[ABabyPlease]

Hi I want to teach my son to climb into his car seat without me lifting him - I have a bad back.
Have you taught your baby to do this? At what age? Any advice on how to teach them to climb in?
Thanks

[namie]

My 21 month old started doing it a few months ago. I can't remember but I assume DS1 did it around the same age too. DS1 started walking at 17 months, DS2 was around 14 months I think.

I would think you could teach him once he starts walking, I guess take your lead from when he starts climbing the furniture!

[~squiggle~]

I don't think I actively taught it, it just happened once my girls were regularly walking to the car. My 3yo gets in with no dramas. My 22 month old has been able to get in herself or some time but generally doesn't. Climbing around the inside of the car like a monkey is far more appealing.

[~chiquita~]

DS at two is quite capable of doing it, but won't. He's too busy doing other things so I usually have to tackle him. If he does get into the car himself he will always jump in the front and start playing with the dashboard and steering wheel.

I bruised my ribs a couple of weeks ago and it would of made life much easier if DS had climbed into his car seat for me.

This post has been edited by ~chiquita~: 01/01/2013, 10:59 AM

[tamjk]

I didn't actively teach them, mine figured it out themselves.
My first was around the 18 month mark, he hit all of his physical milestones on the early side so don't expect yours to be able to do it at that age. Unless you have a sedan, we use a 4wd as the main family car and have some adult friends who have difficulty getting into it.

My second got the hang of it around 20 months, she's smack bang in the middle for her milestones so that's about when I'd expect most kids to manage it.

[Bazinga]

DS 18 months has been climbing into his car seat for around 3 months now. I just started opening the car door and letting him try for himself. It only took a few tries to master it.

[ABabyPlease]

Thanks for the suggestions and warnings.

This post has been edited by ABabyPlease: 01/01/2013, 11:11 AM

[lozoodle]

Mine started this at about 18 months.

[imamumto3]

2yo dd tries to do it. we have a 4wd though and she is tiny (about the size of a 1yo) so she struggles to get in if the door can't swing open fully

[gemini2]

Hi OP,
I found that having a stepper with our 4WD actually encouraged our eldest to try although we took her lead and didn't push the issue. By 28 months our daughter only used the stepper to climb up and did not need us to help her as before.
HTH