Do you ALWAYS strap your toddler in his/her seat?

Question

We have a 2 1/2 year old daughter who REFUSES to stay in her booster seat. We've tried everything and she continues to get out. I'm constantly pulling over to strap her back in ... but by the time I get back in the car, she's out again.

If I put her in the backseat with the seat belt on, she's fine ... she just won't stay in the booster.

So ... do you ALWAYS strap your toddler in his/her seat?
Do you sometimes let them sit on the backseat with a belt on?

Duct tape on the latches ... good idea tiffany :)

Thanks SO much everyone. I've considered having an officer talk to her. I think I'll try that too.

We've tried 5 different car seats so far and she can open the latch on every one ... that's why we switched to the booster (she's 35 inches, 32 pounds).

Answer 1

i realize that it is easier to give in when you are in a rush to an appointment.

Please stop and give some time. Choose a day to start (one that isn't busy and you can devote to spending lots of time going nowhere and sitting in the car). Decide what you want her to do and stick to the plan. You will spending a good chunk of time working on this so make your day eventless so you don't feel the pressure to give in because you're late.

We use sticker charts in our family. For everytime she goes on a trip (successfully buckled) she earns a sticker for her chart. When she earns 5 (or a number that you decide--you could start at 3) she earns a small prize...A quarter for the bubblegum machine at the store or a plastic necklace. An object that she'll love. Make the sticker chart together with a drawing of what she looks like in the carseat!!! She can hold this sticker chart in the car to remind herself of what she's trying to earn.

Before you get into the car (in the house) explain to her exactly what you want her to do. "We are going to the store today and it is very important that you stay buckled in your seat. Mommy's going to drive the car when you're buckled in your booster seat. When we get to the store-you may pick out a sticker for your chart!" Tell her what you WANT her to do. (If you say "Don't unbuckle your seatbelt" then the last thing she heard was "unbuckle" and that reminds her to do that!!)

Go to get into the car and get her seatbelt on. Tell her "Please get your seatbelt on" or "Would you like mommy to help you get your belt on?." When she resists just say "Mommy is going to wait right here until you are ready. You tell mommy when you're ready." Just calmly repeat this. You can offer help. "Do you want mommy to help you or do you want to do it by yourself?" Choices can make her feel like she's in power while still getting what you want. If you feel out of control step back and breathe. This may take quite a bit of paticence!! But you can do it!!

Stay calm and cool. Don't threaten just repeat what you WANT her to do (do not tell her what you don't want her to do).

When she does it. Praise her lots and lots!!!

Then you get into the car and drive to the closest store or park. Seriously under 5 minute drive. When you get there give Lots of praise and a sticker. "I am so proud of you that you had your seat buckled! What a big girl Let's pick out a sticker for your chart!"

If she doesn't make it to the 5 minute destination then just pull over the car and ask her again to put on her belt. Just wait calmly until she asks for help and gets back into her seat. Stay calm and take deep breaths!!! Turn off the car and wait. When she can get to that destination then make it a BIG deal and get the sticker (even if you had to stop--she still made it!!)--maybe even call dad or grandma on the cellphone to share the triumph!

Positive encouragement always works better than punishment. Stay postive and simple. Tell her what you want and when they do it--PRAISE and REWARD the behaviors that you want to see!!

Answer 2

First I need some clarification. She is in a BOOSTER seat and NOT a 5-point harness carseat?

She is WAY too young to be in a booster. She belongs in a 5-point harness. She should not switch to a booster until she is AT LEAST 4 years and 40 pounds.

If we are just confusing terminology and she is in fact in a 5-pt, then you need to get firm with the consequences. Refuse to take her to the park, to her friends, to a birthday party. Tell her she cannot go to these places because she won't stay safe. Reinforce the safety aspect. A visit from the Police isn't a bad idea either.

www. boosterseat.gov - go here for guidelines on which type of seat you need.

<------Kept son in a 5-pt until after he was 5 and over 45 pounds.

Answer 3

a 2 1/2 yr old child should not be in a booster seat. She should be in a full harness car seat until she is 40lbs and 40 inches and 4 yrs old, then she can move to a booster seat. I would be very surprised if she could get out of a harness carseat. If she slides the harness thing down jst pin a safety pin under it so she can not move it.
To place a child her age in a regular seat belt is not only pointless but life threatening.
The shoulder strap will snap her neck in a collision and if you only use a lap belt on a child uner the age of 12 they may remain in the car during a collision but they will die from internal damage.
The full harness carseat is designed to keep kids under 40 inches and 40 pounds from breaking their necks with a seat belt if you wreck.
Oh back to your queston... Yes. I put my 3 yr old in her carseat , my 5 year old and 7 yr olds in their boosters each and every time.
When they were little I told them the car wouldn't start until they were propperly in their seats. If someone tried to get out I pulled over and told them that the car could not work if they didn't stay in their seats. Threaten to leave her with a friend if she won't stay in her seat , tell you will go to jail if she doesn't stay in her seat, If all else fails ... Although I am against spanking, this is a spankable offense. If her safety is not something to spank her over I can not immagine anything that would be.

