My son just turned 3. What do you do if your little one is NOT tall/old enough to use the seatbelt (has to use the 5pt harness still until age 4) but can unclip the chest piece on his own and be completely unsafe?
I know to pull over and relatch it... I'm asking about a more permenant solution. Because lets face it. It's not very practical to have to stop and pull over every few minutes. He HATES being in a seat, but I've explained several times in several different ways why he has to be in it. He's a whizz when it comes to figuring things out. It wouldn't take him long to figure out how to remove himself from ANY carseat.
So, just curious... What would your suggestions be?
I thank you ladies for your responses.
In the case of traveling, I am not going to keep stopping every few minutes. We just won't go anywhere in that instance.
As far as the seatbelt adjuster (the link posted)... He's not old enough to have that option.
I have toys, snacks, beverages, music... you name it I have it in my car. He WANTS TO BE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. He has NEVER been on ANYONE's lap while driving... I still have no idea how he's gotten so obcessed about being in the drivers seat.
Duct tape? Um, we get in and out of the car at a minimum of FOUR times a day. Not that I can't get it for free, but within a month of the duct tape use, the clasp would be completely broken.
MORE TO ADD- He's MOST CERTAINLY gotten swats on the butt!!! Doesn't phase him... But my hand stings.He buckles and unbuckles on his own... Because I let him. He LOVES to go just about anywhere. As soon as that door opens (passenger side REAR door), he RUNS to the drivers seat. Sometimes I'm just not fast enough to grab him!!!
I've gotten some good answers. Thanks.
My husband whipped around the corner and threw on the brakes once. He didn't say one word to me. He jumped in the back seat and gave my daughter a couple of hard swats and buckled her back up. She never did it again. I understand that many people choose non-spanking parenting. But I also understand that sometimes a spanking is the less of two great evils.
Mine started this at two. I put the prickly velcro on the clip. It made it uncomfortable for my daughter to press it. We also pulled over any time she did it and reminded her it was not safe.
There are products available to prevent kids from unclipping (often used when a child is much older but developmentally delayed). Look around for them.
I'd also, as safety permits, pull over and do time outs right there. My friend realized his son unbuckled on the highway and he said he's not entirely proud of his reaction, but he basically flipped out, found a safe shoulder and gave the kid a bit of a scare because they were doing 65+ and his son was bouncing around the car.
Also, what do you offer him in the car? DD has a backpack and I fill it with snacks, a drink and some small toys she probably forgot about. When she gets tired of sitting, I toss that to her. I also have kid friendly music for her so we can sing along.
My son did this too at the age of 3. What did I do? Pulled over EVERY time he did it. You are right that it was not practical, and it was very inconvenient, but he caught on after a few weeks that it was a non-negotiable.
I drove a special needs school bus and we had seatbelt locks. They are designed to go over the clip and are kind of like the top of a pill bottle to remove. I'm sorry that I don't know where to buy one because we got them from our supervisors, but they DO make them, so there has got to be a place you can get one. I hope this is of some help at least.
Does he have a favorite place to go, like the park? It has to be a place that is really fun for him to go to.
I understand you are busy, but pick a day that you can devote to this.
Tell him you are going to the park (or where ever) and give him the rules before you get in the car.
Tell him he needs to stay latched in or you can't go.
Then get him in the car and buckle him in (or let him buckle himself as much as he can, they love the independence of that), remind him he needs to stay buckled or no park.
Get in and start the car, if he is still buckled, you can go, if he isn't, just stay there until he rebuckles.
If he unbuckles on the ride, pull over into a parking lot and stay until HE rebuckles himself. Don't get out of the car and buckle him, unless you don't think he can, but ask him first if he wants you to rebuckle him.
Repeat until you get there.
Also tell him when it is ok to unbuckle. I tell mine they can once I unbuckle my seatbelt.
This worked for my incredibly stubborn daughter and she hasn't done it since. Good Luck! This too shall pass :)
Trying to rig some other way to restrain it is a bad idea.
My oldest did the same thing. We made a big deal each time and made her reclasp it. It didn't take long for it to no longer be a problem.
I haven't had to deal with this to the extent you describe but my younger would slide the chest buckle down to his belly for a while so I did a little research. If he is smart enough, you could make his excursions dependant on his car seat riding compliance ie we are going to the park, to get ice cream, to visit grandma...but only if you sit like a big boy. If he unbuckles, home you go to sit in your room, or whatever discipline would work. After he serves his time (3 minutes or whatever), try again. I would arrange a weekend you could devote to this, kind of like the potty training in 3 days method. Pain in the butt, but could work. Another thing I read was to let him unbuckle in your driveway or dead end, not busy road, press the gas a bit and then brake hard! Let him lose his balance and hit the seat or floor, respond with appropriate, oh my gosh! how did that happen? are you okay? and make a big deal about checking for injuries, and talking up how you stayed put in your seat b/c you were wearing your belt, gosh darn those car seats are amazing things that can help you if you use them the right way....etc. Good Luck.
You could try a carabiner that twists and locks or a pad lock:) But also if he is three and over 30lbs he can ride in a booster with a back. (I looked up Michigan's seat belt laws.) The booster with the back allows the seat belt to fit properly, until they are taller, some even have two different heights.
In my experience with 4 kids, they hated the "carseat" five point harness, but loved sitting in the booster with a back. The few times they tried to unbuckle, I pulled over quickly and put them back in the "baby seat" (and you would then use your padlock here)
They usually only tried once:)
Good luck,
E.
Maybe something like this would work?
You can take the belt of and reverse it, so that the latch is in towards his chest, that would work - I know you can do this with my seat, because idiot that I am, when I washed it, I put the belt back on backwards!
Is he still buckled at the bottom part? I would just make it a firm point that it is not to be opened. The regular seat belt is even easier for them to unlatch and would be even less safe then being in the 5pt harness.
I just keep pulling over every time. Maybe have a police officer talk to him?
Once when I saw a police officer behind us I quickly asked it the seat was still buckled so that Mom didn't get in trouble. 'yep. its okay'.
How about this thingamabobber?:
http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Fit-Seat-Belt-Adjuster/dp/B000...
My SIL had this problem. She put one of those shoulder pad/cushions that people use to keep the seat belt from digging into the infants neck, over the chest piece. It was a velcro one, so she sewed the velcro, and then slid it on. It made it harder for her little one to push the button, enough so he couldn't unlach it any longer. It was an easy solution, because it didnt' effect her laching and unlaching the belt.
If it were my child, I'd react very strongly the next time he does it. Put a little fear into him, so he understands that unclipping his harness is a very big deal. Then, I would start carrying a roll of duct tape on the car and wrapping it around the harness clip every time you put him in the car. It will be a huge pain for you, but explain to him that you're doing it because you can't trust him to be a big boy and not unclip his straps. Tell him that you will stop using the tape when you are sure he will leave his harness alone. After a week or two, try it without the tape, but tell him that if he unclips himself, the tape goes right back on. Hopefully, he won't. Good luck!
