Most parents would know the struggle to get an unruly and strong-willed child to listen to instructions. One of the biggest struggles is to get such children to stay in one place in the car, all seat-belted up for the ride. They’d rather be free from the strap, allowed to be moved around in their own accord. Unfortunately, this doesn’t only compromise the child’s safety, but it can even cause trouble to the driver that can lead to an accident.
Regardless of the possibility of the results, you will always want everyone in the car to wear their seat belts, strong-willed children included. If you do need help trying to get your children to wear their seat belts, here are some tips and tricks you can try out:
1. Create a Rewards System
Some parents may think that using bribes or rewards to convince their children to do what they are told is wrong. However, it is not wrong if you are doing it for the sake of your children’s safety! It can be tempting to get distracted by the mind games your child plays with you, but this should be your utmost priority if you are dealing with your child’s safety.
A rewards system works well with children, especially if you are talking about rewards that directly involve them. For instance, you can reward them halfway through the trip if they wear their seat belts. You can even break the rewards up into small portions if you want to, but whatever you do, make sure you turn the rewards system into something your child would like to be a part of.
2. Be Firm
This may be an easy way for your child to get what they want, but you should remember that you should be firm in your decision, especially when it comes to their safety. You should never be pressured into changing your mind if your child wants to take off their seat belt.
If you want to avoid arguing about it, you can suggest that you put the seat belt on for them, but that they can take it off once it is on. This way, the seat belt is on, and you can hope that they forget about unbuckling it until you have reached your destination.
3. Give Them a Reason
For any parent, a good reason is a must in convincing a child to do something that they don’t want to do. You can use this reason in conjunction with a rewards system to ensure that your child does what they are told.
Telling your child about the dangers of not wearing a seat belt will let them know that you are looking out for them. You can also try telling them about the consequences if they do not wear the seat belt, but make sure that you do not scare them.
Conclusion
There are lots of different ways you can convince your child to wear their seat belt. Just pick the method that you feel will work for you. The most important thing is to make sure that your child is safe and comfortable, and if it means that your child is going to wear a seat belt, then do what you must. Remember, safety must always be your priority, and ensuring their safety means that should you get into an accident, their chances of getting out alive and well increase significantly.
SRS Restore are professionals at repairing and rebuilding seat belts after an accident. If your vehicle’s seat belts are experiencing any issues, reach out to us today for repairs in West Field.