How to keep my son in his carseat?

[pebbles]

Mine undoes the seat only when he wants out....usually I can convince him by talking to him to put it back on. If he's tired & cranky & just wants me, I can usually just reach back there so he can hold my hand & he'll buckle it back up. I started early saying you have to buckle up to be safe every time we got in the car. Now I tell him that as well as mommy will get in trouble if you don't keep your seatbelt on & it usually works. Pull over as often as needed until he gets the message.

speaking of drawers & counters....mine just figured out how to climb up the cabinets with the help of his stool to reach whatever he wants on the counter!

 

[vraiblonde]

Give him benadryl.

 

[Nanny Pam]

Not so far from the truth.

You don't need SOMETHING to stop him, YOU need to stop him.

If you don't enforce the rules, what are you going to do when he's 4 and in a seatbelt and doesn't want to wear it?

Or 16 and driving on his own for the first time.

You make them start obeying the rules at a young age and it will follow with them the rest of their lives. If they don't follow the rules by the time they are 5, they probably never will.

EXACTLY

 

[mitzi]

EXACTLY

In all fairness she can work on teaching the baby, but only being 18 months old it is hard, mainly because they're in the back seat & they've unfastened it before you know it.

 

[annemayer]

My son turns 18 months tomorrow and he's had an interesting few days. He climbed out of his crib for the first time. Luckily he wasn't hurt.

Now he's figured out how to unlock the carseat latch that goes across his chest. Nothing is wrong with the latch, he's just trying to get into & out of everything. I heard that there's some sort of guard that goes over it so he can't unlock it anymore. I wasted 2 hrs going to Babies R Us in Waldorf because they said they had something but actually they had nothing except a carseat lock alarm. What have you done to stop your curious kids from escaping from their seats? Duct tape, lol?

When our daughter was little she would do the same thing. What worked for us was to take out all the straps-bear in mind this means using a real car seat,not a booster,and put them in BACKWARDS.The same way they should,but now they are "inside out" so to speak.Then buckle the child in. My youngest couldn't get the thing unbuckled for anything. The chest clip can be reversed as well. Also,make sure it is tight enough,no more than two fingers should go under it.If nothing else,super glue/tape the guard in place,so that it stays on,and you just lower the harness over his head.

 

[sockgirl77]

Fly swatter. Fits nicely between the seats and leaves a nifty waffle print on the brat's leg. Problem solved.

 

[Mama_Mia08]

speaking of drawers & counters....mine just figured out how to climb up the cabinets with the help of his stool to reach whatever he wants on the counter!

My soon to be 2 yr. old has been doing this for a few months now and it drives me nuts. She'll drag the kitchen stool around and when I fold that up and hide it she'll drag anything she can stand on over to where she wants to get into stuff. It's amazing the things they come up with.

I remember my Mom putting the prickly side of velcro on the release button when my sister used to climb out of her seat. It was years ago so I can't remember if the velcro worked or her getting her a** beat My kids have always been good when it comes to seat belts. However, my oldest had issues w/tantrums when she was younger. She would kick the back of my seat and throw stuff. Spanking her did not work in this case. Eventually, I started pulling the car over each time she did that and refused to move until she stopped. Yes, it made me late to work which was very inconvenient at first. I did add time into the AM schedule though knowing that may happen and after about 2 weeks of doing that she stopped. She was around 3 though. At 18M they do understand "no" but have a short attention span so spanking and things like timeouts only work for a few minutes at a time. Is there something in the seat that is uncomfortable to him? Does he have other things to keep him busy like books or toys?

 

[Hawkeyewife]

My now 5 yr old did that a couple of times as a toddler. As soon as I recognized it, I would pull over and strap him back into his seat but (over)tighten the straps as much as possibly could. He was uncomfortable (but not unsafe) and learned quickly that unbuckling was not an option.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Whenever he starts messing with the buckle, reach back and start swinging. You won't even have to take your eyes off the road!

Mom, is that you? When my brother and/or I would be a pita in the car, my Mom did that a few times. When I was around 6 yrs old I made the mistake of telling her, "you can't reach me". Let's just say that she pulled over and I behaved much better from that point on.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, the useful & the funny. I'm loving every moment of parenthood (well, almost every moment) and I know I have so many more "oh sh!t" times ahead!

 

[Bann]

Mom, is that you? When my brother and/or I would be a pita in the car, my Mom did that a few times. When I was around 6 yrs old I made the mistake of telling her, "you can't reach me". Let's just say that she pulled over and I behaved much better from that point on.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, the useful & the funny. I'm loving every moment of parenthood (well, almost every moment) and I know I have so many more "oh sh!t" times ahead!

It's been a lonnnng time since I bought a car seat. My kids didn't unbuckle them, but I believe it's because I got one like a friend of mine had when her daughter was smaller. Her daughter was a pistol and she could get out of anything! They finally got a Fisher Price "T-Shield" type. As a result, that's the type I bought.

