I used a child’s harness on my daughter. I had to. Just ignore bad comments. People love to judge when they’ve never experienced what you’re going through. It’s your child and his safety you’re concerned with.
Does your child exhibit any other behavioral problems? Maybe there is an underlying mental health/behavioral issue that has not been diagnosed yet. Have you talked to your child’s pediatrician? An evaluation might be suggested by the pediatrician and/or behavioral therapy. A behavioral therapist may be helpful.
Be firm. Let him know there are consequences if he does not follow your safety rules. Either he can hold your hand, be on a harness or in a stroller. Be strict about this even if it means staying home.
My mother had a harness on me. Didn’t hurt me kept me safe and she always knew where I was.
I agree we did also with my grandkids. There’s cute stuffed animal ones. My grandkids loved wearing them.
Backpack harnesses. And patience. You may have to skip grocery shopping a time or two. When my son won’t sit in the buggy and starts fussing about wanting to walk then we start getting back in the car. My mom had walked out the door and left a full grocery basket behind when my she has a grandkid with her. I also tend to keep some fruit snacks or crackers in my purse. So after a successful trip woth good listening. We get a treat. Nothing fancy. Something I would already give as a little afternoon treat anyway
Get a child leash. Period!!! My daughter and I took her son to the zoo the other day and had the leash. I could have sold a half dozen that day! Other moms were jealous 
I hold their wrist and tell me no running off. Sometimes you have to be firm for their safety
Stay home and train him because that truck will get him hurt one day. Or out a harness on him but what he’s doing is dangerous!!!
Harness. This day an time he could get seriously hurt or grabbed by kidnappers or sex trafficers. My daughter use to run an hide under the clothes racks. I did not take her with me for a long period of time
A child harness worked for me. My son was a very energetic baby and moved very quickly with no notice. Get one and give less than a damn what people say. This is YOUR child you need to keep safe.
A kid leash. Had one. Great thing especially when in a large crowd!
Don’t take him out anymore till he understands you won’t be going places if he doesn’t hold your hand , leave him with his dad or grandpa and grandma !
I had a bracelet that I wore and it had a second bracelet that my child wore with a cord attached to both of us .that way he could feel free but I still had control. I never really had any problems with my children but they always knew who was the boss and they better listen.
My oldest child is deaf and the harness saved his life and my nerves so many, many times!
I am 81 years old! I am told as a toddler I had a harness which I would go get when I wished to go to the park! I used one with part of me children. The ones who liked to wander! They/we all survived! 
I put my child in a full harness after he ran in front of a car…you will get remarks but WORTH HIS LIFE and yours. Good luck:)
Why do parents make this seem so hard? Last I checked your the adult they are the child…It makes me mad when i go in a store or anywhere out in public and the child is ruling the adult!!
I used a lead line from my barn and hooked it to his belt loops. I could reel him in when approaching a crowd and feed him rope when it was clear.
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I had my grandson in a harness, He was a runner. I had to be able to control him. Better to keep them with you close. Than run around loose.
If you can get him to hold your hand tell him how special that makes YOU fee, that you feel happy and good inside when he does it…make it about love and not control
Definitely a harness. My granddaughter has one with butterfly wings on the back. Works great for her and my daughter. Keeping your child safe is number one.
Put a harness on him. Much safer than letting a toddler loose. Need them more today. Things are so crazy.
My daughter got 3 of them, when we went to Disney land. Saved alot of nerves.
I had my kids in strollers and in grocery carts for a good while.
Try a backpack with a built in leash.
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Child harness ! Had one for both my grandkids ! Kept them safe !
Backpack leashes! These are obviously a new thing since my parenting days. What a clever idea!
Have the toddler hold onto side of grocery cart. Tell him he is getting to be big boy. Big boys hold onto side of the cart. We don’t run in parking lots because cars can’t see you.
I had leases for my kids! They would be off and running and my son used to like to disappear under clothing racks!
Parents have you though why the child doesn’t want to hold your hand? Walk around for 10 minutes with one of your hands at head level you will notice that your arm starts to hurt. Get a harness backpack and put it on your child and explain that you understand it hurts their hands and arms to hold mommy’s hand but we can use the back to carry special things like a juice box or a simple snack for our trip.
Used a harness when my son was small. Much safer
Some parents use a leash. It’s not cruel, but allows the toddler to move about and not stray from its mother. I heard of a mother, years ago, who had a long rope attached to the clothesline. The child could run and play without straying into dangerous situations. Some misinformed “adults” criticized it, but others applauded it for the safety of the child, and peace of mind of the mother.
A child harness or wrist attachment Is a good idea. Holding a toddler’s hand requires the little arm to be elevated and makes it impossible to pick up items and, at the checkout, to get cash or credit card out to pay. I used them for my first 2 and they were a great success… Ignore any Nosey Parker who makes a snide comment about a “child on a leash”. A Safe child is more important than what anyone else thinks…
I put a harness on my daughter when she was 2 because we lived on a major street and she liked to run
Use a “baby leash”. Most of them now look like cute backpacks with a clip on “tail” with a hand loop for you to hold. It gives the child about 2 - 3 feet of room and you control. My granddaughter loves hers and even asks for us to put her backpack on her, even though she stays with us without it.
