Another new tech!!!

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
To add to my previous post, I think it was a combination of the family having three seats that we inspected/reinstalled and then we commented on the Mighty Tite and the mirror - all of that combined with their ego... I think the dad thought he would get a big pat on the back for using the Mighty Tite and getting it really really tight. When he didn't (quite the opposite), he started getting defensive.

My husband recently took a management seminar at work, and learned that the average person can only handle three criticisms at one time before they start tuning out to what's being said. With the family yesterday, given how much better the seats were when they left vs when they came in (i.e., the Mighty Tite), I was satisfied with warning them about the mirror and after the resistance, just reaffirming that it was their decision as parents but that we just had to mention any other issues we noticed. Then backing off the subject. I think when they were approached a second time (by someone who was determined to change their minds), it was just too much for them anymore, you know?

I was talking to two friends today who said that the CPS at the seatcheck they attended after their kids were born was very kind, gentle, and supportive - telling them what a great job they had done and how it was obvious they were trying to make their kid very safe - BEFORE bringing up all that they had done wrong. I think that's a good approach... :)
 
ADS

southpawboston

New member
so basically there was a problem with people at the site not being consistent in the information and/or suggestions being given to the family. i can see how they would be a little thrown aback! hearing one person say one thing, then another say another... and both being authorities on the subject...
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
so basically there was a problem with people at the site not being consistent in the information and/or suggestions being given to the family. i can see how they would be a little thrown aback! hearing one person say one thing, then another say another... and both being authorities on the subject...

Hmmm... I don't think anyone was saying anything different. Maybe I wrote something that was confusing - what was it and maybe I can clarify it?
 

scatterbunny

New member
I think he meant the part about the parents being told about the mirror and that ultimately it was their decision to make, and then another tech coming and trying to change their minds.
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
I think he meant the part about the parents being told about the mirror and that ultimately it was their decision to make, and then another tech coming and trying to change their minds.

Oh, okay. I actually did try to change his mind but when I saw that he was adamant - raising his voice, etc - then I backed down and said that we do NOT recommend it but that it WAS his choice. I think the instructor that went back over there was also saying it was their choice but was much more adamant about the damage it could cause. He was drawing on his own experience from responding to crash scenes when the mom said it was time to go - that she'd heard enough. I wasn't over there then so I'm not sure exactly what was said. If we were saying two different things, then yes, that would be confusing. I hate to start a debate on this board about this... :eek:
 

southpawboston

New member
I think he meant the part about the parents being told about the mirror and that ultimately it was their decision to make, and then another tech coming and trying to change their minds.

not so much the mirror, but this part:

I was in the process of explaining that you really can get a good install without it when one of the fire/rescue trainees came over and told him he had the seat solid and snug. So they went to look at that.

the wording made it sound like the trainees weren't all on the same page; if i misread, then my bad. :)
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
the wording made it sound like the trainees weren't all on the same page; if i misread, then my bad. :)

To clarify that, the trainees were saying that they (the trainees) now had a nice, snug install - without the Mighty Tite, which was what I explaining could be achieved while they were working on it. Does that help? :)
 

MommyofBoogieBear

New member
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I wish I could have joined you and learned all that your learned!

question...mirror? do you mean the mirror that is on the headrest to see a RF baby?
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I wish I could have joined you and learned all that your learned!

question...mirror? do you mean the mirror that is on the headrest to see a RF baby?

Yes... We had one, too, when Nolan was smaller. :rolleyes:

BTW, your sig photo is AWESOME! It really is just too cute...:)
 

MommyofBoogieBear

New member
i don't want to change the topic on your FUN! and EXCITING! thread! however...real fast...so does that mean those mirrors are bad? perhaps i could send a PM to a new TECH on this topic! ;)

thanks on the photo! it makes me smile EVERY time I see it...so i thought it might make other people smile too! :)
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
i don't want to change the topic on your FUN! and EXCITING! thread! however...real fast...so does that mean those mirrors are bad? perhaps i could send a PM to a new TECH on this topic! ;)

thanks on the photo! it makes me smile EVERY time I see it...so i thought it might make other people smile too! :)

The problem with the mirror is that if it came loose during a crash, then it would become a projectile which could harm your child. I'm not sure how much they weigh but there's one on Amazon that says shipping weight is 2lbs. So let's be conservative and say it's 1/2 pound. At 40mph, then that mirror could turn into a 20lb projectile... :eek: So that's why we don't recommend them... Make sense?

