help! 4 1/2 years and DH still can't buckle kids right!

[sophiesmom]

I am so frustrated with DH. I've told him constantly .. the chest clip goes at the armpits... Whenever he has the kids in the truck their chest clip is never done right. He just quickly buckles them and he's done. The clip is at their belly and I have to tell him. If I'm there then I can fix it, but he does take the kids out on his own and soon will probably do more since #3 is due soon.

My question: I know DS (2 1/2 and 33 lbs) is too young, but should i consider getting DD (4 1/2 37 pounds) a turbo booster? I know the convertibles are safer, but how safe is she if he can't buckle her right?! But then I also have to worry about DS. ugh!

Mostly venting here but any advice would be great!

[Momof3Labs]

If he can't buckle them right, would he stay on top of your DD to keep her in the right postion under the shoulder strap of a seat belt? I'm kinda doubting it, in which case the 5-pt harness is probably still safer than a booster.

Our chest clips don't slide easily, so once we put them in position, all you have to do is clip them and then tighten the harness. Is that an option for you? I'm not quite clear on how the clips get to their belly in the first place.

[SusanMae]

Teach the kids where they go! The 4 1/2 year old can easily say No Daddy it goes HERE! and move it. THe 2 1/2 year old should be able to put it in the right spot or big sister can help.

Susan

[sophiesmom]

I've been working on instilling it in my 4 1/2 year old! Once she knows something she doesn't forget it! She'll have to watch out for her brother.

Her seat is a Graco comfortsport (newer one) and DS's is terrible, it was her very 1st seat and I can't even think of the name but i hate it. the straps are just awful (very twisty). I need to get him a new one for DH truck. Both of the clips seem to slide easily. The ones on their MAs in my car are much better, and i think the rubber things help keep them more in place. Can't afford 2 MAs for his truck though.

I think I will keep telling DD about the clips, and next time DH does it I'll have to really give him a hard time.

[AdoptChina]

My DH is the same way...just last week I made him stop the car on 2 different occasions so I could fix the seatbelt...grrr

Im not sure what your car seat set up is now....do you need a seat for DD or are you just trying to find a way to get DH to buckle them in right?

[daniele_ut]

We have a very similar problem. DH is always in too much of a hurry to *really* see what he is doing when he buckles DS in. He seems to be better with the Marathon, since the HUGS tend to keep the chest clip in the right place. The Roundabout is more difficult for him, since the straps tend to twist a bit sometimes and he rarely notices they are twisted behind DS's shoulder or under his leg. I just remind him all the time and I always double check the seat after he's put DS in it. He hasn't improved much, but since he comes from a family that thinks carseats are an inconvenience, I'm counting my blessings.

[sophiesmom]

She's in a new Comfortsport which won't last her much longer (i didn't listen to the posts before, the top slots are short!). She technically though doesn't need a new seat right now. DS does though, for DH's truck.

[Joolsplus2]

If he can't figure out a chest clip, he'll mess up a Turbo booster, too, probably (those armrests are 'just too much' for lazy dads to understand how they work...the Parkway has no armrests to fuss with and is much easier, not to mention a slightly safer and longer-lasting seat overall). Try ordering new straps, first, and new chest clips, that should at least help and not cost *too* much. Chest clips aren't even required parts of the seat, so if the straps are tight and on her shoulders (which is all chest clips are doing: keeping the straps on the shoulders, they serve NO restraint function in a crash and are an optional piece that parents like on seats, so carseat makers put on for them), then actually she's just fine...but keep working on her to make sure she knows how to do it right (my kids have always been better than daddy at buckling in, don't sweat it, lol).

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[KrisM]

Could you put some tape or something on the straps below where the chest clip could be so that the clip couldn't slide down?

[Joolsplus2]

Nope, you DO want the chest clip to break or slide down freely in a crash. A few years ago, when one of us boardies knew the president of Britax well, someone suggested putting puffy paint on the harness to keep the chest clip from sliding down. She asked Britax if that was ok, and he made them test it, like *that day* to find out if it was safe, and it wasn't (we are so sad he left that company! he was the BEST!). I'd imagine that the forces on the chest would be increased in such a way that the seat would fail (chest forces are one of the requirements of testing, they just can't be 'too great'), with of course too much force on the chest...that would presumably increase internal injury risk (???).

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[sophiesmom]

Maybe I'll just tape a huge sign on the seats for him! 'chest clip goes at armpit level!'. nuts

[Neatfreak]

What one of my friends did was take a Sharpie marker, and mark two lines on each of the shoulder harnesses. She told her hubby that the chest clip had to be positioned between those two lines - which was at armpit level on their toddler. I'm not sure if the ink affects the integrity of the harness or anything, but it turn her husband into a good buckler.