Danerous baby car seat situation

Hi Greeneye
Just looking through the posts there and I doubt its the car seat is the problem as in they are all made to a safety standard and the child has obviously worked out how to get the arms out anyway.
I would suggest this... Its much easier to rear other peoples kids, especially when it comes to discipline.
I know my nephews would listen to me faster when told not to do something, more than they would their mother. I also have an almost 2 year old that has me wrapped around his little finger. Child is also very headstrong (stubborn). Why not get a friend or relative to bring him for a small spin and let him do what he does in the seat. Get that person to tell him not to do it very firmly and see what happens?
It does depend on what he understands too though.
 
When one of mine started the same habit as mentioned by OP my other half put my small child and myself out of the car and drove off (out of sight). I explained that we all needed to wear the belt when in the car or we would be put out.......no issues to date. But it needs two people to make this work! Not sure if it is of help Greeneye, just an idea.
 
Just because the seat was expensive, it doesn't mean it is the best. If you live in Dublin, go up to Kealys in Walkinstown
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They are very very good ( and usually pretty reasonable as well) as this is their "bread and butter" as opposed to the Halfords of this world where car seats are just one of a wide range of things they sell
 
For sure there is an add-on clip that you can buy which is specially designed for this. I know I had it with my youngest. She would slip off the straps in order to lean forward to look out the window. I bought it in mothercare but that's a few years ago.
 
Vanilla said:
For sure there is an add-on clip that you can buy which is specially designed for this. I know I had it with my youngest. She would slip off the straps in order to lean forward to look out the window. I bought it in mothercare but that's a few years ago.
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I would be more than a little concerned with adding anything to the original design... I'm presuming the original child seat design was tested as is and designed to work as is, in an emergency. Adapting its design might (just might) make it not work as designed and as tested...

There are two issues:
(1) Getting the toddler to accept that wearing the restraint is obligatory. No if's no but's, no exceptions!
(2) Ensuring the restraint and seat is fitted and adjusted correctly.

The suggestions already given, the friendly serious Garda or the serious friend or getting 'dumped' on the roadside seem like good ideas and hopefully one or a combination of the will work for the OP in convincing the toddler.
Getting professional advice on the correct fitting and adjustment is vital! If the seat isn't fitted and adjusted correctly (it might not be) it could do more harm than good when and if you need it!
HTH
 
doubledeb said:
Its much easier to rear other peoples kids, especially when it comes to discipline.
I know my nephews would listen to me faster when told not to do something, more than they would their mother. I also have an almost 2 year old that has me wrapped around his little finger. Child is also very headstrong (stubborn). Why not get a friend or relative to bring him for a small spin and let him do what he does in the seat. Get that person to tell him not to do it very firmly and see what happens?
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I'm not so sure about this. It could be actually undermining Mum and Dad, and setting the expectation that Mum and Dad are to be ignored.

How about choosing a time when you are not rushed (e.g. not the morning commute) and just refusing to move the car unless/until he stays in his seat in the proper position?
 
Crugers said:
I would be more than a little concerned with adding anything to the original design... I'm presuming the original child seat design was tested as is and designed to work as is, in an emergency. Adapting its design might (just might) make it not work as designed and as tested...
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Er, yes, of course the add on clip was tested and conformed to safety standards- do you really think it would have been sold in a shop like mothercare otherwise- or that you're the only person who would have the same concern? As I said, it's a few years ago now but I particularly remember it as we had a similar issue with one of our children and believe it or not, we actually thought about adding something to the child seat straps before we did it!:rolleyes: .

I can't remember what age our daughter was when she went through this phase, but I think around 18 months- I could have reasoned with her until I was blue in the face and fat lot of good that would have done.
 
Mpsox said:
Just because the seat was expensive, it doesn't mean it is the best. If you live in Dublin, go up to Kealys in Walkinstown
[broken link removed]
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Speaking of Kealy's reminds me of their advice to me a few years ago to tighten the restraints as much as possible so that the child doesn't have any wriggle room.

I was uncomfortable doing this at first as I thought it was an unreasonable level of restraint but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. If a restraint is loose enough to allow a child wriggle free, you'd have to wonder whether they would be adequately restrained in the event of a sudden impact.

Racing drivers (dubious analogy, I know) are restrained to the point of being almost welded to the seat.
 
Had the same issue with a child and I tried lots of different things, the one that worked was telling her that her favourite cartoon character used the same kind of seat belt, I had also intended attaching a sticker/badge of the character but didn't need to as she was so taken with the idea of having the same seat belt as Mickey Mouse that it wasn't necessary. Every time we got into the car after that she mentioned the seat belt & Mickey Mouse, about 18 months after I told her this I heard her relaying this information to her baby sister! Worth a try. Good luck.
 
Had the same issue too. Every time they did it, I would stop the car and tighten the straps, if they are tight enough they can't get their arms out. It is uncomfortable, but the thought of having the straps made tighter seemd to deter them. Also mentioned that the Guards would give out if they saw it. The scene from Toy Story also helped explain why the straps are needed. Woody and Buzz jump into a pizza van, Buzz sits in the front and puts on the safety belt. Woody sits in the back with no belt - Woody gets thrown around while Buzz is all comfy.This was pointed out to me while watching the movie with the child, so she figured out why they were needed herself. She now explains this to her younger sister....TV isn't all bad.
 
