Help! She keeps unbuckling her car seat!

@lilybug (21107)
United States
March 18, 2009 9:32am CST
My 2 year old daughter has figured out how to undo the part of her car seat that goes across her chest and she keeps undoing it while I am driving. Sometimes just telling her to buckle it back up works, but other times she gets all defiant and looks away from me when I tell her. Those times I have to actually stop the car and buckle her back up. How can I keep her from undoing it?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
22 Mar 09
I hope you get this one sorted because ut's every one's safety involved. There were no baby-seats or belts when my son was that age and this is one thing that progress has brought with it that I am in favour of.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
22 Mar 09
I went out of town yesterday to a party and I had to pull over on the highway TWICE to get her to buckle it back up. Those were the times when she would not just do it. There were a bunch of times she did do it back up on her own too.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
18 Mar 09
My daughter has been doing the same thing for a long time now. Most the time she will buckle it back up when I tell her. I had thought about putting some sort of clip across it that she couldn't undo. I never got around to it though. She usually buckles it back up now that she is a little older so I forgot about it.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
18 Mar 09
My daughter has a stubborn streak a mile wide, so it can get really irritating when she won't buckle it back up.
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
18 Mar 09
You have several options. One, is to pull over and wait until she buckles it back up. You may have to wait her out, so bring a book so you can ignore her between prompts, until she complies. Two, is to develop a reward system for riding the whole way without undoing it. If there is something she likes, she can earn it for good riding. Small things, like her favorite food or playing somewhere, or a pretty sticker, along with a ton of praise for being a good big girl and using the seat belt. Remind her of the reward before you take off. You can even have a reward basket that she picks her reward in advance before the trip. Three, if she has a favorite toy you can let her bring it and hold it as long as she remains buckled in. If she undoes her buckle take the toy away until after you get home. It may take several times before she stops testing you.
@GAUCI123 (1042)
• Malta
18 Mar 09
Mine is three years old now and she understands that if she isn't tied up she may hurt herself. Try telling her that mum also wears the seat belt and she has to wear it too. so she will copy you and will understand that it is for her saftey.
• United States
18 Mar 09
I have 6 kids and have been through that many times. Most of my kids went though a stage when they did that. I finally purchased a vehicle with seats built in and they could not get undone. I had to pull over many times and sit there till they would put it back on. Good luck to you.