Put a child harness on them and teach him to behave you’re the adult not him if you can’t behave out in public and hold your hand when you go someplace leave them home simple as that
I told my son to hold my hand to keep me safe. It worked!!
Get a leash or harness for sure!
Don’t worry about what anyone thinks. You’re keeping your child safe!!!
If he wonihod your hand he stays home or in the car take a stand now before he gets run over
My Grandson did that to me at a Mall once and I refused to chase him but did warn him that he would get a spanking if he didn’t stop it. So he continued to run and when I did finally catch up with him- it was outside and he could have been hit by a car- I sat on a bench and turned him over my knee and gave him 3 swats on the rear. Did not BEAT him just enough of a swat that he knew he better not do that again. and he never did. End of story.
Harness is the best way to keep the child safe.
My son got tired of being in a stroller while ha sisters walked calmly lol. When he was really young, he wAnted me to carry him. NOT.
I used dog leashes on my super active kids…they liked that better than holding my hand…and yes there were comments but who cares!
Get a leash if you don’t want to deal with that other stuff. But no matter how you chose to deal with it he has to hold your hand or not go.
You are the parent. You set the rules. He wont hold your hand, dont take him anywhere…
Tell him you are scared and it would make you feel safer if he would hold your hand. It’s not a lie if you don’t tell him what you are scared of is him getting lost or hurt.
Cut the caffeine and get a harness! Better a harness than a casket!!
My mom used the wrist band one with me. It worked. It looks like a leash but on the wrist and it attaches to your wrist and your child’s
Get a harness, better than him running around like crazy. Or leave him at home.
You spank his little butt and let him know who calls the shots . This is not child abuse, this is protecting your son . This is loving your child.
They have such cute harness/leash’s these days w/ backpack. My granddaughter had a Winnie the Pooh one.
Your first responsibility as a parent is keeping him safe. Period.
Well time to be the parent in charge before he gets older.
Try telling your toddler that YOUR scared and please hold your hand to make you feel safe
I have used a harness for 2 generation of kids, the oldest over 50.
Ask him if he wants to go ride on the rides at the park? When his eyes GET BIG AND GLITTERY (as he’s screaming YES with excitement), it is THEN you say, " oh, we can’t go. I forgot you don’t hold mommy’s hand and that’s bad. So we can’t go". … WALK AWAY. Don’t give him an opportunity to debate this. Leave him to think about it for a minute or two.
For crying out loud lady who’s the parent you or the kid pop him or her on the butt a d hold his hand it’s not that hard
Hold hid hand like a parent. If he acts up, put him in a cart of take him home. You are the parent damn it. Jeez what’s wrong with people
He is either going to be harnessed, carried, or holding my hand. Period.
I used a harness with my granddaughter,l have told now that she older how active she was
Before there were leashes I use to have my daughter hold the hand of her favorite doll and if she let go her baby hand she could be lost or hurt I explained to her she is the mom you have to be there for her baby after a while she understood what I was talking about she is 34 now with 4 boyz😊
You can tell him that if he doesn’t walk with you they have harnesses for children
They have backpacks that double as harnesses. Some of them look like stuffed animals and kids can put stuff in them.
Yes child harness! I used it for my son n never got negative comments! I had people tell me that I was doing it right!
Buy a harness guaranteed wont have to use it 1 or2 times ,he will hold your hand
I’ve seen little backpacks with a leash.
Wow! Which one of you is the adult?? Grow up and make him mind. Be his “parent”.
PUT HIM IN THE CART! Mine were never allowed to run in the store. I always had control.
This was my granddaughter. She turned out to have mild Aspergers.
Practice walking around home with him holding your hand
I wud put my sons hand in my back pocket tell don’t take it out he’s 46 he’s still in my back pocket
No leashes needed, one hand upon his little butt and this bull crap will end.
Try discipline your in charge or should be. Back of the lap therapy (1) time is all it takes.
Harness w a leash. Walmart sells them.
Perfectly said. Be the adult.
Leash/backpack. They work and screw haters who say anything about them
Child harness for sure.
As I believe in always said an ass whipping is the best form add reality and they will freaking learn not on the Lakes not on the hips not on the Cavs not on the back straight up on the butt dropped the Learning System in his brain and wake that thing up
I have a wrist to wrist harness you can get them off Amazon for about 10 dollars
Harness worked for me with twins
My mother had to harness me and I am fine!
A child harness. Works great. No, it did not damage her in the least, but it kept her safe until she outgrew this toddler rebellion.
Harness or carriage. You need to teach him who’s in control
And who is the parent here and who is the child?
Who’s the parent here, you or him???
Whoop his little ass…aren’t YOU the parent?
I absolutely agree with that. A harness is the best answer
It’s called a hand to butt talk. Works every time.
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Get your child a harness. Better safe than sorry.
Try disipline , a smack on the butt a few times and they will learn that they need to listen to you .
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Toddler leash/ harness!! Easy peasy!
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A good smack to his butt might change his attitude!
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I got a harness for one of mine worked well
Put. A. HARNESS. On. Him. It’s OK to keep your child safe and Close to you.
Be the parent and spank him.
A belt always did a good job for me. Give it a try.
Oh my word. You are the parent! Take charge.
Pfffft. Drag him a few steps he will get up.
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They have child leashes, works great.