amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Dannielle · 04-24-2003, 12:29 AM

My son (2 since Jan) has recently figured out how to un-do the chest buckle of his carseat. He figured it out while we were leaving. We were only going a few blocks and I had to pull the car over several times to rebuckle him. He was pulling the straps off his shoulders too.

Finally, after it became apparent that this game ammused him and he wasn't getting it that it was "danger" I slapped his hand when he went for it with that mischevious look in his eye. This is not me...not the kind of parenting I am in favor of. But at the same time I need to be able to drive from point A to point B with him safely secured in his seat. What if I had been on the highway and couldn't pull over 4 times in 5 minutes?

This happened maybe a week ago and has happened a time or two since. I am completely at a loss. I can't imagine there's not a better way to deal with this...there has to be...

I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks!

Adria · 04-24-2003, 12:54 AM

Is it a Britax? My two year old can push her chest clip down and slide her arms out. She does it *alot*. I haven't found anything to do, other than to speak sternly and stop the car if she doesn't put it back. I hope she will outgrow it once the novelty wears off.

tandemmama · 04-24-2003, 06:53 AM

Ds was doing this too. The chest clip on his carseat was the kind where you just slip the strap into the clip and it holds it in there, His carseat is a century and century sells the kind of clips that actually "click" closed. We switched the chest clip out and he couldn't do it anymore. He probably can now (he's got a different carseat, but the same kind of clip) but I think he's outgrown that stage and doesn't even try.

We also had to make sure that it was tight enough across his chest. It's supposed to be pretty tight anyway (no more than a finger's room under there? something like that....) If it wasn't super tight like that, he'd slip his arms out as well. DD has started doing that and I realized her chest clip wasn't tight enough so now we keep it tight. When I tighten it, she complains "stuck!!!" LOL but by the time I walk around to get in the car myself, she's forgotten and she's fine.

Hope you find something that works or he outgrows it soon, it's frustrating!

MGray · 04-24-2003, 08:53 AM

All 3 of my olders ones went through this phase. Many of the carseats have slippable clips that they can slide down and slip their arms out.

It is dangerous. I disciplined all of mine in a manner that isn't appropriate for discussion on this board

(I will say that hand slapping is probably not going to work - I really won't elaborate more on what I did). I drive a lot and I'm very no nonsense on this type of thing. They HAVE to stay in the carseat. Mine were pretty compulvise about trying to climb out, my other options were just not realistic.

That said - it is a phase and you probably could search around and find a carseat that didn't have that slippable clip (if you can afford to replace your carseat). Your toddler will stop eventually. Good luck.

Melinda

mzbees · 04-28-2003, 05:48 PM

What about tying the straps together until he is able to understand getting out of his seat is non-negotiable? I would also avoid doing a lot of errands during this "phase" (I really think he'll grow out of testing you on this) because he is still so young. You cannot reason with him to the point of him understanding his safety is at stake.

((HUGS))

my3sons · 04-28-2003, 09:03 PM

Sometimes when my ds does this dh flips the clip over (makes and x) tn the strap) and then clips it and he can't slide it down then. I'm hoping this wouldn't hurt him in an accident but it was the only thing that worked.