Winning
the Seatbelt Wars
By Sandy Fleming
Every child goes through
it at one time or another, and it can be enough to
spoil a fun trip: The Great Seatbelt Fight is on! Whether your
child is a
car seat passenger, a booster seat user, or a seatbelt wearer,
sooner or
later you will be faced with a battle to wear the safety restraint.
States
now require that all children be buckled into an age-appropriate
system when
riding in the car, but the law gives very little suggestion about
how to go
about getting an uncooperative child to buckle up and stay buckled
when you
are occupied in the driver's seat. Here are a few tips:
• SET A
GOOD EXAMPLE
First and foremost, children are great imitators. Your behavior
and example
will be a great help for your children to learn the importance
of buckling
up. We've all heard the statistics that this is the biggest single
factor in
helping people be safer in accidents. If you make sre that you
are always
buckled up and you expect ALL of your passengers to buckle, kids
will see
this consistency. Also, try to verbalize how important this action
is,
instead of complaining or making excuses. Children watch attitudes
as well
as actions.
• CONNECT
THE BUCKLES TO YOUR ACCELERATOR
You may not be able to do this physically, but many families
have a rule
that the car simply does not go if anyone is not wearing a safety
belt.
Moving cars are much more rewarding than stopped cars, and the
threat of
motionlessness and delay is enough to ensure that most children
cooperate.
Don't be afraid to pull off the road in a safe location either,
if someone
unbuckles mid-ride. This is a serious safety issue, and certainly
warrants
an emergency roadside stop to correct the situation.
• USE BEHAVIOR
MANAGEMENT
If you need more help, the next step is to try various behavior
management
techniques, including praising passengers with restraints fastened,
rewarding those who comply throughout the entire trip, and planning
a
consequence for children who do not comply.
No matter how you accomplish
it, be sure your children are ALWAYS buckled up
in the car -- not only because it is the law, but because children
are
absolutely irreplaceable!
Sandy Fleming
is an educator, author and workshop facilitator. She resides
in southern Michigan with her husband and three daughters.
Sandy leads workshops for daycare providers and parents
in the region, tutors students, volunteers for Girl Scouts
and her church, and teaches online classes for adults and
children. She loves to make new friends, so please drop
her an e-mail at kids@busyparentsonline.com