Nowadays, the design is probably much different, I don't know. This had a rubber/plastic shield that was attached (molded in some way) to the straps and it came down in the front and the bottom portion latched into the seat - in the crotch area of the child

That particular design made it difficult (motor skills-wise) for my kids to maneuver when they were that age. So anytime they tried to get out, they couldn't do it. Therefore, by the time they were toddlers, they were more or less trained. And by that time, when they challenged or tested me - I was able to employ the "this car doesn't move until you are buckled in" routine. Developmentally, 18 month olds don't really get that concept (car doesn't move until you buckle up, etc.) yet, so you really do have to use methods to prevent them from unbuckling. (The smack on the leg when they try it, the loud words - they might or might not work on your child. Depends on the will of the child, sometimes!)

 

[Bann]

personally, I hit the breaks hard enough for her to come out of her seat a little but not hard enough for her to bounce off the front seat ( after checking that no one was behind us first) that followed by a thorough scolding convinced my then 3yo tht it wasn't worth it to take off the belt ever again. she's 5 now and still asks permission before removing her seat belt when we park.

With all due respect this is absolutely NOT a good idea.

The rapid acceleration and deceleration of the child's head could cause whiplash at best. At worst - a traumatic brain injury.

 

[n0n1m0us3]

With all due respect this is absolutely NOT a good idea.

The rapid acceleration and deceleration of the child's head could cause whiplash at best. At worst - a traumatic brain injury.

Agreed, it's an absolute crap idea. Another thing is unless you're some kind of stunt driver you may miscalculate and then baby is flying through the windshield.

 

[Speedy70]

My friend had this issue with her daughter. She ended up turning the straps around. It might make it a little more difficult for you but he probably won't be able to undo them.

Is it a Graco by chance? They're famous for that issue.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

My friend had this issue with her daughter. She ended up turning the straps around. It might make it a little more difficult for you but he probably won't be able to undo them.

Is it a Graco by chance? They're famous for that issue.

Yes it sure is a Graco, I'll try that with the straps. I know some people think I should have an in depth conversation with him about the dangers of unbuckling his seatbelt but good luck with an 18 month old. Yesterday, I continued with the "NO", the evil looks (lol) and the smacking of his hand every time he fooled with the belt. As always, he had things back there to distract him (snacks, books, his favorite Scout dog). I pulled over 4 times from PF to Solomons, which is fine, but I wasn't about to cross the bridge with him unbuckled so I wrapped something around the button until we got to Lowes/BJs.

I also like the idea of having someone sit back there with him. Unfortunately, hubby works tons of hours so it's just me and my little man 99% of the time. Oh well, the fun continues!

 

[Bann]

Yes it sure is a Graco, I'll try that with the straps. I know some people think I should have an in depth conversation with him about the dangers of unbuckling his seatbelt but good luck with an 18 month old. Yesterday, I continued with the "NO", the evil looks (lol) and the smacking of his hand every time he fooled with the belt. As always, he had things back there to distract him (snacks, books, his favorite Scout dog). I pulled over 4 times from PF to Solomons, which is fine, but I wasn't about to cross the bridge with him unbuckled so I wrapped something around the button until we got to Lowes/BJs.

I also like the idea of having someone sit back there with him. Unfortunately, hubby works tons of hours so it's just me and my little man 99% of the time. Oh well, the fun continues!

You're right. At that age, they're not usually reasonable. The evil looks & smack or swat on the hand, leg, will only go so far - depending on the child's will. *Some* children will try, try, try a person's last nerve!

Prevention is usually the best answer. That strap idea sounds like it could work! Good luck. I had a very active, determined, and at times, very strong-willed child. (thank goodness, since he's had many challenges he's had to face) I know how exhausting it can be trying to keep them safe and stay one step ahead of them with babyproofing, etc.

 

[DosGattos]

I unbuckled my car seat one time when I was little. I unbuckled it on the highway and decided to climb in the window of my mom's hatchback. My mom promptly pulled over and beat my butt. I never thought of doing that again. To this day I always wear my seat belt.

 

[Bann]

I unbuckled my car seat one time when I was little. I unbuckled it on the highway and decided to climb in the window of my mom's hatchback. My mom promptly pulled over and beat my butt. I never thought of doing that again. To this day I always wear my seat belt.

I think 18 months old is a bit young for butt beating. I'm just saying.

 

[n0n1m0us3]

I think 18 months old is a bit young for butt beating. I'm just saying.

I'm with you on that one.
Also the striking a child that young with a wooden spoon etc...My boyfriend still has scars from having his hands and dome split open with a wooden spoon, the whole idea makes me very uncomfortable.

 

[lnmarsh]

I'm with you on that one.
Also the striking a child that young with a wooden spoon etc...My boyfriend still has scars from having his hands and dome split open with a wooden spoon, the whole idea makes me very uncomfortable.

Its unfortunate stuff like this that makes it impossible for a parent to discipline their child/children nowadays...

 

[TurboK9]

Whenever mine do something they are not supposed to, I tell them that if they don't do as told, the lefties from the SOMD forum will come suck out their brains and turn them into mindless liberal zombies, and they will have to spend the rest of their lives watching MSNBC and living off of other peoples money.

They don't misbehave often.