I really need help ! My son ESCAPES from his car seat ! I know this is dangerous but we are now on our 3rd car seat and he somehow gets out ! What can I do ? Is there a mom out there that had this problem before ? If so please share solutions that worked ASAP !
Hi D.
Might sound rediculous, but a Mom friend of mine keeps duct tape in the car and once her son is buckled in, tapes around the buckles so he can't get out. Her son is an escape artist and the tape keeps him in. Takes her longer to get him out and the duct tape supplier happy, but hey, it works.
We went through quite a few seats and various different buckles for the top and bottom.This sounds really mean but it finally got it through to my son WHY he needs to stay in his seat. I drove around in our neighborhood at a slow speed and when he unbuckled I slammed on the brakes and sent him flying forward and then told him this is why you NEED to stay in your seat and told him he could get really big owies. He did not get hurt but it did scare him into staying in his seat. They also make a plastic sleeve for the actual seat belt buttons in the car but it may work to cover the bottom buckle but my son escared through the chest clip mostly!
How old is he?
My soon to be 4 yr old son is in the Britax Regent-which is a 5 pt harness booster...we love it and he can't unlatch the button. Also goes to 80 pounds. Seat is very large so may not fit in a smaller car.
Pricey but well worth it
Dear D.,
My son will be five in April. He was about 3, I think, when he unbuckled the seatbelt that was holding his car seat in place. I had no idea, because he was still in the "little" car seat. (He's now in the bigger one that uses the seatbelt to hold both him and the carseat in place.) Anyway, like I said, I had no idea that he had unbuckled the seatbelt UNTIL we rounded a corner at a red light & both he and the seat tipped over! Apparently, it didn't take much, or his weight wasn't evenly distributed in the seat. At any rate, he screamed, and I immediately pulled the car over. you didn't say how old your son that is escaping is. In my case, he was old enough to understand that this was serious. I explained a few of the dangers (not in detail), and informed him that if he unbuckled the seatbelt again, there would be serious consequences. I think being tipped over was enough to scare him, as he has NEVER done that again. (Wish it were that easy with some of the other problems I've encountered with him.) ;) Other than an over-the-head type of carseat, you will probably have to approach the problem from the angle of discipline or consequences to your son for his disobedience. Because it's a safety issue, I would make certain that the consequences will be big enough for him to take you seriously. If you are a parent who agrees with spanking, this would certainly apply here. If not, there are plenty of other options. You could either approach it from a rewards system view (I wouldn't recommend this, because this is something he SHOULD do, not something extra. So you don't want him to think that doing what he's already supposed to go will get him rewards.) OR you can approach it from a consequences standpoint. Withhold privileges (TV, games, etc.) or stop to get a treat for the other two and tell him that because he "escaped" he will have to miss out. I've used that method only a few times, as I don't want to create resentment. However, it was VERY effective! (I stopped @ Wendy's & got the other kid a Jr. Frosty.) I was firm but kind in telling him that I was very sorry that he could not have one, too, but that he had been told about his behavior. I then explained that if his behavior improved I would give him a chance to receive some other token later in the day. Worked like a Charm! Sorry to be so long. Hope this is helpful! :) I'll be praying for you.
Hi D.! I have a four yr old son, and we have him in a carseat with a five point harness. The two straps buckle between his legs, then the straps buckle at the top, then I tighten it. He has not attempted a break out, but the only way he could would be if he could unbuckle the top piece. If you have this type and he is unbuckling the top piece to get out, then there's not much you can do but to keep telling him he has to stay in it! Our seat is called the Evenflo Triumph. Good luck and best wishes...........E.
hello, I am currently having the same problem with my 2 year old, he hates being in his car seat and I am constantly pulling off the road to put his arms back in the straps. Even if we make it tighter , he still manages to get out. I have not tried the duct tape idea that others have suggested. I have the alpha omega elite car seat....sounds like one thats impossible to get out of right.....not! anyway, I litterally just left a message for some info. , to the TRAUMA PREVENTION COORDINATOR, GINA IS HER NAME, NUMBER IS ###-###-####. I am waiting for a call back. Good luck! In the mean time, I'm getting some duct tape.
It's hard to answer this question without knowing your son's age and the type of seat he is in. I would question whether an overhead shield seat is the best answer. Those seats have only a 3-point harness, which is not as safe as a 5-point harness, and the shield would do nothing to prevent injury (and would most likely cause injury) if he manages to undo the buckle and all that is keeping him in the seat is the shield. He could be ejected. Teaching him he needs to stay in is a good idea, too, and would help in the long run.
You might go to a board like Babycenter.com and ask the women on the car seat safety board. Many of them are certified child safety technicians. I've seen this question asked there many times before, so I'm sure you would get an answer. Here's a link to the board: http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus...
If you go there for help, make sure you mention in your post how old your son is and what seat he is in.
We used the britax car seats and absolutely had no problems. Best of luck!
My nephew does this all the time. we decided to get him a car seat that came over his head and snapped between his legs.he hasn't broken loose since we switched. every single one that connected at his chest he got out of.make sure you hear the snap that it locks and he won't get out of it. i think it is amazing how my almost 2 yr old nephew knew how to unsnap the chest and button between his leg. i myself have had a hard time getting that one undone. i think maybe i just thought it was locked and wasn't.
