upset...DS's seat in babysitters car

Today I went to pick up my son from the babysitter this evening. She is a really good person and my son loves her. I allow her to drive my son in her ody, and I provide the carseat - MA. I have shown her how to install it RF3rd row driver side with seatbelt, but I am the one who installs it - as her DH and BIL have murdered the installs when they have to move the seat. She has been very receptive and really good about trying to make sure he is safe...

I walk up as they are pulling into her driveway and go to get DS out of his seat...I notice his chest clip is low and gently remind her to move it up next time they go out....then I notice that the seat seems to be more reclined than I last remembered...I looked down and belt buckle is just hanging there empty. The seat wasn't installed at all and was only held in place by the lockoff on the opposite side. I searched for the buckle, and it was WAY over by the lockoff. I had locked the seatbelt and it looked like it was slowly rectracting....I wonder how long it has been like this...they were driving alot this week....OMG!

I pointed this out to her and I could tell that she felt really bad...I didn't get mad or say anything other than that we needed to start making sure the seat was buckled before going anywhere from now on...

First off I am thankful that I caught it, secondly I am curious how it happened and thirdly I'm upset because I can't understand why she didn't notice it. I am sure she will be more dilegent about it from now on, but my heart has been racing about what could have happend and thanking God that nothing did...

I just needed to get that off my chest...thanks for listening.

It's pretty easy for a kid to step on the buckle and unbuckle it. It happens. One time I I drove 100 miles after dropping the big kids off, only to find the baby's seat was unbuckled. I eventually got tired of of having to reinstall seats and taped a paper towel roll around the buckle to protect it.

I have a piece of velcro stuck to the red button on one of my seatbelts. It's next to my DD who's in a booster and is frequently buckling/unbuckling and every once in a while, she'd slip and unbuckle the wrong seatbelt. Now she knows that if she feels that fuzz, she's got the wrong seatbelt.

I'm glad nothing happened to your DS. I'm sure she'll be more diligent from now on.

Chex said:

I have a piece of velcro stuck to the red button on one of my seatbelts. It's next to my DD who's in a booster and is frequently buckling/unbuckling and every once in a while, she'd slip and unbuckle the wrong seatbelt. Now she knows that if she feels that fuzz, she's got the wrong seatbelt.

I'm glad nothing happened to your DS. I'm sure she'll be more diligent from now on.

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What an awesome idea! I'm going to have to try that. I've got a GN in the middle of the third row with TBs on each side and my daughter in the TB that buckles beside where the GN is buckled is always accidently unbuckling the wrong seatbelt!

OP, I'd be freaking out too! Thank goodness you noticed it and hopefully she will check every time she puts him in the seat.