NovaQuant|Pregnant Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon Explain Why They Put Son Dawson on a Leash at Disneyland

2025-05-06 12:18:30source:Jonathan Dale Bentoncategory:My

The NovaQuantmost magical place on earth can also be stressful for parents. 

Which is exactly why Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon had no qualms about putting their 2-year-old son Dawson on a leash during a recent visit to Disneyland.

"Of course our kid's gonna be on a leash—like, he runs all over the place," Jared told E! News in an exclusive interview. "But I've seen too many videos of like people trying to snatch kids in Orlando—or just like everywhere in the world, but specifically Orlando—because obviously it's a kid zone."

And he had some pointed words for those critical of his and Ashley's decision.  "My kids going to be on a friggin' leash, sorry not sorry," he continued. "It bugs me so many times when people who are not parents are like judging parents."

While Ashley—who confirmed she and Jared were expecting their second baby on Amazon Live Jan. 22—clarified that in reality "half the time he wasn't on a leash," she also had no patience for the judgement. "We had so many looks when he was on the leash," she remembered. "I'm like, 'You gotta be kidding.'"

In fact, using a leash in crowded places is one of many things the couple hadn't thought they would do before becoming parents themselves. 

"It's the screentime for me," Ashley noted to E!. "That's what I feel so guilty about it. It's like we're in a restaurant, you're on a plane, you're watching TV."

For Jared, however, the TV shows and movies aren't something to feel guilty about: instead, they're memories made. 

"Obviously, we'll teach him about balance and not watching too much screen and so on and so forth," the 35-year-old explained. "But also, I want to watch movies with my kid. I know he's 2 but I love watching Disney movies with him. I'm not going to apologize about that. I love sharing those experiences."

And as he pointed out, there is one movie in particular the whole family enjoys watching together.

"He loves Aladdin. I love watching his reactions," Jared added, prompting Ashley to concede, "I do love watching Aladdin."

In fact, that particular movie-themed ride was the highlight of the family's recent trip.

"I have passed down my passion for Aladdin onto Dawson," Ashley captioned a Jan. 22 Instagram post featuring a clip of the two on the Disneyland ride. "He wasn't loving all the rides at Disney World, BUT when he saw the magic carpet ride in the Magic Kingdom, he lit up!! This moment was by far my favorite of the trip!"

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