A father of five-year-old quintuplets has sparked a debate on social media for his controversial parenting techniques.
Jordan Driskell, 31, uses his online platforms to share elements of his busy life with his wife Brianna, 34, and their five young kids: Zoey, Dakota, Hollyn, Asher, and Gavin - whom they welcomed after struggling with infertility.
As a way of showing how he runs errands with his little brood, Driskell posted a video of him using a leash on his children. They can be seen tethered together as they tottered down the street.
The father-of-five captioned the post: "When people judge me for using child leashes..." defending himself against people who opposed him using that particular equipment.
Check out his post below:
View this post on Instagram
However, the video has led to many followers slamming Driskell in the comment section, saying that he was treating his children like dogs.
One shocked user wrote: "Those are human beings, not dogs! This is disgraceful!", while another equally disappointed person simply said: "Animals?"
A third user shared their other disagreements with the man, writing: "I think the harnesses are a great idea, they sell them just for kids, but maybe the song choice, mentioning dogs and the fact that the kids don’t exactly look happy is the problem."
Meanwhile, many people leaped to Driskell's defense, supporting his decision to put his children on a leash for their own safety.
One person said: "This is very acceptable for MULTIPLE young CURIOUS children at this age. All it takes is a split second. Safety is important."
A second user remarked: "He’s being a responsible dad and keeping his kids safe. It only takes a second for any child to get hurt, we all know that, give the dad a break. He should be congratulated."
Someone else chimed in: "They’re your kids. Who gives a flying f*** what these people think lol you’re protecting your children. You know your children, not these internet clowns. My son was a runner, he was leashed. My girls weren’t they held my hand. Different rules for different kids lol."
A fourth person added: "You’re doing the right thing for real man. Your job is to love them, provide and keep them safe. Can you imagine all of them running in different directions at the same time? Anybody that has a problem with this clearly hasn’t had multiple young children that are full of energy and like to run like they track stars while in public places."
There are no rules that prohibit the leashing of children in the US, but one pediatrician has urged against the practice, telling Good Housekeeping: "I’m not happy to see children leashed like pets."
He mentioned safety concerns, stating: "As the father of three, I am well aware of how quick, impulsive, and unpredictable kids can be. But from an injury standpoint, I would worry about entanglement or choking."
Do you guys think this father is right or wrong for using a leash on his five kids?