I looked up on google and found this carseat.

Target- Evenflo Titan Elite Convertible Car Seat - Montgomery $99.00

we had that problem with the high chair. what i did was take a belt and connected it behind the chair. i rigged up a similar system, just in case, in the car, using a hook on the backside of the chair. it's a little "macgyverish", but it works. they do make a child's harness that you might want to look in to.

good luck
maryanne

I have been know to run the regular seat belt over the 5 point harness for "naughty grandchildren." Just make sure you feed it through the mechanism at the top.

We also have had the TALK about if you want to go in Nana's car you must leave your belt on or we will stay home. At three, yours is old enough to get that concept. Some times you just have to suck it up and be the crabby adult. Good luck ! Kathy

Good luck finding one. I wouldn't begin to claim any model would thwart your little Houdini. Frankly, I think you need to fix the behavior whether you find a new seat or not. She might just see the new seat as a challenge and be darn proud of herself when she figures it out, too. At 3, I think she just needs to be taught to leave it the heck alone or else. If she starts messing with it, I'd pull over and refuse to move an inch. If we were going someplace she wanted to go, I'd turn the car around and go home. Later, no TV privileges, etc. She needs to know you mean business, this is NOT negotiable, and any attempt she makes to get out of the seat will result in consequences. At 3, she'll get that it's not worth it.

As they get older there is no way to lock them in if they are determined to get out. So it has to be made a rule that they are not willing to break. Figure out a discipline plan that will make it not worth it for her. She should not be allowed to have this much control over the situation.

Did the nice policeman who pulled you over say anything that any effect on your DGD?

Another here for the crabby adult routine, LOL.

I used to ferry around my neighbor's child along with my own. She was old enough to get out of the carseat, but not old enough to sit in a booster seat or use the adult seatbelt.

I told her my car wouldn't go if she didn't stay in her seat and belted. It took a few times of me stopping the car, and sitting there -once for 20 minutes - before she finally realized that no belt meant no go.

The release button is there so you, the adult, can get the child out quickly in an emergency. You need to teach the child that the car DOES NOT GO if the belt is not latched. She's three - teach her now.

Just sign my name to Stephanie's and Mary C's post. That's how we did. At three years old she's no cute Houdini. This is just another power struggle and one you have to win. This one doesn't come under the heading of "choose your battles". She must be taught to obey safety rules. Period.

Got another mean Grandma here. Car doesn't go unless you're buckled up. DGD had a mean mommy too. They got it from their Mommy. Cars just wouldn't go without the seatbelt's buckled.

Vickey-MN

We have the same rule - Car doesn't go unless all seatbelts are buckled (adults and children). My children have never qeustioned this. My 4yo can get out of his, but he only does it when we reach the destination.

If they were to unbuckle it, I would pull over immediately and rebuckle with a short, but stern discussion. It might take us hours to get home, but safety is that important.

BTW, having it properly installed is not related to her getting out. It just makes sure that if you get in an accident, the seat and the child will remain in place, assuming everyone is buckled in correctly.

Mean mom/gramma here too. I told them the same thing. The car won't run unless the seat belts are fastened.
Leslie

Thanks for all your help everyone. I have only seen this little one 4 or 5 times in her life and now I will have her daily.
I am not planning on being the fairy god mother and granting all her wishes; her mother did enough damage that way, but since she is afraid of us to begin with, I didn't want to start out being the meany. (Guess I have no choice).
Unfortunately, it's a long drive (2 1/2 hours) and stopping every 5 minutes would take up our whole visit.
I guess I'll try the 5 point harness with the car seatbelt for now. At least she'll have to think about that one for a while. And her dad will be going with from now on to pick her up.
I raised one holly terror, I guess I should remember the rules!
Thanks a million everyone... I'll try to check in more often and let you know how things are going.

Dolce

I'm not familiar with releases that aren't push button. We use the same rule about the car stopping if the seatbelt comes off. Could you possibly put something over the latch like a big piece of Velcro or something?

We had the same rule also - the car doesn't go unless the seat belt is fastened My kids are adults now and didn't have to have car seats as long as kids do today but they were never in the car that the belts were not fastened. We sat at the side of the road a few times until they realized we meant business. They also remained belted in for long car trips.

Dolce, I hope you didn't take offence, but I think what most, if not all of us meant was that (and as a grandma I think you know but maybe forgot), was that sometimes it isn't so much finding the car seat that met the criteria, but in "training" the child in the proper behavior for their own benefit. Something that will last a LOT longer and be more useful..permanent solution rather than a temporary one.

Vickey-MN

Absolutely, I hope I didn't come across mean. I maybe carried my point too far. Just that if you find a better car seat, that's great. It just should not replace correcting the behavior. She has to learn to make the right choice.

You can be nice about it. Praise her and reward her when she does stay in her belt. Maybe give her a special "car only" toy to play with as long as she leaves her seat buckled. Tell her how proud you are of her when she follows the safety rule, that she's a smart big girl. Show her that YOU wear your seat belt, and so must she. Point out other children sitting nicely in their car seats as you drive. Play word games or "finding" games to help her pass the time in the car.

We did the stop the car thing also..with my kids and with the gb's......it does take longer to get where you are going but it also teaches them you won't get to go if you don't stay buckled my Sydney was the best escape artist....we sat on the side of many a road with that one LOL....Stacy