Warning switching from booster to harness

MommyShannon · Mar 17, 2012

Gah! I got dd (6 years) a FR85 thinking it would be easier for when I need her in a spot without latch since she fits the harness. Well she keeps unbuckling the seatbelt securing it since she is used to a booster now. Im going to twist the buckle so the button is on the inside. Hopefully that will be a good enough reminder for her. Definitely something to keep an eye on if your child switches between harnesses and boosters. I was lucky to see it the first time just b/c I was showing dh the new seat. My jaw dropped when I saw the buckle just hanging there. Now at least she knows to tell me when she does it. She's 3rd row center and it buckles on the far side so it isn't obvious. I never thought about her doing that since she is so good about making sure she is buckled with tight straps on harnesses and even untwisting the belt in a booster.

lovemybabies924 · Mar 17, 2012

My other kids always accidentally unbuckled each other too, I had to put them in separate rows

Sent from my iPod touch, sorry for any auto-correct typos!

Brigala · Mar 18, 2012

Good reminder! Thanks! That "habit" thing never occurred to me before.

In multiple-child cars with either a belted or boostered child next to a harnessed car seat I tend to recommend that the buckle stalk be flipped 1/2 turn to make it harder for a child to accidentally unbuckle the car seat. I bet that will be enough to remind a 6 year old not to accidentally unbuckle her own seat as well.

emandbri · Mar 18, 2012

Years ago someone I knew had a booster kid next to a harnessed kid and the booster kid kept accidentally unbuckling the harnessed seat so she took a sock, cut the toes out and put it over the buckle.

lovemybabies924 · Mar 18, 2012

emandbri said:
Years ago someone I knew had a booster kid next to a harnessed kid and the booster kid kept accidentally unbuckling the harnessed seat so she took a sock, cut the toes out and put it over the buckle.

I have done that many times

I twist the buckle stalk a half turn 1st if I can

Sent from my iPod touch, sorry for any auto-correct typos!

MommyShannon · Mar 18, 2012

If the 1/2 twist doesn't work I will definitely try the sock!

Patriot201 · Mar 18, 2012

My DOG unbuckles my carseats.

She sits in the center of my car and there are carseats installed on either side. She puts her paws up on the buckles and unbuckles the seats. It is fairly annoying.

cmm7 · Mar 19, 2012

Z did this almost every time she would get out of the Frontier. Flipping the buckle only worked because I would hear her struggling to unbuckle and could remind her she was in a harness. Crazy kid...

YinzerMama · Mar 19, 2012

I was using our baby bucket without a base and accidentally unbuckled a frontier one day... of course when I had like 4 minutes to spare to go get my girls from preschool. I put a piece of masking tape on the button of the buckle NOT to unbuckle, like a few pieces pinkie-nail sized and stacked if that makes sense, so I would feel it and not do it again.

christineka · Mar 19, 2012

My ds rides in a harnessed frontier in the van and in a booster in the car. He has never unbuckled his frontier. I don't see how a kid could unbuckle the harness and then accidentally forget they aren't in a booster and unbuckle the locked seatbelt as well.

I have put sticky velcro on the button with an installed car seat to help my boostered dd not unbuckle it.

henrietta · Mar 19, 2012

christineka said:
My ds rides in a harnessed frontier in the van and in a booster in the car. He has never unbuckled his frontier. I don't see how a kid could unbuckle the harness and then accidentally forget they aren't in a booster and unbuckle the locked seatbelt as well.

I have put sticky velcro on the button with an installed car seat to help my boostered dd not unbuckle it.

It's habit. Same as the parent who leaves their infant in the car on the way to work, when they were supposed to drop off at daycare that day. Haven't you ever missed your turn going somewhere, b/c you were driving along the same route you take every day to go to work or school...and just did what you usually do?

My son does stuff like the seatbelt all the time. It's part of who he is. I'm similar.

henrietta

MommyShannon · Mar 19, 2012

christineka said:
My ds rides in a harnessed frontier in the van and in a booster in the car. He has never unbuckled his frontier. I don't see how a kid could unbuckle the harness and then accidentally forget they aren't in a booster and unbuckle the locked seatbelt as well.

I have put sticky velcro on the button with an installed car seat to help my boostered dd not unbuckle it.

It's the opposite. She reaches down and unbuckles then realizes she's harnessed when that doesn't release her. So far flipping it has worked.

christineka · Mar 19, 2012

MommyShannon said:
It's the opposite. She reaches down and unbuckles then realizes she's harnessed when that doesn't release her. So far flipping it has worked.

Hmm. Maybe my ds' arms are too short, then! Or just my van's belt buckles are too hard to access. I can never understand using a combo seat as a booster because they are all impossible for my kids to buckle in my vehicles. They must be easier to use in other vehicles, then.

MommyShannon · Mar 19, 2012

christineka said:
Hmm. Maybe my ds' arms are too short, then! Or just my van's belt buckles are too hard to access. I can never understand using a combo seat as a booster because they are all impossible for my kids to buckle in my vehicles. They must be easier to use in other vehicles, then.

Yeah, she can reach it no problem. It was a nautilus she was boostered in and buckled it easily and it's pretty high! I think you're right, our buckles are kind of tall (at least once buckled) and her arms are long. The buckle flops down when not buckled but she can grab it easily. It's 3rd row of an Ody.

Warning switching from booster to harness

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