Does anyone have ideas for helping a true claustrophobe?
Ds has always hated his carseat. Not just a little cry because he's not being held but absolute top-level panicked screaming. He eventually came to tolerate short trips around 10mo and around 15mo longer drives (meaning 10+min). But, he still has occasional meltdowns and just this week is having a really, really, tough time again. He's becoming pretty verbal and in his last meltdown kept repeating "stuck" in his panicked voice. So, it seems that being strapped in is the actual problem (we'd wondered about car sickness among other things).
Since we live in the midwest, a car is necessary for getting most places in the winter. FTR, Ds is 19mo and Rf-ing still in an RA. He's only about 22lbs and 30inches.
I'm considering buying a really nice stroller and some warm winter gear so we do more walking (I don't really mind so much its just less convenient and there are only a handful of places we can go). Ds doesn't like strollers too much but I can't handle slinging him for walks of 1-2 miles. We've tried most everything I can think of so I'm really open to any ideas. We really need to find a way to help him feel better in the car because its incredibly stressful to drive with him or even try and plan any outings.
Ds has always hated his carseat. Not just a little cry because he's not being held but absolute top-level panicked screaming. He eventually came to tolerate short trips around 10mo and around 15mo longer drives (meaning 10+min). But, he still has occasional meltdowns and just this week is having a really, really, tough time again. He's becoming pretty verbal and in his last meltdown kept repeating "stuck" in his panicked voice. So, it seems that being strapped in is the actual problem (we'd wondered about car sickness among other things).
Since we live in the midwest, a car is necessary for getting most places in the winter. FTR, Ds is 19mo and Rf-ing still in an RA. He's only about 22lbs and 30inches.
I'm considering buying a really nice stroller and some warm winter gear so we do more walking (I don't really mind so much its just less convenient and there are only a handful of places we can go). Ds doesn't like strollers too much but I can't handle slinging him for walks of 1-2 miles. We've tried most everything I can think of so I'm really open to any ideas. We really need to find a way to help him feel better in the car because its incredibly stressful to drive with him or even try and plan any outings.