Buckling a Preschooler

Unregistered · Aug 2, 2017

I've got four and a half year old twin boys. They travel in Britax Pinnacle harness to booster seats. When getting into the vehicle I usually buckle them in and tighten their straps. Upon leaving the vehicle I always loosen and unbuckle their straps. I have felt (assumed) that me buckling and tightening every time, as opposed to them buckling themselves, is the safest. I've noticed that some parents will leave the straps in the tightened position upon leaving the vehicle and then when it's time to get back in, they will allow the preschooler to buckle himself into his seat (no tightening because the straps were never loosened). Allowing my kids to buckle themselves had never crossed my mind. What is best and safest for my kiddos?

lgenne · Aug 2, 2017

As long as they end up correctly buckled, it doesn't really matter. I've never had a kid who was able to buckle himself at that age with a tight enough harness, though.

But my 5 year old (who really wanted to buckle himself and struggled with the buckle for a long time) figured out how to buckle himself a few months ago: he buckles before he puts his arms through the harness. Then he slips his arms through and buckles his chest clip. He's still not strong enough to buckle with straps in position and tight, but he gets himself buckled perfectly almost every time. Occasionally a strap will be twisted, so I still have to check.

aeormsby · Aug 2, 2017

My kids would buckle themselves at that age, with the straps loosened and then I just had to tighten them. I think they could loosen the straps and unbuckle themselves by that age (although the crotch buckle wasn't always as easy to unbuckle). DD was pretty good at tightening the straps too, she would grab the end of the strap and use her foot in the 'loop' center of the strap to leverage the strap tight.

I agree with PP's statement - as long as they're buckled correctly in the end, it doesn't matter how it happens.

Beloved · Aug 2, 2017

My 2 oldest could buckle by 4 with the harness left tightened. I would check to make sure it wasn't twisted. Neither can unbuckle while in the seat. My son unbuckles my daughter now that he is in a booster and can do his own seat belt.

rachelandtyke · Aug 2, 2017

My 4yo buckles herself. She is able to loosen the harness if it is too tight for her to buckle herself and then tightens it when she is done. She knows to ask for help if the strap gets twisted. I double check when she is done (as do the older siblings that ride in the back with her). She can undo the chest clip, but not the crotch buckle to undo it. Her siblings usually do that for her.

NVMBR02 · Aug 3, 2017

Somewhere between preschool and Kindergarten my kids all figured out how to buckle themselves in without loosening the straps. I just did a quick check to make sure they were buckled, straps tight enough and the chest clip was in the correct position. They all figured out the buckling before the unbuckling.

Buckling a Preschooler

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