Vent Have to turn my three year old around FF

macmomma · May 5, 2010

I am ticked to put it mildly

My three year old is RF in a TF right now but I guess that before the next car ride I have to flip his seat around

For a while I noticed the lock-offs that are under the cover keep getting undone- I could not figure out for the life of it what kept causing that. A couple of weeks ago I heard a clicking sound coming from the back seat and it dawned on me- he is undoing the lock-offs

I tried talking to him, I scolded him, I punished him,I praised him big time when he left them alone, I even cut out some cardboard and put it under the seat cover and over the lock-off ( just laid it down over it)..... he tears that up and STILL opens the lock-offs!!!!
Today as he did it again I was turning around to check on him I swerved into the other lane big time- thank the Lord no traffic was coming:thumbsup: I am done! so done! for the safety of everyone in the car and on the roads I have to flip him around.
He is only 27 lbs- tons of time left for him to be RF but I can not risk it

ketchupqueen · May 5, 2010

Have you locked the retractor after using the lockoffs? That way at least if he undoes the lockoffs, the belt will still be locked?

macmomma · May 5, 2010

Yes, the seat belts are locked but I thought you had to use the lock-offs regardless- do you?

emandbri · May 6, 2010

If the seat belt is locked I honestly wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Is there anyway to cover the lock offs with fabric? It has been a while since I've seen a true fit but could you make something that goes over the lock offs and then under the belt path, secured with buttons or something?

Do you know anyone you can trade seats with? Someone who could use the true fit and you could use their seat?

Someone might trade you on swap.

An Aurora · May 6, 2010

I personally would not panic if my kid undid the lockoffs on a seat with a belt in locked mode.

That said, I just turned my own 3 yo peanut FF because the dang kid will not stay in her harness.

macmomma · May 6, 2010

emandbri said:
If the seat belt is locked I honestly wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Is there anyway to cover the lock offs with fabric? It has been a while since I've seen a true fit but could you make something that goes over the lock offs and then under the belt path, secured with buttons or something?

Do you know anyone you can trade seats with? Someone who could use the true fit and you could use their seat?

Someone might trade you on swap.

No- I already looked at that and I can't cover them up other then what I already did with the cardboard cut out

I REALLY

my True Fits- even though it is giving me fits right now- LOL
I had several seats before and the TF is my love

I thought about putting the MA back into my car but he seems to be so squished in it and moving his TF into my hubby's Truck would make it very tight with the MCP next to it RF. I need a vehicle with a third bench:thumbsup:
He is three and I hope it is okay being FF even though he is small for his age-sniff

macmomma · May 6, 2010

An Aurora said:
I personally would not panic if my kid undid the lockoffs on a seat with a belt in locked mode.

That said, I just turned my own 3 yo peanut FF because the dang kid will not stay in her harness.

You the second person that said they would not worry about it- maybe I shouldn't ..... decisions, decisions..... RF is safer then FF .... I really wanted to wait until he is at least four years old (the way everything is going- he wil be staying with us

)....

macmomma · May 6, 2010

I have no idea what I was talking about- it is installed with Latch not the seat belt- duh

Does that make a difference?

emandbri · May 6, 2010

Yeah, I wouldn't lose sleep with it installed with latch either.

Maedze · May 6, 2010

I wouldn't worry either.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think turning a three year old forward facing is a terrible thing, or anything, but the seat isn't going to fail because she flipped open the lockoffs.

Continue to treat it like a discipline issue, but I wouldn't worry.

jess71903 · May 6, 2010

Maedze said:
I wouldn't worry either.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think turning a three year old forward facing is a terrible thing, or anything, but the seat isn't going to fail because she flipped open the lockoffs.

Continue to treat it like a discipline issue, but I wouldn't worry.

:yeahthat:
I'd worry about it LESS installed with LATCH than with a seat belt. The lock-offs really serve no function when you use LATCH. They've just got to be closed because leaving them open might poke your kid!

An Aurora · May 6, 2010

Uh, yeah, not even a blip on my panic radar.

HONEYhas3 · May 6, 2010

I wouldnt worry either.

mommycat · May 6, 2010

I wouldn't worry at all if it is a latch install. Not a bit. The latch belt is locked in place by the adjuster, not the lockoffs.

