Car seat problems!

I have never ever heard of a child being able to do this - and certainly none of my GC have done so. Are you sure that this seat is not faulty? Is it being tightened sufficiently? I cannot see any way at all that any of our GC could escape from theirs. Have you watched her do it? - can you see what she is doing to achieve this feat?

Thank you Lucky girl for your response. I have seen my daughter buckle her in and we are sure the seat isn't faulty. My daughter pulls the belt very tightly. She seems to have a 'wriggling' technique that enables her to get one arm out and then the next.

I just did a quick Google/utube - seems loads of kids do this!

This is one way

utube

There are a number of devices to stop it.

When our children were young, safety seats were fairly new and the fastener was easier to undo. Whenever either child removed the clasps, we would find a safe place to stop and tell the children that the engine was connected to their belts and couldn't work if they hadn't got them done up.It worked for quite a few years!

I love that solution Gillyknits !

We too have had a couple who would and could get their arms out ! Luckily my DGC still did as they were told at that age and we would praise them heavily for getting back in again. But it is a heart stopper.

Hope you find a solution that works for you .

Gillyknits I used the same solution, my children believed for years that the car wouldn't go if seat belts were undone. 21 months is a bit young for this trick though, keep it for later GG62

I've come across the same problem with children, although not as young as your grand-daughter. I stop the car in a safe place and explain the dangers to them but, Gillyknits, I'm going to try telling them your story about the car not working.

Thank you- yes- we have seen it and bought more than one device. We will just have to make sure we travel with an adult in the back until this phase hopefully passes.

Brought back memories of pulling onto my driveway 27 years ago, hearing the rear door slam and watching in horror as a just visible little tuft of hair went past the passenger door window toward the gate! My 3 year old son had undone his car seat and got out. He also climbed up a chimney. Climbed out of his cot in the middle of the night, went downstairs in the dark (must have been all those carrots), got all his toys out, went back upstairs climbed back in and went to sleep. He survived! He also emptied his sandpit through the bathroom window and the loo had a large pile of sand on it. I could go on. Bless him. Depending on your granddaughter's size and weight you can keep them in a rear facing seat until 3 I hear. So if she did slip the straps, would be safer in a collision. Or, invest in a seat mounted DVD player. Put her favourite film on before setting off and say she can only watch if she stays put. If she's interested in something and not bored, she may well sit quietly and watch Little Mermaid or something. If all else fails, no journeys without an adult I guess, although not always practical I'm sure. Little rascals aren't they.

I did the same Gillyknits!

gillyknits - love that solution! Why did I never think of that one?!

breeze at 'he also emptied his sandpit through the bathroom window'.

Our daughter had exactly this problem -- this cured the escape attempts
www.amazon.co.uk/Houdini-Stop-Solutions-Chest-Clip/dp/B0044VUXGW

And I didn't even mention the 'poo' incident!

I'm so glad our wee monkey is such a weakling she won't ever be able to undo her seat-belt!

We have a very expensive rear-facing till 4, passed the Swedish test etc etc car seat and it's a nightmare to fasten and unfasten even for us.

I can't undo my grandaughter's car seat. Have to get son to do it. But I think some children can slip the straps then slide out. Maybe that's what GG meant. In which case, even though I suggested it, rear facing may not be the answer. I looked at some seat mounted in car DVD players and they're not extortionate. Could be worth a try. I think if she's bored en route, she's more likely to make an escape attempt. My sister had twin boys. This was many years ago (she's 10 years old than me) and she tied them into their car seats with string and carried scissors in case she needed to get them out in a hurry! Worked though. Although she had child locks, (essential, they were sods) they would try to climb over to her side whilst driving. Not a recommended solution these days of course!

Hi GandTea
Think you, but we have already bought that- she still wriggles out!
We have a very expensive rear facing- passed all the tests - car seat too. When she's older we will try gillyknits idea.
Thanks everyone.

In that case -- super glue.

Yes Breeze! That's what she does exactly. We are going for the DVD player option. Thanks so much Gransnet!

In America the child seats are 1)much more robust than ours , 2) are replaced by your insurance company if your car is involved in an accident and most importantly, 3) have an integral second buckle across the chest so little arms cannot shrug off the straps or clambour out of their seats entirely.
I have 3 American grandsons who are now7,5 and 3 who are all little monkeys but they have never managed to 'escape' from their car seats.
I have tried to buy the 'buckle ' to use on my car seats here but to no avail. Such a simple idea which could save lives and give parents (and grandparents) peace of mind.

My Grandson undoes his seat belt and my daughter has bought a Houdni strap from Amazon which fits on his seat belt across his chest which he can't undo seems to work a treat

I don't think my children would have dared to get out of their seats and if they did they would only have done it once! No-one uses reins anymore but older seats used to have little metal clips in the seat so as a childminder/nursery nurse I sometimes used a harness that comes with reins as well as the seat's own belts. A bit OTT? Nothing is OTT when it's the safety of a child at risk and your responsibility, plus discipline too-at 21 months she should know what is acceptable and what isn't-show your disapproval, car travel is part of life and she has to learn that in the car she stays in her seat.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201606/medium-7974-image.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201606/medium-229422-image.jpeg

As per my posting above, these are the EXTRA buckle on USA car seats - wish they had them here too!
A great safety tool and hard to undo, unlike the lap strap.

We used same golly knits but must admit ours weren't too bad I knew someone who's children didn't like them !!!! So she just let them sit free must admit I used to wish police would have stopped her if only to tell her off cos she wouldn't listen to anyone luckily for them the grew up unscathed .