The Return of the Car Seat Battle-Suggestions?

beachgirl24

Lo is 16 mos old and has decided again that he HATES the car seat.  I guess I was enjoying it while it lasted, as we went through this when he was about 4 months, I think.  About 4 out of 5 weekdays there is a screaming struggling fight where he tries to climb over the back of the car seat, grip onto the sides, do anything to prevent me from strapping him in.  I understand and empathize with him, but come on buddy, we gotta go to school!

I have tried having a sippy cup ready, snacks, a book, a toy, and have even had to resort to just gently muscling him in there as best as I can (sometimes it takes 2 of us) but he screams bloody murder like we're hurting him!  Any magic solutions as to how to distract him enough to get him to calm down so I can strap him in?  Sometimes forbidden items (like the wipes case) or things he's never seen before work, but I need to be better about having those handy.  Any thoughts?  Thanks!

BeebopandBuddy

Have you tried a reward that he gets once you get to the school?  That way you can remind him of what he's trying to earn when you are putting him in but he only gets it if he gets in and rides to school.

SuperCuteBenz

Our last resort was a dvd player. As a car seat tech, I don't normally recommend them because they can be a projectile in an accident. However, I understand what it is like to drive with a screaming parent, and I would much rather have them use a dvd player then end up turning the child forward facing because they are stressed. 

We no longer have it in our car unless we are going on long trips, but it helped get us through that stage. We are still rear-facing at 2.5, and shouldn't have any issues making it to 3. 

Twirple

When DS fights the car seat (admittedly not often) I will usually tickle his tummy and/or blow raspberries on his neck to get him to giggle and, ultimately, relax.  It makes buckling the car seat much easier.  We also have a couple of toys and books that he only gets to use in the car seat.

blu-eyedwife

The issue is getting him in right?  Is he generally okay once the car starts moving?

For us, that was the issue.  And then we started letting him do it himself and it was like a light clicked on in his little toddler brain.  All of a sudden, it became a climbing game.  First he climbs into the car (from ground to standing on floor behind front seat).  Then he climbs onto the back seat.  Then he climbs into his seat.  He gets so proud of himself for sitting "like a big boy" while I strap him in - and we had serious struggles over getting him to sit in his seat before. 

We also do "special toys" for the car - two plastic rings that he gets once he's buckled in.  But that might be specific to my child, I don't know if other kids would get as jazzed about getting to hold a plastic ring in each hand.

hway24

DS has always been like that. He fights and screams at the top of his lungs every time we put him in the seat. Sometimes giving him a sippy cup or toy works, but not always. I did try singing a little song about what I was doing while getting him in the seat, and that worked for a little while. So you could try that.

DS is fine once he gets buckled, so we've just accepted that it's going to be a fight, and get him buckled as quickly as possible. Sorry I don't have any good advice, but you're not alone. 

rboisvert

DD does this.  If she's fighting me I take her back out "fold her up" so her knees meet her chest, swing her in my arms and sing her favorite song then pop her in really quick and keep her knees bent so she can't strong arm (or leg) me and doesn't have leverage.  It sucks but works.

beachgirl24

blu-eyedwife:

The issue is getting him in right?  Is he generally okay once the car starts moving?

Yes, that's right.  Once he's in it's usually over--he can be distracted with something and maybe ethere's a little whimpering but for the most part he stops fighting or crying, I guess because the battle is over at that point.

 I like the suggestion of letting him do it himself, I might try it, although I can see how that might backfire and there could be a lot of lingering and climbing into the front seat instead of his seat, exploring other things in the car, etc.  So I'm a little reluctant but at this point I'm open to anything!

beachgirl24

Just an update--as some of the PP suggested I started trying to make it more LO's decision to get into the seat, and I say to him, "Can you sit down in the seat like a big boy?  Can you help Mommy put your arms in the straps?"  This coupled with asking him if he wants a yogi (yogurt melt, his favorite) and when he gets excited I tell him he has to sit down like a big boy for it, and he sits down instantly!  He does think it is a bit of a game, and sometimes he's up and down and stands in the seat alot, but so far for the past week these 2 techniques have really helped avoid the screaming/fighting car seat sessions!