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Ooh, I can picture it exactly because I've been there so many times! I try various things to distract her - give her a toy, tickle, sing, sometimes I'm desperate and offer some kind of food if I have anything - but sometimes nothing works! I literally end up forcing her into her seat...and then avoid eye contact with anyone in the parking lot who probably thinks I'm kidnapping her!

First off, I'm not proud at all of my response to this.... my LO is regularly difficult to get into the car seat.

I physically force him in. Tickling, distracting, etc. never seems to work for me. The only thing that sometimes work is bribery... especially if it's something good like candy.

Um. You all are way nicer than I am!!! It would be a cold day in hell before I tickled or bribed my toddler (does 3 count as a toddler?) in this situation. If she is pulling a stunt like this in a busy parking lot she gets forced in. Sorry. Safety first. If it's not a peak time and she's acting a fool she gets immediate time out. On the ground. In the rain, whatever, until she is calm and ready to be a big girl and get in her seat. We will talk about it either way on the way home, but I would not reward her unless I wanted to do it again. Kids are smart.

@BeachMama: does the 8 month old attend there as well? That would piss me off if the did nothing - I'd honestly say something. They are supposed to be there to help!!!

@Golden: My kid (3.5) can out wriggle and out power me when it comes to the car seat. What I have to do borders on physical abuse to get him in when he's acting this way. So, diversion is basically the only thing that works.... I think it just depends on your kid. A time out in the school parking lot would last over an hour of screaming and I don't have time for that, especially if I have my arms full with the baby.

@Golden: agreed. Bribes don't work when he's having a tantrum anyway, he can't even hear me through all the screaming. Time outs don't work on my son either. Sometimes I do just get him in the car and wait for him to calm down to climb into his car seat. But usually when this happens he just gets dumped in the seat.

I give her a really good treat or I karate chop her at the waist.

@daniellemybelle: i just laughed out loud at work!

Thought I'd add that typically if I can just get one buckle in forcibly, then he says "oww" because it is uncomfortable and realizes that he has to sit down and straight. Everything else follows from there.

Ironically he NEVER does this to my husband.

The only thing that I really do that has any effect is to just get in the car, close both doors and wait it out. I find I am much calmer when my parenting isn't on display.

@looch: I would do the same.

@avivoca:@Mrs D: @daniellemybelle: hahahah i can't get over the karate chops!

@CakeLady: yes! We have a mix of a stiff board and a twister when it comes to getting into his RFing car seat. He gets so excited to put on shoes thinking he's getting to go play outside that he pitches a fit when it's time to get in the seat.

I really try not to yell, but if I was being hit and kicked there is a solid chance that I would yell a forceful, not angry, STOP close to LO's face and then take advantage of the moment of surprise to buckle as fast as possible. Great parenting, no? But sometimes you choose the lesser evil.

@BeachMama: oh man, not much you can do! Especially with your hands so full of everything else!
I feel your pain mama, I have a toddler and an 8 month old too. The toddler knows that he can either walk like a big boy and do what mommy asks, or he's going to get picked up (kicking and screaming). That's the rule. Still stressful!

@daniellemybelle: hahhaha. I've done the elbow to chest maneuver many times. But it doesn't really work anymore now that he's so frigging strong.

@AggieDaze: I meant a pretty intense one. Stern, loud, and right up close. My toddler is pretty sensitive so would probably be quite startled.

@AggieDaze: maybe a spray bottle of water like I use on my misbehaving pets?