How to load 2 kids into car seats with only one adult?
Thursday, May 13th, 2010 at
5:45 pm
Today is the first day that I am picking up the kids from day care without using a baby carrier for the little one and I am not sure how to go about it. My son is 2.5 years old and my daughter is 10 months. What is the best way to get them both into the car and strapped in, without leaving one unattended, or giving the toddler the chance to run away?
This is not a control thing, 2 year olds can bolt at any time, even if you tell them not to. That’s how they are.
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I have an almost 2 year old and a 4 month old. When I’m carrying the 4 month old, I either hold the 2 year old’s hand or (it may sound mean) have her on a baby leash. The leash is dumb, but it’s better than her running in the road. I put the little one in the carseat first, while the 2 year old "holds the door" for me. She’s not really holding the door, but I’m letting her think she is to keep her occupied. Then when the little one is in I can pick up the 2 year old.
To people who haven’t done it before it sounds easy to get them both in the car. I’m with you. I just don’t know what I’ll do when I have a third.
Good luck.
Carry the 10 month old and have the 2.5 year old walk while holding your hand. Go to the 2.5 year old side first and have him climb in his seat. Get his top buckle buttoned. Go put the baby in her seat, buckle her in, and then return to finish your son.
Option 2, load the baby first and have your son stand in between your legs and the car. You’ll somewhat have him wedged where he can not bolt off???
Carry your daughter in one arm while holding your son’s hand. You can let go of his hand for a minute, open his door, and he should be able to get up into the seat with a little assistance from you. Don’t buckle him in yet, just shut the door and go put your daughter in her car seat, buckle her in and then go back around and buckle your son in.
It shouldn’t be too difficult. There are people that have to deal with having a lot more kids.
You’ll figure it out and do fine…
If your daughter (10 months) is in a removable car seat, Put the 2.5 yr old strapped into his seat first. Then go around the car and put her seat in, that way he won’t have the chance to run…
Who is the adult here? Open the back door on the side of your vechicle closest to the baby’s seat tell the 2 year old to get in and get in his seat, load the baby, than check the two year old in. I did that alone with three children, you have to let the 2 year old know who is in control. Good Luck.
What I did was I held my son in my arms, and helped my daughter into the car. I told her to be a big girl and buckle the top part of her car seat while I was putting my son in his carseat. I also made sure that her door was shut so she could not get out because of the child safety locks. When I was done putting my son in his seat I went back around and buckled her in and then we were on our way.
If it is stressing you out so bad use a stroller for your ten month old and keep her in it until you have your son in the car. I have done that too when I didn’t feel like carrying my son.
It really does get easier once when you do it a few times. I know I had the same anxiety too about dealing with two when you are so use to just one. It is different but it does get easier.
The two year old needs to be told before exiting the building that he is expected to go directly to the car and get in. Just in, not necessiarly in his car seat. You should probably try to hold his hand while holding baby on your hip or something while you’re on your way out to the car
You need to carry the 10 month old and strap her in her car seat. After she’s strapped, put him in his seat and strap him in.
I do one on each hip, but if your upper body is not up to the task, it is time to learn about gluing hands when loading kids. I "glue" my daughter’s hand to the red tail light of our car while I load up the youngest, then I unglue it by brushing on my glue remover and put her in with lots of hugs and kisses for standing still. Ham up the glue game and this will work like a charm. I learned it from a mom in a parking lot who had a large brood to load into her van. Smart lady……..
Carry the infant and let the toddler walk. Open the door so the toddler can climb in and then go around (unless he can climb in on the side the infant carseat is on) and put the infant in and buckled then go back and buckle the toddler up.
Or have the toddler stand right beside you while you put the infant in.
Take it from me, I am in the same boat. I have a 2.5 year old and a 15 month old. I usually carry the baby on my hip and let the 2.5 year old hold my hand, I always tell her if she lets go she will have to be carried. I let my older daughter climb in the side of the car I put my 14 month old in. I let her get in first and climb in her seat while I am buckling the baby. I shut his door and go to her side and buckle her in her seat. Mission accomplished!
I have two little ones, and although my older one has had moments of not listening, for the most part, this is not too terribly difficult of a task. I carry the little one, and hold the hand of the older one. When I get to the car, I open the one door on the side that the little one goes into. I get my older one to climb in and across, and then make a game out of it. I "race" him to see who can get their seatbelt on the fastest. Can I finish my young one before he gets his top part on? It is a fun challenge that he normally looks forward to. I then finish the bottom, and make sure he is safe and secure before we leave. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are days when that does not work because he is tired or grumpy, and those are the days that you just have to figure out new ways to deal with two little ones at once! Good luck, and it does get easier!!
i assume you’re carrying the ten month old and the 2 yr old is walking. have him get into the car first and climb into his car seat while you put the baby in her’s. then strap him into his carseat. my daughter is1 and my son is 3 and this is what i always do with them. good luck.
hold the 10 month old and open the door for the 2.5 to seat himself (you secure it of course) then you can put the 10 month old in her carseat…. i am 6 months pregnant and my daughter is 2.5 years old so i cannot pick her up too often so i taught her to climb in the car and get in her seat by herself (it gives her a great sense of accomplishment that she can get in all by herself!! so its perfect for both of us)
I have 3 kids, 4, 2 and 11 months. I just have the older ones climb in the car, I fasten the baby in, then get the older two, who by then have gotten into their own seats and are just waiting for me.
If you don’t trust the 2 year old, carry him too. There have been many mornings when I walked into daycare with two in hand and my oldest beside me.
2 year olds normally know how to buckle there own seat belt. Have the 2 year old climb in and sit in his chair while I tie in the 10 month old, then go over and tie in the 2.5 year old.
I go through this every day. I carry my 10 month old and hold my 2.5 year old’s hand. I open the 2.5 year old’s door and he climbs in his seat. I walk around and put my 10 month old into his seat and fasten him then walk around and fasten the 2.5 year old into his car seat. When getting out of the car I do the opposite. I take the 10 month old out first and then come around and unfasten the 2.5 year old and help him out of the car. That way I am holding one and holding the other’s hand at all times. My 2.5 year old has never tried to run and sits in his car seat until I come around and fasten him in. If I pick them up or drop them off when it is raining I take the 2.5 year old out first and then the 10 month old.
Have the 2 year old sit in his seat while you buckle in the baby then buckle in the 2 year old.
Relax – it won’t be as hard as you think. carry the baby, hold the toddler’s hand and walk out to the car. Have the toddler climb in while you put the baby in. Yes, toddlers are impulsive, however, car safety is non negotiable and that’s where discipline has to be an issue – he has to understand that in the street, he stays next to you. In the car he stays in his seat. If he messes up there needs to be a fitting punishment (like not getting to go somewhere, like the park or something).
P.S. Keep that 10 month old rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child’s life!
1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
2)A child’s vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.
3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.
4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)
It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child’s neck and spine.
Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx There isn’t a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better.
i know how this goes my kids are right around your kids’ age what i do is i put my 22 month old in the passenger seat then i put my 10 month old in the carseat after i get him situated get my 22 month old loaded up and im off. either that or you can also purchase a baby leash type thing they sell them at walmart i have one for my 22 month old cuz he always bolts on me so i put him on that and he cant go very far makes him mad but saves his life. hope that works for you.
I have a 2 year old boy and a 12 week old boy. What I do is I put my 12 week old in the car first as his car seat is on the curb side of the car while my 2 year old is standing inbetween me and the door (this way as I am strapping my 12 week old in I sort of tilt my head down so I can see my 2 year old at the same time). Then I go around and put my 2 year old in and strap him in.