Transitioning a kid who hates change

libranbutterfly

New member
Lexi is 5, and has about 1/2 an inch before outgrowing her marathon. The main problem with this, is she is very attached to her Marathon. it has been her seat since she was 15 months old. She doesn't like for me to let my nephew ride in it, and really hates when she has to ride in another seat. We have talked about how she is almost too big, and soon we will get her a booster. She does well in a booster, and has ridden in one a few times. But, she doesnt like any of the boosters I have showed her. Any tips for helping her adjust? I am hoping to get the new seat in the car soon so she can chooe which one for a while until she outgrows the Marathon. I will also be getting a different cover for the marathon before anyone else uses it and have considered making her a small quilt with some of the pieces from her marathon cover (Mariposa) to use in the car (she is a blankie fan as well). Also, anyone have any ideas of boosters that are yellow with butterflies?
 
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gagenivy

New member
No ideas on that booster pattern. I wonder if maybe buying the seat and just having it in the vehicle so she can get used to the presence of it?
 

tam_shops

New member
I deal w/ transitioning as a Special Education Teacher, so can certainly make suggestion for that.

First, I would start telling her *often* now that she is getting too big for her seat. I would *show* her where her shoulders will be (weight is) when she is too big for her seat. I would make a guesstimate as to when you expect her to outgrow this seat ie 1/2" so 6 months time and I would write this on *her* very own w/ a count down of sorts (at the 6mth point I'd just do it monthly). I'd write it down on my own calender as well, again w/ a countdown. This gives her visual images and information to attach to, so she both knows when she is too big for the seat and adjust to the fact that her seat is getting too small.

I'd start the conversation and/or shopping (to look at) the new seat choices that she has. I'd start on-line so she's only seeing seats that are reasonable options (ie ones you are willing to buy), so she doesn't make a bee-line in the store for one that you won't get her anyway ie LBB w/ the perfect pattern as far as she's concerned! LOL

Finally, at least a month before she is going to move to this seat, unless you want it as a back up for another car/field trips, I'd buy the seat and start the *count down*. Again, on her calender and yours so it can casually be mentioned on a regular basis.

There is a fine line between reminding, pushing and not letting go with a good transition. Personally, I wouldn't cut up her old cover, I'd just get rid of it. Sometimes a clean break is better than holding onto the past, which is easier when it's anticipated and/or well adjusted. I'd just do a farewell to the seat and be done with it.

As for covers, Britax has two shades of pink. Diono has pink and purple. Graco has plenty of pink and floral options. Once I saw a cute one w/ butterflies. Think it was something like Fairy Tales. I have boys, so I always drool over these things! LOL

tam
 

libranbutterfly

New member
I deal w/ transitioning as a Special Education Teacher, so can certainly make suggestion for that.

First, I would start telling her *often* now that she is getting too big for her seat. I would *show* her where her shoulders will be (weight is) when she is too big for her seat. I would make a guesstimate as to when you expect her to outgrow this seat ie 1/2" so 6 months time and I would write this on *her* very own w/ a count down of sorts (at the 6mth point I'd just do it monthly). I'd write it down on my own calender as well, again w/ a countdown. This gives her visual images and information to attach to, so she both knows when she is too big for the seat and adjust to the fact that her seat is getting too small.

I'd start the conversation and/or shopping (to look at) the new seat choices that she has. I'd start on-line so she's only seeing seats that are reasonable options (ie ones you are willing to buy), so she doesn't make a bee-line in the store for one that you won't get her anyway ie LBB w/ the perfect pattern as far as she's concerned! LOL

Finally, at least a month before she is going to move to this seat, unless you want it as a back up for another car/field trips, I'd buy the seat and start the *count down*. Again, on her calender and yours so it can casually be mentioned on a regular basis.

There is a fine line between reminding, pushing and not letting go with a good transition. Personally, I wouldn't cut up her old cover, I'd just get rid of it. Sometimes a clean break is better than holding onto the past, which is easier when it's anticipated and/or well adjusted. I'd just do a farewell to the seat and be done with it.

