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I have a problem...  

post #1 of 23
9/28/04 at 2:31pm
Thread Starter 
Hey all! I have a problem. I have a 19 month old toddler who weighs 25.5 lbs (according to my scale that may or may not be off a pound or so). I am, by no stretch of the imagination, ready to turn his carseat forward facing. We have a slight problem now though. My darling boy had learned the ins and outs of unbuckling a 5 point saftey harness. He hasn't climbed out while in motion yet, but he screams and bangs his head going down the road and pulls his arms out of the harness. Then, the minute we stop, he unsnaps the last little latch and climbs right out. Hubby and I are trying to figure out how to keep him in his seat so that he won't start climbing out while in motion (it's bad enough that he pulls his arms out so that the only part safely buckled in is his hips).

I am open to all suggestions. Even if it means turning him around...it's just not something that sits well with me.
post #2 of 23
9/28/04 at 2:52pm
Laura ~ When you buckle him, turn the connector on the bottom towards him so the button isn't facing out. DOes that make sense?
post #3 of 23
9/28/04 at 2:56pm
Thread Starter 
we did.. :


he still did... :
post #4 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:04pm
I'm sure you have done this already but have you tried books or toys to distract him enough from undoing the buckle? Maybe a few special car only toys?
post #5 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
Yep, then we have a screaming, struggling, climbing out baby...AND...flying objects... :
post #6 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:16pm
Thread Starter 
I don't mean to sound like I am dismissing everyone's suggestions..it's just that we have done these things and nothing has worked yet...it seems that my son is smarter (and apparently more determined) that the manufactorer of this particular carseat....
post #7 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:16pm
Try tying a bandana around the buckle. It will make it a lot harder for him to press in. You can also duct tape a quarter to the buckle.
post #8 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:17pm
Also, if there are 2 of you in the car have someone sit in back with him. Thats what we do to keep ds happy.
post #9 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sebastiansmommy
You can also duct tape a quarter to the buckle.

what is this...my mommy brain isn't getting this today. Duct tape a quarter to the buckle????
post #10 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:26pm
I'm pretty sure someone makes a sleeve-type thing you can put over the buckle to thwart his escapes. A piece of water line might work, come to think of it. I'm talking about the clear flexible stuff they have in rolls at Lowe's. Buy a piece that'll fit over your buckle and slit it lengthwise, then stretch it open and let it pop shut over the buckle. If the water line's too flexible, there's a bunch of different types of tubing/pipe you can try. Just walk through the store until you find something that's flexible enough for you to muscle open, but not your son.
post #11 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Justice2
what is this...my mommy brain isn't getting this today. Duct tape a quarter to the buckle????
You could always duct tape your son to the car seat
post #12 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:30pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, these are great suggestions for the buckle. What do I do about the actual straps that he gets out of. See, my carseat has to latches. The first one is on the straps that close to bring the straps together and then there is the 5 point safety harness. When we are traveling, he gets his upper body out of the top buckle. What can I do for that?
post #13 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:35pm
The suggestion about the tubing should work for the strap-closing buckle, too. He might look like a yard sale when you're done, but he won't be able to get out. I don't know what kind of car seat you have. We have an Alpha Omega, and I think if I were trying to solve your problem, I'd end up with about a 6-8" long sleeve for the buckle (I'd size it to run from where the strap goes into the seat at the bottom all the way over the buckle - then he couldn't push it down) and about a 4-5" piece for the top buckle. Both are fixed lengths, and there's no way they could slide around and injure him if you get in an accident.
post #14 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:39pm
I meant put the quarter over the button and then put a strip of duct tape around. Maybe you could use a cable tie for the top part of the buckle. They are pretty cheap.
post #15 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:44pm
Go to www.kidalog.com On the opening page are two products for carseat escapees. Something like "Car Seat Houdini"?
post #16 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nonnymoose
...He might look like a yard sale when you're done...

:LOL
post #17 of 23
9/28/04 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks ladies for all of the wonderful suggestions! I am gonna check on the sleeving. Hopefully with a bit of ingenuity (is that even spelled right?) I can fix this little problem and my son can remain rear facing for another 5-10lbs!
post #18 of 23
9/28/04 at 5:35pm
Moving this to Parenting Issues...
post #19 of 23
9/28/04 at 5:37pm
I meant to add, why not turn him? He's probably bored silly back there, and would much prefer being able to look out the front.
post #20 of 23
9/28/04 at 7:08pm
My carseat only went up to 22 pounds and 26 inches or something like that too. Does yours have a limit? I second the bored thing. He wants to see out front now.
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