[NorthBay04]

My 22 month old dd has figured out how to unclasp her car seat straps. Has anyone else had this problem? I emailed Graco asking if they made a product to prevent this and they said they didn't as it wasn't safe if I had to get her out of her car seat in a hurry. They wrote me that it is very important to teach my child not to unclasp the buckles while I am driving. Duh! Can anyone give me advice to prevent this from happening?

[Linny]

I've had this happen more than once. Here's what we did:

Whenever one of them takes off their straps.....I pull the car over as soon as I can. I tell them, "Okay........the straps go back on, or we just sit here, because we will not drive while you are not safe!"

Now, I understand that this may be a power-play for them. I mean, they've caused the car to 'stop'!!!!!! But.....I've used other means (scolding, threatened to paddle them), and I tell you, just stopping the car is the best.

If they continue to keep the straps off....then I've said, "Okay...looks like we won't be going (insert wherever you might have been going, or what you might be doing once you get home, like even 'eating lunch')......because we can't go anywhere."

With one child that was particularly stubborn....I told her, "Alright then. YOU can walk home then! (followed with me finishing getting her out of the straps and taking her from the seat). I've only had to go as far as standing one child outside of the van (while I stood there)......to have her say, "I'll put the straps back on!!!!!"

I think it's just a phase; and a control issue maybe too. But, this has worked for us. Hope it might work for you too.....

Sincerely,

Linny

[mom2GRLC]

Well, we've had this problem too.

Honestly the thing that works the best (specaily for that age...and the whole power struggle thing) is to make buckling up a fun game.If she takes it off say "who has their seat belt on.....oh you don't...uh oh hurry up and put it on...good job" or whatever. Just make it a positive thing whenever possible. Let her feel in control of making a good decision that she gets proud of because she's such a big girl. Reverse pshycology usually works to...like "don't you put that seat belt on......don't you do it".

When all else fails and you've tried to be nice Time-out usually works. Then come the threats of ...if you don't behave we have to go home and go to bed instead of do something fun etc.

Another thing that works for me is I have several car seats. If the child learns how to unbuckle adn won't stay buckled or it becomes a problem I just have them switch seats with the other child or other seat we have laying around. The best one...I've found to keep them in place is the one with the bar in front cause they can't reach the buckle. I also have one that is a five point harness and it has a real stiff buckle at the bottom that is hard to undue even for me.

Basically...just do whatever you find works and realize that "this to shall pass".

[momraine]

My boys also learned very early to do it. We did the same thing, pulling over and telling them we can't go unless you are buckled. We still make a point of it when we get in the car, everyone yells check when they are buckled, the kids love to yell it really loud and beat each other. When it's just me and my youngest she and I race to be the first one buckled. Once they can unbuckle they can learn to buckle and that gives them some control, they are the ones doing it when they get it. It may take time at first, so plan to leave early and sit for a few minutes while they buckle. You can also occasionally plan a fun outing and then if she unbuckles, you pull over as soon as it's safe, and then you can say something along the lines of "Oh no, someone unbuckled thier straps, oh now we have to stop, oh no, we'll be late. I guess we will just have to go back home" I did that once going to mcdonalds with my second one when he was being stubborn about it. I ended pulling over twice and then I took us back home without going. The next time we went somewhere I made a big deal about how I hoped we would not have to stop because someone unbuckled and I told my little one with the issue to watch his big brother and make sure he didn't unbuckle and to watch me too. He was so busy making sure no one else did it that he forgot about doing it. LOL

[denisenw5]

I'm not sure what type of carseat you use, but we use a five-point harness. My seven year old discovered that if we turned the buckle around so that the button to release the buckle faced inward, then our two-year old had a lot of trouble unbuckling it. He often got frustrated trying and would eventually give up! He is now almost three and can buckle and unbuckle himself in his carseat and will typically stay buckled. Good luck to you!

[ajrl]

I agree w/ everyone. We have races and my car doesnt start till all seats are buckled. They know that everyone needs a seatbelt in my car. I have foster kids as well so the siblings that came to visit they are older.. They said Mommy's car doesnt start till we are in our belts hurry up.. or Mommy will beat you buckling.


Then I do have 3 seats. One of them I HATE, I cant buckle or unbuckle it myself, it twists into each other then into the buckle. takes me forever to buckle/unbuckle it. That's the one I use on the smallest since she never knew to use a car seat when she came to me. This way no one could get out. The youngest fs he used to take his arms out of the belt when he first came to us. He is 4 so it wasnt a todler being himself... so what I would do is after making sure everyone had their belts on and then he would miraculously slip out.. I would drive in the subdivision and find a safe spot and jam on the break.. This showed him that if he wasnt buckled properly he will fall out of his seatbelt. He didnt like the feeling. Have done that when the older ones put their shoulder belt under their arms as well. not funny when they buck forward.

AJ

[NJNative]

These posts reminded me of my now 6 year old niece. When she was 9 months old -- and not walking yet -- my sister-in-law was driving in the downtown of a large city. She suddenly heard my niece giggling -- and the sound was way too close to her ears. She turned around and there was my niece STANDING on the back seat with her hands holding on to the front seat. Of course, being in the city, there wasn't even a place to pull over.

After she finally pulled over and put the baby back in her car seat, she tilted the rearview mirror to watch her. Caught her little escape act. She first unclipped the harness straps, and was shrugging her shoulders out of the straps (which were still buckled in). Then she would fold herself in half, wiggling her bottom until it popped out. So she escaped without ever unbuckling the seat in the first place. It was quite a performance!

Needless to say, that evening, they had to go buy a new car seat with the bar that came down. A five point harness simply wasn't going to do anymore. Aren't kids amazing sometimes?

BTW, this same kid also escaped from her high chair, her stroller and her crib. Quite the little Houdini.

[mom2GRLC]

yes, our son did the same thing. By one year old he could get out of ANYTHING we put him in including his stroller(that was certianly a suprise to look up and see him walking around by himself).

we found a way to keep him in his high chair it was kind of like a 5 point harness except the shoulder straps hook into the lap belt. We ended up having to crisscross the shoulder harness and connect it into the opposite side, which made for an escape proof high chair (at last).