps doing it… keep chasing him, but go directly to NAUGHTY SEAT.
#4. He is 3, a toddler… you better start being the one in charge and teaching him NO is NO, before you really have problems. STICK WITH YOUR DISCIPLINE actions. They aren’t dumb and understand more than you think. A toddler should know YES or NO, and they read your body language and your voice tones. BE THE PARENT.
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Backpack leash. It worked well for my cousin whos kid was deaf and couldnt listen for social cues
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Reins 100% my daughter used to run off. Now I don’t need reins she will hold my hand or the pram and not run off. Reins work wonders!
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My daughter used to do this i used to just say bye turn around and slowly start walking in the other direction she would scream out to me to stop and wait and she would be next to me in secounds
Get him reigns, they’ll teach him that he needs to stay beside you x
Reins and don’t chase him
My daughter has twin boys who would run in different directions. She bought back packs shaped like monkeys with very long tails that were reins,the boys loved their backpacks and
She had control.
Have you tried holding his hand??? Works wonders
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Well i use to have 4 kids that did that i put a dog leash on the back of there pants it worked amazing
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