As for covers, Britax has two shades of pink. Diono has pink and purple. Graco has plenty of pink and floral options. Once I saw a cute one w/ butterflies. Think it was something like Fairy Tales. I have boys, so I always drool over these things! LOL

tam

Thanks! Her sister has the fairy tales TB, and she doesn't really like it. Her cousin has a pretty floral TB, and she doesn't like it. It was a little easier for her to deal with riding in different seats when I didn't have my own car, and would have to install different seats based on vehicle and time limits, but the day we got the van she loudly announced that now she could stay in her butterfly seat where she belongs. Just this last year she has gotten really bad about changes.
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
My friend's son was the same as your daughter, not wanting to use another seat. I went to visit we put his "soon to be" seat in my car for him to use. It was novel and a "treat" to go in my car.

Once in the car and moving, commented that he 1) liked the seat and 2) his mom had one just like it. :rolleyes:

After a couple of days of using it in my car, he was okay (not good/great), but okay with installing it in his car. IIRC, we made a production of cleaning out the van as well as checking everyone's CR & booster fit since the main reason he needed to change seats was to do the shuffle down for younger sibs needed a bigger seat.
 

tam_shops

New member
Love the pink car seats! LOL

Did she get bad this year when she started Kindergarten, or is that coming done the line? Big change has a way of causing anxiety in kids, well before the event. My guy lost it about Kindergarten 6 months prior b/c of his Jan birthday, he expected to start K when he turned 5yo, as all his friends (Nov/Dec babes) had. Took us awhile to figure it all out, then last week he was upset b/c when he turns 6yo, he has to stay in K, thought he'd move to gd 1 already! LOL

At any rate, I'd pull up a few online ones and let her pick from what's available, there are some really pretty ones! You could even go over to swap and see what's around...

tam
 

libranbutterfly

New member
How about this one?

I like that one, I'll have to show her. Where can I buy it? It isnt on graco's website anymore.

Love the pink car seats! LOL

Did she get bad this year when she started Kindergarten, or is that coming done the line? Big change has a way of causing anxiety in kids, well before the event. My guy lost it about Kindergarten 6 months prior b/c of his Jan birthday, he expected to start K when he turned 5yo, as all his friends (Nov/Dec babes) had. Took us awhile to figure it all out, then last week he was upset b/c when he turns 6yo, he has to stay in K, thought he'd move to gd 1 already! LOL

At any rate, I'd pull up a few online ones and let her pick from what's available, there are some really pretty ones! You could even go over to swap and see what's around...

tam

I think it is a combo of a lot of changes, we've moved, she started kindy, an she is going to be a big sister. I have been trying to take all that into account and help her keep as much the same as possible, while also keeping her open to some changes.
 

lourdes

Well-known member
Just do a search in graco turbo booster in butterflies, one picture I think it was from the amazon web side and the other one from the Walmart web side
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
I would search the internet with her. Have her look at boosters you like. Do you think she will adjust okay to a booster or shoulcd you buy her another 5-point? The nautilus comes in some really cute girlie colors. Some kids don't like lots of changes as once. We moved our dd from a bv to a frontier. She had the shannon (soft cover) and moved to he frontier cow (soft cover).

CPST in Iowa
mom to dd11y, ds10y, ds 5.5y (red monterey), dd 4.5y (cow frontier85), EDD 8/17/12 (who knows what??)
 

libranbutterfly

New member
I would search the internet with her. Have her look at boosters you like. Do you think she will adjust okay to a booster or shoulcd you buy her another 5-point? The nautilus comes in some really cute girlie colors. Some kids don't like lots of changes as once. We moved our dd from a bv to a frontier. She had the shannon (soft cover) and moved to he frontier cow (soft cover).

CPST in Iowa
mom to dd11y, ds10y, ds 5.5y (red monterey), dd 4.5y (cow frontier85), EDD 8/17/12 (who knows what??)

I think she would probably transition to a booster ok. We have a radian she will fit into a little longer than the marathon, which she sometimes tolerates. She can buckle herself in the radian too. That is alot of the frustration with the marathon, she cant get all the way buckled in it. She really does better in the booster than her big sister, she just prefers the marathon above all else. the booster is her second choice, then the radian comes in last. She was not a fan of the nautilus, although we only had a black cover for it. We are going to stop at Kmart today, and if they have the flower power evenflo big kid we may pick one up. I am thinking it may buckle easier in my 3 across in the third row than the turbo. I need another high back either way, for my niece to use in my car.
 

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