When could your children manage their own seatbelts?

[tommyg]

DS is 4.5 and I still need to strap him in (he is in a 5 pt harness)
I'm thinking about a new car IF I thought he would be able to manage his own seatbelt fairly soon I think I would stick with a Fiesta or Micra but if I'm going to be leaning in the car doing seatbelts for a while I'm thinking saving my back and having a higher car like a B-Max or Nissan Note type thing.

When could you LO do their own seatbelts?

 

[kerrie24]

Owen was 5 in may and I still do his seatbelt. If I sit for ages waiting he will try and do it himself but hes not consistent and I still need to check hes done it properly x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

6ish

 

[alibaba24]

My 6 year old nephew still struggles

 

[Twinmum87]

6 yr old. They are 7 now and still need help once in a while but pretty much always fasten up themselves.

 

[Cattia]

My four and five year old can both do theirs now but I always check it to make sure it's cllicked in properly.

 

[LoraLoo]

Around 5/6 for mine x

 

[Nibblenic]

In our old car, where the back seats were wider my then 5.5 year old could do hers. In the new car it's too close to her car seat and the angle is wrong so she can't

 

[RachA]

I'd say around the 6/7 mark. My 5 year old still can't do hers-I think her seat is too bulky and she can't actually reach round.

 

[lindseymw]

Joshua started doing his own earlier this year...so not long turned 6. It's harder for him in our Passat as the bit that it plugs into is flush in the seats so this can take a while. I still check that it's done properly though.

 

[tommyg]

Thanks ladies I think I will plan on having to plug him in for another 18 mths to 2 years. Which means go for a mini mpv which would also suit if I'm lucky enough to have another baby although my odds of that happening are getting slimmer every month.

 

[jd83]

DS1 has been able to do his since around 4 1/2. I check to make sure its clicked properly, but he hasn't had any issues with it since he finally figured out how to do it himself.

 

[Lauraxamy]

My daughter has been able to since around 4 and a half, I went to do it one time and she said 'No I can do it' and has done ever since then My 3 year old (4 in october) can't though at all, he can't even pull it round him, he tries but gets all stressed when it won't pull round him

 

[embo216]

Since around 4/5 years old x

 

[dani_tinks]

Jacob's started doing his himself, sometimes he struggles. I always double check it

 

[kayleigh1985]

My DD has just turned 4 and does it herself

 

[BethK]

I've been trying to teach DD to do hers. She's just turned 5 and in a high back booster with normal seatbelt (because I read that the harnesses aren't safe for them after a certain weight).

 

[tommyg]

I've been trying to teach DD to do hers. She's just turned 5 and in a high back booster with normal seatbelt (because I read that the harnesses aren't safe for them after a certain weight).

Minimum weight for a high back booster is 15 kg, DS hasn't reached it yet. Max weight for a harness is 18kg hence DS at 4.5 is still in a harness.

From what I'd read and seen it depends very much on the location of the seat belt buckles and the shape of the high backed boosters wither LO's can do their own at an early age or not.
However I've choosen to go with a mini MPV to save my back if I'm still plugging him in for a while and that also has better provision for Baby2 if I'm lucky enough. Thanks for all replies.

 

[New Mrs W]

Frankie started a couple of months ago, so around 4.5. I'd say he can do it consistently now (will be five in September) but of course I always check its clicked in properly and check the tension of the belt too xx

 

[BethK]

I've been trying to teach DD to do hers. She's just turned 5 and in a high back booster with normal seatbelt (because I read that the harnesses aren't safe for them after a certain weight).

Minimum weight for a high back booster is 15 kg, DS hasn't reached it yet. Max weight for a harness is 18kg hence DS at 4.5 is still in a harness.

From what I'd read and seen it depends very much on the location of the seat belt buckles and the shape of the high backed boosters wither LO's can do their own at an early age or not.
However I've choosen to go with a mini MPV to save my back if I'm still plugging him in for a while and that also has better provision for Baby2 if I'm lucky enough. Thanks for all replies.

Ah right, my DD is very tall and well over the 18kg