Need help with this situation..thanks!

[mommy2aprincess]

DD is almost 3 and is very curious and energetic. Sometimes when we're out, she'll do well holding my hand or purse, staying where she can see me, etc. So far, if she isn't staying by me, she goes on my back in the carrier or in my arms. Sometimes when I pick her up, she cries about being held. I've had friends and family voice concern that she's going to have an aversion to being held/being close to me since it is used as a punishment. When I was doing it, I saw it more as making sure that she was safe, not punishing her. :( What other options do I have? What would you do in this situation? (While I do'nt look down on people who use the child straps/leashes, I would prefer other alternatives if possible).
Thanks sooo much for your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[klpmommy]

It doesn't sound to me like you are punishing her- she doesn't have to like boundaries, even if they are meant to keep her safe.

Now, if the *only* time you held her was when she didn't like it I think it might be different, but I am sure that you are holding her far more often when she is loving it than when she is unhappy about it.

IMO- keep doing what you are doing. The only thing you might try to add in is being playful when you have to hold her & she doesn't like it- with mine I might have then started to swing them around or "drop" them or hold them upside down, etc to get them laughing. But that depends on your strength & how big your 3 y/o is.

If you haven't read the book Playful Parenting (Cohen) you might want to look for it at your library. It was a sanity saver for me when P was 3.