2 year old keeps moving chest clip

Mommy0608

New member
Until now, my 2 year old has been really well-behaved in her car seat, and actually enjoys riding in it. She is still happy, but now recently (past few days) she has started sliding her chest clip up and down. :eek: I don't have a mirror to see her, so I can't catch her in the act. I scold her when we get out of the car and I discover the moved clip. Today I brought her right inside for a time out, but we've only just started using time outs and they aren't really effective yet.

I'm considering getting a very SOFT mirror so that I can catch her in the act. I know things like that can be projectiles in an accident, however, it's quite soft and I'm willing to make the 'parental decision' if it will help stop her from doing this. One time she had it all the way up to her neck, and today she had it all the way down so it was resting on the crotch buckle.

I'm hoping that with the mirror, I can catch her in the act, stop the car, fix it and scold her... hopefully then she'll understand that this behavior is NOT acceptable. Anyone have any other tips? Thanks so much.
 
ADS

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
My ds (who will be 3 in the fall) just started doing this. He's ff'ing now so I can see it, but if he were still rf'ing I'd use a mirror. (We had a nice light plastic one when he was rf'ing that was well-padded and had a 'tether' for lack of a better word so that it was very firmly connected to the vehicle seat's headrest.) As for dealing with it, I do exactly what you said you would. As soon as I see it I pull over, tell him that we're not moving until the clip is back in place and wait. The only difference is I don't fix it, I make him do it. He's been stubborn a couple of times so we've sat for a loooong time, and then we've run out of time to do something he wants to do. After the 2nd missed trip to the playground he 'got' it...doesn't touch it anymore.
 

mish

New member
I agree with getting a mirror and with pulling over. For some reason, a lot of kids hate pulling the car over. I know mine do. As the pp said, pull over and make her fix it herself. You might want to test this out a few times before you have to be somewhere on time. Do it on the way to the store, library, etc. It might take a while for her to push it back into place.

I will say be careful with constantly looking in your rear view mirror at her. We don't want you to have to test out how well that car seat works becaause you were distracted. That is my biggest concern with those mirrors. Parents then spend a lot of time looking at their kids instead of watching the road.

Your daughter is so cute!
 

Mommy0608

New member
Thank you everyone for your responses. I purchased a soft mirror to try (haven't installed it yet). I'm not sure if she'll know how to fix it herself, but that's a great idea! I will definitely try to make her fix it herself. She does get cranky if we stop the car, so it might just do the trick. As for looking in the mirror too much, I am aware of the danger, but it's a good tip, so thank you for the reminder. ;) I'll certainly keep my eyes on the road and only check her occasionally.

Thanks again everyone! :)
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
I would not be against a mirror... it's a way to deal with it without turning her... imo, anything is better than turning her.

But, I'd also be teaching her... she's smart enough she's figured how to move it, so, the next time you put her in her seat, start encouraging her to put it in the right place herself. Make up a little song or just teach her that it goes at the armpits.

And, you can enforce it by, after you tighten her and she's slid it up, tickling her little armpits... "Is the clip at the armpits?" Tickle one... "Yep, that side's good." Tickle the other side... "Yep, that one's right, too." Then praise the heck out of her, and declare she is a BIG girl (big baby girl if she's hooked on the baby part)

And then just do the basic preventions... have sippy cup, snacks, soft toys in a bag in the front seat that you can easily pass her if she gets bored.

Play the radio with music she likes and encourage her to dance/sing along.

If you don't like the radio, just sing kid songs with her.

And, to teach her when she CAN slide it down, everytime you arrive at your destination, say... "WE'RE HERE!! Time to get out! and then let her and even encourage her to push the clip down so you can undo it, have you unbuckle her, and then start teaching her to climb in and out on her own.

She's just getting older and is starting to crave doing things for herself, IME.

Now, obviously, if she goes further, you want to pull over and correct her, but I swear, it all passes.
 

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