Child buckling in?

[raynjen]

Question for you "been there, done that" moms. We are moving back to the states next week and I've got my daughter's new Wizard waiting to go into my husband's new Honda Element. Right now she is using the Roundabout. She can pretty much get herself into the seat right now - climb in, straighten the straps, buckle chest and crotch buckles, and then I pull the strap to tighten the harness. To get out we do the reverse - I loosen the harness and she "undoes" all the buckles.

Well, I just realized that there is no way I will be able to reach her seat to loosen or tighten the harness when she is in the Element (seats are too far back). How do most parents handle this? I hate to go back to climbing in the car with her to do/undo her straps, but if the alternative is having her in a loosey goosey harness then I'm willing. Is there any way for the kids themselves to tighten the straps? Or do they simply learn to fasten and unfasten the buckles with the harness tightened all the way?

I would especially like to hear from you car seat techs out there.

Jen (soon to be) in Wichita
With my sadly shorn daughter who is now four - Noelle!

[Joolsplus2]

Alright, you're coming home! :)

My dd managed just fine in her Marathon...she'd get in, put the harness over her shoulders, then hold up the metal harness adjuster flap, lean forward to loosen the harness, buckle up, then grab the adjuster flap and lean back while pulling it tight. Our MA made a raucous squeak, and I'd start driving in our cul de sac before she was tightened in, and she'd scream at me, Mama! Wait for the Squeak before you drive! <blush>.
I think since Noelle is so competent with her RA, she should be fine in the MA... Sometimes I'd have to help Bitsy with that one last tug to tighten the harness, but I could reach the captain's chair behind me to do that easily (I'm sure the Element seats aren't much or any further back than the captain's chairs in my minivan....)

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

[raynjen]

Oh how I hope you are right! I'm pretty sure that they are WAY back there because I remember my husband saying that she would NEVER be big enough to kick the back of his seat again! They are not only further back, but they have "stadium" seating. The back seats are actually about 6" taller than the front seats.

I too have backed out of our driveway while she was buckling (now I'M embarassed) and had her say, "slow Mommy, I'm not done yet!"

Jen (soon to be) in Wichita
Mom to my beautiful daughter,
who is now 4, Noelle!

[tjham]

Oh, this sounds familiar! My 4 1/2 yr old granddaughter insists on buckling herself in. She used to be content with just doing the chest clip but now it's the whole thing. Sometimes it is so hard to wait for her to do it but I try to be patient because I really think it's cool! I have the Evenflo Chase, and even though I'm not crazy about it, the weird way the harness adjusts actually works in her favor in this situation. She can pull it tight herself. I still check to see it's tight enough.