my rule is hold my hand or either i carry you or you go in a trolley/pram... it works!
It works if your child is feeling compliant!

I use a harness. I'm not ashamed to admit it, and I haven't even gone and got one of the animal ones. There's no bones about it - this is a harness!

I still make Sam go in the pram most of the time when we are out. It's just easier, but he's rapidly out-growing it. He's happy to go in shopping trolleys, but we have to regularly spin it around and make it a lot of fun for him, but shopping is pretty boring.

But, the fact of the matter is, I'm not as mobile as some people. My toddler is 16kg and with my issues, carrying him if he's playing up just isn't an option. He doesn't like to hold our hands, he's Mr Independent. So if we're going somewhere without the pram, he's in the harness. I get that people don't like the way they look, but it only takes a second... I'd rather my child be on the end of a leash than under the wheels of the passing bus he's just decided to run in front of. I'd rather he be on a leash than lost in a shopping centre (especially as his speech is delayed and he can't even tell someone his own name). Now that he's getting more accustomed to the harness, he's quite well behaved with it, but the first few times really were just like walking an excited puppy - him running ahead, dragging behind... But at least I know he's safe.

BW