Partially getting out of car seat?

[baileygirl]

DS2 has is rear facing in an older (expires summer 2012) Britax Marathon. Since we moved him from the Roundabout to Marathon, he has started partially climbing out of the seat. Basically he gets the chest clip down and frees his arms, he can then push off of the seat with his feet to get further out of the seat (fortunately hasn't gotten all the way out). This especially freaks me out when I am riding with him alone, since I can't see him that well since he is rear facing. Any suggestions on how to keep him in the seat? I can't pull the strap any tighter, the chest clip is at his armpits and the straps appear to be at the right spot. Thanks!

[wellyes]

Duct tape
Or at least a mirror so that you can see him. I know it is not recommended but the risks of a mirror are minuscule compared to the risks of him unbuckling himself.

[carolinamama]

How old is your DS2? I would start with a mirror and always pull over as soon as it is safe and sternly say something like "We can't drive unless everyone is buckled correctly". If it turns out not to be a short phase (and please don't flame me for this because we do erfing at our house) I would seriously feel more comfortable having a safely buckled ffing child (as long as he is older as it sounds he may be) than one climbing out of a rfing seat and distracting/causing me to take my eyes off the road as the driver. Others may have a better solution.

[veronica]

Definitely stop the car each time and let him know you can not drive until he is buckled correctly. Get a mirror to help you keep an eye on him.


How old is your DS2? I would start with a mirror and always pull over as soon as it is safe and sternly say something like "We can't drive unless everyone is buckled correctly". If it turns out not to be a short phase (and please don't flame me for this because we do erfing at our house) I would seriously feel more comfortable having a safely buckled ffing child (as long as he is older as it sounds he may be) than one climbing out of a rfing seat and distracting/causing me to take my eyes off the road as the driver. Others may have a better solution.

[KrisM]

I've read that people use empty toilet paper rolls between the hip buckle and the chest clip so that the chest clip can't be moved down. Cover the roll with duct tape so he can't pick at the cardboard tube, too.

[AshleyAnn]

I would get a mirror so you can monitor him. Do you have the HUGS on the seat? Sometimes you can move them so they make it harder for the chest clip to be moved. How far is he from needing the next set of slots up? It may be they are looped far enough behind him its easier to slip them off his shoulders.

[baileygirl]

Thanks for the replies. I do pull over as soon as it is safe, the problem is he usually picks the worst time to take his arms out (i.e. freeway, unsafe area). He can be pretty stubborn, so I think I need to figure out a way to keep him from moving the clip. He just turned 2 and weighs about 25lbs, so he has some time before we turn him around.

I'll have DH look at the HUGS on the seat. The straps were moved down (his brother had been using the seat) for him, so that might be the problem! Otherwise, we'll try out the toliet paper rolls!