I was under the impression that Learning Curve said you could NOT lock the seatbelt and that you HAD to use the lockoffs? If it was a seatbelt, I would not be happy to have to lock the belt against manufacturer instructions. But if it had been the seatbelt, I would have questioned how tightly the seat was installed, because when I have used mine, I have to force the lockoffs closed over the belt because of the double layer of webbing and the tension in the belt. To undo them, I have had to unbuckle the belt and then pry them open. I'm not sure my 5yo could get them open. (Disclaimer: of course this may vary between individual vehicles, seats and kids.)

TechnoGranola · May 6, 2010

I also would not worry. But if I was really worries, I'd stitch the cover flaps closed so there was no way to get to the lock offs before I forward-faced.

macmomma · May 6, 2010

The lockoffs are pretty easy to open on the TF- at least RFing.
I decided to leave him Rf and just try to deal with him as he opens the lockoffs AFTER I stop the car. I might even leave him home with my hubby on my next trip to the store (he loves going to the store) and tell him that he could not go because he can not leave the lockoffs alone on his seat- would that be too mean of me?
I really do not want to sew the cover shut- if I have to reinstall the seat the openings are extremely help full.... of course if it really would be a serious safety issue I would do it in a heart beat!

Thanks for all the input!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

mommycat · May 6, 2010

No, that's not too mean. That's perfect. Although even better would be to plan your trip when you have time time, take him but warn him up front that if he does it you will turn around and go home, then wait for him to test that. Then he would be getting an immediate consequence to his action.

I haven't played with any TFs aside from mine, but I still think that while the lockoffs are easy to open when used with the latch belt, if you were to have it tightly installed with a seatbelt it would be harder. Maybe others can enlighten me if it's just MY seat that does this or my install technique - but the lockoffs creak a bit when I close and open them because it is a very snug fit.

ketchupqueen · May 6, 2010

I've had that experience with the seatbelt too. With the LATCH belt it's really just to keep them out of the way I think, and the belt positioned correctly-- they are much easier to open and close.

Pixels · May 6, 2010

Good point, mommycat. The lockoffs are very difficult to open with a seatbelt install. The tighter the install, the more difficult they are. Maybe try switching to a seatbelt install. I'll bet that he tries a few times, gets frustrated, and eventually forgets about it.

soygurl · May 7, 2010

Hmm... I'm going to have to be the voice of dissent. Sure, on the great, big list of missuses that I worry about, this issue is really far down! Especially since the seat is installed with LATCH. However, I am firm on proper use before best practices, and the True Fit manual is clear that both lock-offs must be used at all times, with all types of instillations. (anyone else have deja vu?

)

jess71903 said:
:yeahthat:
I'd worry about it LESS installed with LATCH than with a seat belt. The lock-offs really serve no function when you use LATCH. They've just got to be closed because leaving them open might poke your kid!

Technically, not true. Lock-offs serve multiple purposes.
Given just how strict Learning Curve is about the use of the lock-offs, I'm inclined to think that they just might have a reason. :shrug-shoulders: If, after exhausting all options to curb the bad behavior, I would advise you to turn him FF (there are a lot of things worse than a 3yo FF...), or use a different seat RF. :twocents: Regardless, there are several things you can still try! :thumbsup:

mommycat said:
No, that's not too mean. That's perfect. Although even better would be to plan your trip when you have time time, take him but warn him up front that if he does it you will turn around and go home, then wait for him to test that. Then he would be getting an immediate consequence to his action.

I haven't played with any TFs aside from mine, but I still think that while the lockoffs are easy to open when used with the latch belt, if you were to have it tightly installed with a seatbelt it would be harder. Maybe others can enlighten me if it's just MY seat that does this or my install technique - but the lockoffs creak a bit when I close and open them because it is a very snug fit.

Pixels said:
Good point, mommycat. The lockoffs are very difficult to open with a seatbelt install. The tighter the install, the more difficult they are. Maybe try switching to a seatbelt install. I'll bet that he tries a few times, gets frustrated, and eventually forgets about it.

double :yeahthat:

Three things I would try before turning him FF:
1.) Install the seat with the belt, as tight as possible.
2.) Stick rough/poky velcro strips on the red tabs!
*I think the combo of 1 & 2 would make it nearly impossible to open those lock-offs!

3.) Set out for a trip to the store, warn him when you strap him in, that if he opens the lock-offs, you will turn around and go home instead of going to the store. Be prepared to deal with/ride out a tantrum.

Vent Have to turn my three year old around FF

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