ETA: To the more experienced techs out there, can you use that formula for projectiles...? In the class we applied to the weight of a passenger during a crash, not to objects in the car. Please correct me if I'm wrong in doing this!
 

MommyofBoogieBear

New member
oh no! and i love mine! that is going to be a hard thing to part with! (oh, i sent you a PM...but you just answered my question! thanks!)
 

southpawboston

New member
again, not to derail the congratulatory thread... (but you are a tech now, so you should embrace these questions! :p )

i had a question about the mirror as well. i realize that there are a lot of different ones out there, and some may be unacceptable as they could be considered projectiles (i've seen some with hard edged corners). we have a small mirror, which is round, made of soft pliable mylar (as opposed to hard plastic), and padded around its circumference. it weighs 63 grams (about 2 ounces, or 1/8 lb... weighed it on a gram scale). (you can't gauge anything from shipping weights, because that includes the box, wrapping, etc). it is basically like a soft plush toy with a mirrored mylar center, lol. it has also recently passed the scientific "ouch" test, with daddy as the test dummy :) . it has nylon straps which buckle and sinch it quite securely to the headrest, like a harness. we've decided to keep it there as an acceptable risk. in 40 mph a crash, were it to come loose, it would strike with a force of 5 lbs.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Congrats!!!!

I tell people know about the ouch test as well. Take that mirror and whap it against your head. If you say "OW!" then it's too heavy to have in the car. If not, then go for it.

Wendy
 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
again, not to derail the congratulatory thread... (but you are a tech now, so you should embrace these questions! :p )

i had a question about the mirror as well. i realize that there are a lot of different ones out there, and some may be unacceptable as they could be considered projectiles (i've seen some with hard edged corners). we have a small mirror, which is round, made of soft pliable mylar (as opposed to hard plastic), and padded around its circumference. it weighs 63 grams (about 2 ounces, or 1/8 lb... weighed it on a gram scale). (you can't gauge anything from shipping weights, because that includes the box, wrapping, etc). it is basically like a soft plush toy with a mirrored mylar center, lol. it has also recently passed the scientific "ouch" test, with daddy as the test dummy :) . it has nylon straps which buckle and sinch it quite securely to the headrest, like a harness. we've decided to keep it there as an acceptable risk. in 40 mph a crash, were it to come loose, it would strike with a force of 5 lbs.

It sounds like yours is a "good" mirror. There are some that are probably fine, and it sounds like yours is one of them. :)
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
again, not to derail the congratulatory thread... (but you are a tech now, so you should embrace these questions! :p )

i had a question about the mirror as well. i realize that there are a lot of different ones out there, and some may be unacceptable as they could be considered projectiles (i've seen some with hard edged corners). we have a small mirror, which is round, made of soft pliable mylar (as opposed to hard plastic), and padded around its circumference. it weighs 63 grams (about 2 ounces, or 1/8 lb... weighed it on a gram scale). (you can't gauge anything from shipping weights, because that includes the box, wrapping, etc). it is basically like a soft plush toy with a mirrored mylar center, lol. it has also recently passed the scientific "ouch" test, with daddy as the test dummy :) . it has nylon straps which buckle and sinch it quite securely to the headrest, like a harness. we've decided to keep it there as an acceptable risk. in 40 mph a crash, were it to come loose, it would strike with a force of 5 lbs.


Sounds better than the one we saw yesterday - which was huge and had no cushion around the plastic edges. I personally wouldn't use one anymore, but there obviously are items that are a much lower risk than others (such as a 6-pack in the floorboard :eek: )...
 

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