Getting toddlers into their carseats
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Toddler Times
Forum Description: Is bubs growing up and getting into everything? How do you train them to use the potty? When do you start feeding solids? Share your tips and advice here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24523
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Topic: Getting toddlers into their carseats
Posted By: MalibuBarbie
Subject: Getting toddlers into their carseats
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 11:19am
| My almost 17 month old has suddenly decided that he does not want to sit in his car seat AT ALL! He fights and fights and fights. Legs and arms end up hitting and kicking, back arches, he wriggles and squirms and he SCREAMS a blood curdling scream that makes people stare. I think I would have more luck trying to strap the cat in the car seat. I find it impossible to get to anywhere on time as it can take over an hour to get him into his car seat. This is making his big brother late to kindy which I feel is unfair. I have also started to become quite cross with the whole thing! It has quickly grown old! I had to walk home from kindy today as my son would not get into his car seat and after an hour and a half I'd had enough so after his push chair was thrown down on the ground out of the boot , the boot door slammed and a word to the push chair about how "bloody sick of this" I was my son happily sat in his push chair and we made our way home with out the car. I know I am not modelling very good ways of controlling anger but I have honestly reached boiling point and I don't know how to solve this problem of getting my youngest son tosit in hi car seat. Has anyone had similar problems? Does anyone have any ideas about how to overcome this? I would be very greatful for any replies. |
Replies:
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 11:54am
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Yikes!
Daniel had about a week of doing this. I ended up tickling him so that he would bend properly for me to get him buckled in but it sounds like your little one is worse than Daniel was. I don' tknow if that is any help... otherwise would bribery work? |
Posted By: MummyFreckle
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 12:08pm
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My neighbour used to have problems with her little on doing this. She bought some stickers and she used to put them on his hand whilst putting him in the car. Could be worth a try? Might distract him enough?
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Posted By: busyissy
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 1:32pm
| He doesn't need the straps readjusted or anything? |
Posted By: jaycee
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 2:06pm
one word - bribery  . Maybe try smarties or M&Ms as they are little.
The other thing I used for Amy when she started to play up getting in the car (a real problem when you need to get a baby in too) was to get her to climb in herself (with a bit of reverse psycology - I am sure that Amy is not big enough too do ...). A friend told her DD that if she didn't get in/stay in her seat that the policeman would tell them off  .
Have you tried concequences (sp?) if you don't get in to your seat then we can not do .... Good luck - they can be SO challenging some times. -------------   
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Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 9:12pm
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We had a little stage of this and it reoccurs sometimes. I found distraction the best, Jack loves the keys so I often gave those to him to hold while I strapped him in, then took them off him promptly afterwards, often replacing with a few toys I keep in the car. Letting him climb in himself works too, I wonder if he is trying to excert his independence. Good luck ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: finnigan
Date Posted: 13 February 2009 at 10:59pm
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We went through this stage as well, I think most kids go through it. Do check his seat to make sure its not hurting him.
We did the boring cuddle, I would stand cuddling ds and tell him we weren't going to do anything until he was ready to get into his seat, and then I would just stand there next to the car and cuddle him on my hip & wait & not talk to him& avoid eye contact & yes I felt like an idiot lol After about 30 secs I would ask him if he was ready to get in, if he said no i'd say thats ok we'll stay here until you are ready. Then we would stand there. I've never had to wait for more than 2 minutes before he was ready to get in and believe me I have the worlds most stubborn child. It also works really well for shopping trolleys :) |
Posted By: MalibuBarbie
Date Posted: 15 February 2009 at 1:16pm
| lol thanks for all your advice peeps. I think I have a strong contender for the world's most stubborn child also finnigan lol. I thought my oldest was stubborn but ds#2 takes the cake. I'm wondering if he is more like his father than DS#1 lol. Not that DH would admit that lol. Or maybe it is the other way around and I'm in denial lol. I have tried food, distraction, bribery and just plain waiting lol. I did also try the boring cuddle. That hasn't worked so far but maybe I didn't wait long enough fort it to be effective lol. I get kinda impatient from time to time lol. |
Posted By: MalibuBarbie
Date Posted: 20 February 2009 at 2:12pm
| I tried the boring cuddle again and it worked a treat this time! No tantrums just a quiet toddler sitting in his seat! |