I also posted this in the challenging behaviours section but thought I might get more answers here?

My 23 month old DD has decided she won't co-operate with Mummy & get into the carseat. I feel like I am wrestling with her which I hate. I do not want to go anywhere in the carr at the moment (impossible!) but end up so stressed, anxious & at the end of my tether with her. She thinks it is a game to chase me all over the car which is dangerous & I hate the idea of bribing her with food to get in. We have heaps of toys but nothing interests her.
Help please! I was in tears today. I just wanted to get home!

I had similar troubles with my DD now 2 years one month old, from around the same age as your DD.

What completely changed it around for me was saying to her, "can you show Mummy how you can climb into the carseat?"

Ever since, I don't have any trouble. She climbs in on her own, I give her stacks of praise for being such a clever girl, then I buckle her up.

She hates anyone putting her in. If I ask her if she would like any help. She says "no", (in a very cute, yet determined little voice).

Good luck
Ellbee
DD 2 years old

I usually just open the door and say, "climb into your seat", and even though it may have taken 5 minutes at the beginning, she would get there.

Now I also ask her to put her arms through her straps, and she does it.

I've had similar dramas with DD2, including one day where I just forced her in and put up with the screaming just so I could get home DD2 went through a phase where she had to do up everyone else's seatbelt first and then she would get in. I would sit in the seat next to her so I could do up her buckle after she was in, and then I would get out and move to my seat. (An independence thing I think.) It lasted about two months or so, now she's fine as long as we let her climb into the car and then into the seat without any help.

DD1 used to respond well to "When you have your seatbelt on, you can have the maracas" or whatever toy she had at the time. This only works with DD2 sometimes.

With DD2 sometimes it helped if we asked her "Who do you want to help you with your seatbelt?" but of course that only works if there's more than one person who can.

Good luck,
Kylie

Thanks for your suggestions! It really just helps to know people have been there, done that with this toddler behaviour & survived! She did actually climb in herslf last week so I'll go with that idea I think.
I'm sure it is just a phase & she is so independent but it sure makes life difficult!