Answer 4

PLEASE buckle your child up in a booster until they are 4' 9. This will be one of many battles you lose if you give in now. Just think of what you will be dealing with at 16. It should help if you wear your seat belt too. Every time I would buckle up my daughter I would sing a jingle to help make it less stressful. It went "buckle up for safety.......buckle up!....for safety...buckle up!" We would both sing it until were both had our seat belts on and were ready to go. Telling her you love her so much you don't want her get hurt may help.

I have seen some horrible stuff while going through EMT training. There once was a small child who was in the front seat and not buckled up that was decapitated from an air bag. I met a 6 year old that became mentally challenged after her parents car was struck from behind. She was not wearing a seat belt and the impact propelled her forward. the front of her head struck the back of her father's, who was the driver, causing the brain damage.

What ever consequences you use now will not be as bad as what could happen if she isn't properly restrained.

Answer 5

At her age, she should absolutely be in a safety seat. My daughters know there are *serious* repurcussions for getting out of the seat, so we've never had to deal with it. IT might be time to invest in a different seat, one that she's incapable of wriggling out of.

You might also consider really severe punishment for every time she gets herself out.

At her age, she's far too young to do the "seatbelt" thing. My children are never in the car without a car seat. It's just dangerous.

You're the adult - you make the rules and you make the consequences. When she takes it off, it's up to YOU to institute an immediate consequence - and don't back off it.

For instance,:

Janey takes her belt off.

Mommy says, "Janey, put that belt on right now or there will be no bedtime story tonight (0r whatever Janey loves a lot).

At first Janey will test you, but when you follow thru a few times with actually enforcing the punishment, the behavior will follow.

Good luck.

Answer 6

My two-year old used to also not like to stay in her booster seat with her seatbelt across her chest until I bought a harnass...

It attached to the seatbelt but is more like the straps on a carseat with one strap over each shoulder and one through between her legs...

I found it at Big W in Australia and I assume you are in the US so you can probably get it from WalMart, Target or K-mart.

Im sure that I dont need to tell you how dangerous it is to have a two-year old in the front seat with or without a booster seat or have a child in the car with out a booster seat. The harness did cost about $40, but its well worth it knowing that she cannot undo her seatbelt and she cant get it over her head...

Answer 7

You must ALWAYS strap her in. Try arranging a trip to somewhere she likes to go and if she refuses to stay in her seat then you will refuse to take her. Also if you say "this is your last chance" and she still refuses then you must follow through and just remove her from the car and keep her home. Yes she will protest loudly but you need to show her that YOU are in charge. You could then try again the next day. Most kids have something that they use as a little power game. Just don't let her win

Answer 8

Always! Always! Always! Saftey must be your top priority with her. You have to be firm and never give up. If you give in and let her sit on just the seat, she wins and she will continue to get out of the seat on her own. Check at a babies r us or other baby/toddler store, they may be able to provide you with a solution such as a latch cover that will make it hard to undo the latch by herself. Or you may need to invest in a new carseat that has a more difficult latch system. Perhaps the carseat you have is too small/babyish for her. If she helps you pick out a "big-girl" carseat, it may help. Good luck.

Answer 9

At that age, she is required by law to be in a car seat or a booster. One thing I did with each of my kids is let them pick out which booster seat to use. Use attachment methods like when she eats- put her at a table and make her sit in the booster. Finds ways to integrate the booster seat with her daily life. Not to mention in the end, that little girl is more likely to be thrown from the backseat than if she was in a booster. You might want to check local laws to make sure of things. And when you travel from state to state check out their laws too.

Answer 10

Answer -- YES -- we ALWAYS put our kiddies in their seats. Even to just back out of the driveway and get the mail I strap them in, b/c you never know which of your neighbors might tap you coming out of their driveway and set your air bags off. It really can happen -- my husband slid into a curb once at 5 mph (before we even had kids) and both air bags deployed!

Suggestion: Go back to a 3-point harness "infant" seat. There are so many seats that convert from harness seats to boosters, and these go from 20-80 or even 20-100 pounds.

Recommend: Safety 1st harness/booster seat converter. Our model is dark blue, manufactured in 2005. Trust me, half the time I can't even get the buckles undone. There are 2 separate buckles (chest and between legs) and the lower one has to be pushed very very very hard to undo it.

Answer 11

Unfortunately, your daughter does need to sit in her booster. It's the law and there are no exceptions. If she doesn't like the regular booster seat, and if she is at least 40 pounds, you can always buy her the Graco No BackTurbo Booster Car Seat.