WWYD in this situation

[drlynne]

Someone I know has a 2 1/2 year old, 35 lbs, 39 inches. She is putting him in a booster seat (a regular one with no back) :eek:. I have an old Graco 5pt harness seat (40lbs) converts to a booster that expires end of December this year. My question is should I give her the seat? She knows it expires and doesn't care and will most likely continue to use it past expiration. I'm thinking it's better to have him in an expired seat than a booster right?
Yeah I know all the statistics and websites, already given to her, she is just someone on a board not a friend so I'm going to go out and buy her one.
Lynne

[*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*]

Do you buy any chance have a graco chase or graco cargo? They go to 40 pounds only, but have taller top slots. Mabey this would help the child to at least 3 1/2???? The chase is 60.00 at walmart.com right now..

What about a nautilus for 122ish-I know you said she probally won't buy a seat like this though....

I have a 3 year old daycare boy in a backless booster in his parents van... I have talked to them till I was blue in my face aobut how it is not safe, but they don't care. (he is though 65 pounds)

[drlynne]

Do you buy any chance have a graco chase or graco cargo? They go to 40 pounds only, but have taller top slots. Mabey this would help the child to at least 3 1/2???? The chase is 60.00 at walmart.com right now..

What about a nautilus for 122ish-I know you said she probally won't buy a seat like this though....

I have a 3 year old daycare boy in a backless booster in his parents van... I have talked to them till I was blue in my face aobut how it is not safe, but they don't care. (he is though 65 pounds)

Yep I know some people you just can't get through too I've tried. Wow a 65 lbs 3 year old! The one I have is just an old graco. I'm not going out and buying one for this person I don't even know.

[BW1426]

An expired seat might be better than a booster or it might not be. We have no way of knowing. I would never use an expired 5 point harness, it's not worth it. I would not give someone a seat with less than a month left on it, unless they only needed a seat for a month.

[daycaremom2002]

I wouldn't offer her an almost expired seat either. I just wouldn't feel right knowing that she would probably use it longer. Maybe just suggest that she take her child to a local tech and make sure that she is putting him into his booster properly. Hopefully the tech will be knowledgeable enough to help her get him back into a harness.

I know it is tough knowing a kid isn't as safe as they could be, but we can only do so much. Especially when it isn't an IRL friend or acquaintance.

[drlynne]

I wouldn't offer her an almost expired seat either. I just wouldn't feel right knowing that she would probably use it longer. Maybe just suggest that she take her child to a local tech and make sure that she is putting him into his booster properly. Hopefully the tech will be knowledgeable enough to help her get him back into a harness.

I know it is tough knowing a kid isn't as safe as they could be, but we can only do so much. Especially when it isn't an IRL friend or acquaintance.

The seat in your photo (the graco on passenger side middle seat) is the one I have I'm going to give her. I know of no local techs in my area. I'm taking the class in January but it's in North Houston I don't know of any out this way and I most certainly have never seen a seat check.

[Mommy0608]

I'm not sure which is worse... using an expired harnessed seat, or a booster that doesn't make the seatbelt fit properly. :(

Not sure if the booster doesn't actually make it fit properly, but at 2.5, my guess is that the shoulder belt doesn't sit perfectly on the child's shoulder. However, it can be dangerous using a harnessed seat past expiration (and you said you aren't sure if she'd stop using it when it expires)... I saw a crash test video once of a 10 yr old seat and the harness ripped right out of the seat.

IF the booster fits properly, and that was the only other alternative, I'd go for the booster. :twocents:

[Mommy0608]

Is she in Houston, too? I looked on the Safe Kids site, and found 40 techs in Houston. I know you said NORTH Houston, and I'm not familiar with that area so I don't know if these are near you North Houston or not. You can find a tech by going here:

http://www.safekids.org/certification/

Then click the "Find a tech" button on the right, and search that way. I typed in Houston TX and it displayed 40 results.

Hope that helps. :)

[daycaremom2002]

The seat in your photo (the graco on passenger side middle seat) is the one I have I'm going to give her. I know of no local techs in my area. I'm taking the class in January but it's in North Houston I don't know of any out this way and I most certainly have never seen a seat check.

If you are taking the class, do you have an email address for the instructor? Maybe she can help you out with this mom. Is this a mom that you have contact with online frequently? How long have you 'known' her?

What I am wondering is, if you give her the seat and she uses is harnessed for him, maybe she will realize how much safer he is in the next month and buy him a new seat. Maybe she can come to the seat check at the end of your class, and you can 'confiscate' the seat and get him into one that isn't expired?

If you are pretty sure that she will continue to use it past expiration, then I don't think I would give it to her. I would be afraid of her using it way to long and putting her little one at risk. Finding a local tech would be the best course of action for her.




ETA: does she want a different seat? Are you trying to convince her to harness him longer, or did she ask for help. It may be hard to do anything if she is just an online friend and doesn't really want to change how her son rides now.

[Defrost]

I wouldn't, but more because of her attitude. If she's really not interested, then giving her a seat is just a waste of time, and it could be "enabling" her - she might think "Well, it can't be THAT bad to use an expired seat or she wouldn't have given it to me!" :(