Ease up there Fizzelinia, there are toddlers that would run rings around many of us, so pipe down.

Greeneye, I can't offer more advice than what has already been given but just to say fair play to you for taking it seriously and don't give up, my SIL is an ICU nurse in a major childrens hosp and she time and time again says she can't believe why this isn't made a bigger issue due to the horrific injuries that kids sustain, it's similar to them just having a lap belt on and they just get thrown. Fair play to you and don't give up,
 
Some kids would out escape houdini. Some hardly ever try. My experience was its a phase they go through, and a 2 they don't really have that much sense to reason with them, or you don't have the time for a battle. An extra tie on the belts is a stop gap. When they are a bit older, 2.5+ the pulling in until they belt up seems to work. We've a 1yr old that seems to be a bit of quick learner with escaping the belts on everything.

Check the belts are in the right position. Usually they have 3 or 4 height positions and you need to move them higher as the child grows. Too low and they get out easy.
 
Vanilla said:
Er, yes, of course the add on clip was tested and conformed to safety standards
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The point I was attempting to make was that if the seat required an extra clip then the seat might not be the recommended type or size for the child. The seat would not have been safety tested with the clip so any results of the tests could not be relied upon as a recommendation for using the seat with the clip. Adapting the seat harness "might (just might)" not be the best or a recommended solution.

Vanilla said:
- do you really think it would have been sold in a shop like mothercare otherwise
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In their current "Guide to Car Seats", Mothercare say "Never modify a child seat, its fittings, the harness, or buckle to make it fit your car.". Do you think they recommend modifying it to fit the child? And do they still sell and recommend the modifying clip?;)

Vanilla said:
- or that you're the only person who would have the same concern?
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Ehhh! No! I do believe many other have the same concerns... :rolleyes:
The RSA ran a recent roadshow countrywide "Check it Fits" where you could 'get your child seat checked for free'. So it seems they are concerned too! They asked that you bring your car, your seat and your child presumably because all three have to 'fit' together for safety sake.

Vanilla said:
and believe it or not, we actually thought about adding something to the child seat straps before we did it! .
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I believe it!:)
 
AlbacoreA said:
... Check the belts are in the right position. Usually they have 3 or 4 height positions and you need to move them higher as the child grows. Too low and they get out easy.
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Good point. IIRC there are pairs of horizontal slits in the solid frame of the seat beneath the seat cover that allow the shoulder straps to be moved and adjusted as the child grows.
Crugers said:
... The seat would not have been safety tested with the clip so any results of the tests could not be relied upon as a recommendation for using the seat with the clip. ...
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+1
 
You have to have some common sense. Thats standard legal blurb to cover themselves in case a seat is modified so that its function is compromised. Its talking about fitting a seat to a car as they are often fitted incorrectly.

Thats an entirely different topic to the fit of a child in a seat. Likewise, a child fitting correctly in a seat is an entirely different topic to keeping a child in a seat.

The suggestion that there is a problem with the design of a seat if a child can escape is just nonsense. Theres no such thing as an escape proof seat. Kids are clever, they learn, they see you locking and unlocking it all the time. You do it in front of them. They can't but learn it. Kids are also very flexible, they can wiggle in and out of impossible spaces. A couple of straps is nothing.

So unless its like a straight jacket or a racing car harness its escapable. Putting an extra tie, to keep the belts in place isn't ideal either as it makes quick exit from the car harder and the child might get tangled in it. But that has to be balanced against the risk of the child being out of their seat, or not in it fully.

But its a phase that passes with age and education. Some kids accept it easier then others.

Which child safety seat is escape-proof?
Unfortunately, there is no escape-proof safety seat. Children who learn how to get out of one kind of safety seat soon learn how to escape from others. However, most children quickly respond to parental firmness. This finding is based on a study conducted by SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. with data collected from a range of English- and Spanish-speaking families.
For the others, first make sure that the shoulder straps are in the correct slots, that the harness is very snug, and that the retainer clip is in place at armpit level.
Next, plan to spend one or two intense weeks working on the problem. Bring the safety seat into your home and let your child play "mom" or "dad," and carefully buckle in a favorite doll or animal. This dramatic play begins the process of identification with the best way to behave. Schedule each trip so that you have enough time to pull over and stop the car every single time your child gets out of the safety seat. Each time, explain that you cannot drive until everyone is buckled up. If you act bored instead of angry, she will soon get tired of misbehaving.
Plan some rewards, too. For instance, arrange a special trip to a place the child likes to visit and explain that the car will get there faster if everyone stays buckled up. Try playing audio cassettes your child likes, and rotate them to prevent boredom. Also, give your child soft toys and books to enjoy in the car, but nothing hard or sharp that could hurt someone in a crash. Children look forward to having special toys for trips. Rotating a few items from week to week will help keep their interest.
If your child belongs to a day care or activity group, discuss the need for a buckle-up program for all of the children and parents. There are probably other parents who would welcome this kind of help as well. The excellent "Bucklebear" curriculum and associated materials can be helpful in such efforts.
Is it safe for two children to share one safety belt?
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As you move from coats to t shirts and or the child gets big fast when young, you might end up adjusting the seats a lot more often than you think.
 
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