It's a struggle everytime I put her in the car seat!

Hi Ladies,

One of the dd is happy to sit in the car seat when we are leaving home but when we are coming back from the mall/friends/supermarket etc, just wont go back in the car seat. Throws a major tantrum & cries the whole journey home. I have theit fav dvd's, snacks/books etc but nothing is helping. If I am alone it's just so hard for me to concentrate on the roads that I have to stop taking them out alone! We dread going out now a days!!!!

Anyone else having this prob with their tods? How do you handle it?? Any suggestions pls?

 

Oh yes, the famous car seat struggle. It is in my opinion they all go through it at some point...whether it is a one time thing, or an everyday thing. I do the push them down, quickly buckle them, and then plug my ears for the screaming. No solutions for you..it's just not fun! :hug: Although it is a little better if I let them "pretend to do it themselves", which is secretly I'm doing it but they think they are doing the buckles!

 

Shove her in quickly and buckle her up, then deafen your ears to the screaming.

I don't know how old your twins are -- it was a lot easier to shove them in at 12-18 months than at 3 years! (In between those two ages, we didn't have much trouble with the car seat.)

Letting them "help" can also make it easier if they are old enough. But if she's already pitching a fit because you are leaving something fun, she's probably not going to calm down enough to help with her buckles.

You could also try preparing her more for the leaving -- since it sounds like it's not the car seat itself that she minds, it's the fact that you are going home. Try giving her a 3-minute warning, then being very cheerful and matter-of-fact about the departure (getting her coat, saying goodbye, etc.). Try not to get impatient, but don't let her beg for more time or she will just be madder when you finally make her leave.

 

My girl will cry if she won't get the opportunity to get in herself and if she cannot close the top buckle (chest clip) she'll need to be pushed down in her seat too ... so we let her do it herself ... And she can actually do it!

 

Alice has always hated her car seat.

I can't think of one trip that she didn't scream the entire way. Oh, on the 5 hour trips to visit the inlaws she only screams until she passes out. She hates it.

 

Is she uncomfortable in her seat? Is it too tight or not enough cushioning? I will often have books in the car as a distraction, but it seems like she is far beyond that and would just throw the book. What about those strap covers with characters on them? Would that help? Just some thoughts.

 

My dd hates the carseat too - but only on the return trip. A girlfriend of mine has a 3 year old who screams the entire time she's strapped in - and a couple of days ago she managed to strip completely naked while strapped into a 5 point carseat!! I'm not even sure how that's possible!