https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:50:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2021797 Tue, 13 Jan 2015 10:50:21 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2021797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all so much for the tips. We definitely intend to keep her RF as long as possible - she's pretty small to begin with (just hit 20 lbs), and I'm very much a RF-as-long-as-possible advocate. I also don't really think FF will help - she's a very active kid and I think sitting still and being constrained are her biggest issues with the car seat. We've tried all sorts of approaches - letting her climb in herself (which results in her climbing over the car seat and into the front seat to play with the steering and then epic hysteria trying to get her back in), special toys (which work sometimes but definitely not always), snacks, songs, you name it. Thankfully she doesn't seem to have motion sickness issues thus far, so we've deployed the iPad whenever the trip is longer than a half hour (which is thankfully rare) and keep trying with rotating toys, etc. It'd just be nice if husband and I could start sitting in the front again - me especially since I DO get motion sick and riding in the back has always been tough - but we'll keep on it. Thanks all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008944 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 14:01:34 +0000 Cherrybee 2008944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is pretty weird advice bud we keep a balloon in the car (we change it out every time we eat out somewhere they give the kids balloons). E gets excited to see it every time - she shouts "boon, boon" - and it keeps her happy for a while (although it sometimes backfires if she pings the balloon off and I cant reach it while driving!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008935 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 13:55:56 +0000 looch 2008935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: The kicker is that I didn't know he was carsick prone UNTIL we gave him something to eat and I then gave him the ipad for a bit during a long car ride. Never again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008933 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 13:53:55 +0000 littlejoy 2008933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Oh goodness!!! Yeah, that combo would be horrible for a carsick prone babe. :(</p> <p>I love the idea of giving them some control. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008932 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 13:50:52 +0000 looch 2008932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So food/ipad and rearfacing were a recipe for disaster for my son, he'd get carsick when he never did before.</p> <p>Does it help if you give your daughter a little bit of control over the situation, like if you get into the car with her and let her climb into her seat, and then you buckle her in? I feel like I do better when my parenting is not on display, so even with my 4 year old, I still get into the car entirely and close the door and then do the get in seat/buckle routine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008924 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 13:39:28 +0000 littlejoy 2008924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would not FF until at least 2. I assume since you're RF at 19 months, you're probably aware of the safety advantages to RF already. I don't think the iPad is a bad idea. There are iPad docks for the car, which holds it securely!! Sorry you're going through that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008875 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 12:25:18 +0000 78h2o 2008875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh, the car seat wars suck so much!!! My LO is pretty okay once she's in the carseat (at least for short trips), but she goes through phases where she fights me terribly. I think she had a bad phase around the same age. I basically bribed her into the seat with food, allowing her to do the buckle herself, or granting access to a preferred toy (Elsa doll). Fruit snacks worked esp. well, since she doesn't get them otherwise. </p> <p>We've been in a good phase for about a month, but I know that can change at any point! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008833 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 11:37:53 +0000 Applesandbananas 2008833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO has frustrating phases of hating to get in the car seat (still RF at 22m) and giving him Goldfish or another type of snack (I'm totally not above bringing in the big guns and giving him a Rice Krispie treat when this car seat fighting nonsense is at its worst) helps immensely. Sometimes he's so mad, he just slings it across the car, in which case, I give him nothing else and I turn on some music to cover up some of the crying. But, he stops crying typically after the car is in motion for a minute or so. </p> <p>If he cried much longer than that, I'd probably go ahead and flip him, since at that point, I think it's too distracting and becomes more dangerous than forward facing.</p> <p>I think forward facing would be safer than permanently affixing the iPad to the seat too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008472 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 22:03:33 +0000 fairy 2008472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Distracting with snacks (food pouches) or a special toy usually work for me. This is a power-struggle phase that is usually outgrown so I wouldn't FF yet personally. My DD is usually fine but once she was really bad flailing and arching her back and screaming, the only thing that worked was letting her hips my friend's phone! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008463 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 21:58:55 +0000 lady grey 2008463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: my LO has never really liked the car. I used to sit with him in the back but we eventually figured out he does better if DH sits with him. I think having me right there makes him more fussy since he wants me to pick him up. </p> <p>We also use one of these at times:<br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Awesome-Lighted-Spinning-Party-Disco/dp/B003AGIJ86/ref=pd_sim_t_2?ie=UTF8&#038;refRID=1HW1J647YJNE9FT92BAT" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Awesome-Lighted-Spinning-Party-Disco/dp/B003AGIJ86/ref=pd_sim_t_2?ie=UTF8&#038;refRID=1HW1J647YJNE9FT92BAT</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008350 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:53:07 +0000 hilsy85 2008350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does she take a pacifier? Is her carseat high enough rear facing that she can see out the window? That might help distract her. What about a special toy she only gets in the car? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008323 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:31:26 +0000 matador84 2008323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: that is EXACTLY how I was with DS. He would be in total hysterics in the car and it would really freak me out while driving. No lie, once we FF'ed he never had an issue again, which makes me think maybe he was a little car sick from the RF. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008316 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:28:32 +0000 Anagram 2008316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: My LO isn't so bad with getting in the seat initially, but she cries about 5-10 minutes into a car trip and sometimes doesn't stop (we commute to work together, twice a day, 50 min-1 hour each way). It's rough.</p> <p>I have thought about FFing her soon. She's about to be 18 months. I just feel so on the fence about doing it, since she's safer rear facing.</p> <p>On the other hand, I *know* I am way more distracted trying to placate her when I drive--talking, singing, constantly looking at her in my rearview, constantly handing things back to her. Literally unbuckling myself at red lights and climbing halfway back to get things that have fallen to the floor. I know none of that is making for a safe car experience either.</p> <p>Maybe it's time to try forward facing? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008314 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:27:36 +0000 regberadaisy 2008314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My unpopular advice is also FF and DD would get the phone to distract her long enough so we can buckle her in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008309 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:25:24 +0000 matador84 2008309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would prob FF if your child meets height/weight to FF. My DS would freak out in the car and I wonder if he was a little car sick. Weak soon as we FF'ed him, he was fine from there on out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-car-seat-hysteria-any-tips#post-2008305 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:21:15 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2008305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 19 month old throws a full on fit every time we go to put her in the seat- I honestly worry somekne will call cops on us one day, thinking we're kidnapping her. Sometimes we can distract her long enough to buckle her in but it takes 2 and it's rare without a fight. Once in the seat, she lasts at best 10-15 minutes (with distraction) before crying and whining again. I'm at wits end. The only effective tool is iPad videos, which we use sparingly. One of us is still sitting in back because she gets so hysterical. Do I just give up and put the iPad up permanently or are there other tips that work? She's in a Britax Boulevard, rear facing (and has hated the car seat/carrier as a baby too but this is the worst I've ever seen her freak out), and it's non stop, every day, not just occasionally. </p>