4.5 year old unbuckling seat belt.

[Unregistered]

My almost 5 year old daughter occasionally has horrific tantrums when she is overtired or under the weather. She has discovered that a good way to unnerve me while we are driving is to unbuckle herself in her booster seat. She used to try to open the door or roll down the window. I have been able to thwart those attempts by enabling the child safety locks on the door and window. Does anyone know of a buckle cover that would make it more difficult for her to unbuckle the seat belt? When she was in a carseat, we used the Britax Roundabout which had an optional buckle cover. It worked like a charm!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[scatterbunny]

I'm confused because I didn't know any carseat had a buckle cover to prevent a child from unbuckling. I've heard it said over and over here and elsewhere that adding anything over the buckle(s) is a no-no, and the issue needs to be treated as a disciplinary issue. I know that's not much comfort or help, when it's also a safety issue. :(

How tall is she, and how much does she weigh? It might be worth considering putting her back into a harnessed seat until she gets a little older, a little more mature, after the tantrum-throwing subsides or at least decreased.

I can sympathize with you on part of it, at least. My dd will be 5 in two weeks and still throws horrible tantrums, but thankfully never in the car. I've drilled it into her head since she was about 18 months old that the carseat needs to be respected because it will save her life. At about 2.5 I started showing her crash test videos of carseats and boosters, to show her what really happens to the dummy in a crash. Maybe that will help with your daughter? I talk to her about car crashes that happen locally, that are featured on the news. We talk about the people/kids that were killed, and if the news talks about how those people/kids were restrained, I use that as a teaching tool as well.

[papooses]

I do have a sheet with CPS supplies that has a buckle cover on it, but I personally also see it as a last resort -- at 4.5 years old I would instead buy a Britax Regent that will keep kiddo harnessed until about 80 pounds ... this is safer for many reasons! ;) Also, your kiddo is the same age as my daughter now & the videos within this GM article (http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/protect_occupants/child_passenger_safety/releases/booster_020304.html) made quite an impression on her as did practicing living room crash test scenarios: 1st time through she was unbuckled in the booster when I flipped her off the couch (she landed on the floor); 2nd tiem trough I used a belt around her & the armrests as well as a long scarf around her shoulder & an armrest TIGHTLY so that when I flipped her she stayed inside the booster -- we then discussed how much safer she is staying buckled ... in the car she has a few favorite soft toys to rotate & at any sign of noncompliance I pull over and/or turn around! She rides in a Britax Husky (older name for the Regent) in my car, but uses boosters in Grandma's car -- for this I also had my daughter practice just sitting in the booster for long periods of time every evening in the house for dinner, stories, hair brushing, etc. ... if she stayed still she could add another fun activity to her day, but if she moved then something was removed. This combination of various methods worked for us :) GOOD LUCK

[thepeach80]

I would put her back into a harnessed seat. You could try flipping the bucle though so it's not on top and locking the seatbelt. That might keep her restrained better.

[jen_nah]

I agree I would look at a higher weight limit seat. I too have an almost 5yr old so I understand that trantrums but I am lucky my 4.5yr old is still in a harnessed seats. We have no issues with her unbuckling herself but she does know how to but has never tried to while the vehicle is moving.