I think I'm FINALLY going to get certified!

Over three years I've been wanting to get certified, and I think I'm finally going to do it! There's never been a class near enough to where I live, or during a time I could get off work to travel to a class! But I just found a class in Reno, NV that's during the first week of Nov. It's a pretty good time to take a week off work (the slow time between wedding season and the holidays... I work at a bakery) too! I'll have to drive 7 hours to Tahoe where my parents live, and another hour to Reno, but it's the best option I've had to take the test in three years. It's like the stars have aligned!

I might even be able to stay a night or two with my brother, SIL and nephews in reno, but I think their house is sort of under construction or something, and my SIL is pregnant and really sick.

So, it looks like an open class... should I email the instructor anyway and introduce myself since I'm traveling so far to take the class? Does anyone know, or know of, any CPSTIs in Reno (I don't know if it would be ok to post the instructor's name)? What if I get some awful, outdated instructor who says it's totally fine to booster a 40lb. 3.5 year old, or FF a 25 lb. 15mo baby?

Should I try and contact the main CPSTI in this area? Before or after I take the class? I've only talked to her once, about a year and a half ago... We didn't exactly hit it off. She said that a class in town would be posted soon, but I kept checking and never saw one.

I'm a CPST in Reno - just took the last class in August. I've known the lead instructor for several years and she is very nice. We had three instructors in my class and they were all very good.

PM me if you want some more info. I'll be working at the check point that Saturday after the class so we'd get to meet too!

Cool! I am going to try and talk my mom into, she lives near Reno, and has expressed intrest in all the car seat stuff I talk about

soygurl said:

What if I get some awful, outdated instructor who says it's totally fine to booster a 40lb. 3.5 year old, or FF a 25 lb. 15mo baby? [/SIZE]
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I hope your class goes well, but I just wanted to say that most classes do NOT preach "best practice", and a 40 lb kid certainly can be put into a booster, for your practice simulations, and a 25 lb child over 1 certainly CAN be put into a FFing seat. Depending on your instructor, they will cover best practice to some extent..with some, it's mostly a little bit of lip service, and for others, it is a lot more forceful, but in general, you sort of have to forget a lot fo stuff from this board and put on your "legal minimums and manufacturers guidelines" hat and not your "carseat-crazy best practices geek board" hat.
Now, choosing best practice is not going to be wrong, but it also might not be as strongly recommended as you are used to, and it certainly won't be required.

For example, if you had a practice simulation with a 15 month, 25 lb child, a FF combo seat is going to be just as "correct" an answer as a RFing convertible, unless they specifically ask for "best practice".

bobandjess99 said:

I hope your class goes well, but I just wanted to say that most classes do NOT preach "best practice", and a 40 lb kid certainly can be put into a booster, for your practice simulations, and a 25 lb child over 1 certainly CAN be put into a FFing seat. Depending on your instructor, they will cover best practice to some extent..with some, it's mostly a little bit of lip service, and for others, it is a lot more forceful, but in general, you sort of have to forget a lot fo stuff from this board and put on your "legal minimums and manufacturers guidelines" hat and not your "carseat-crazy best practices geek board" hat.
Now, choosing best practice is not going to be wrong, but it also might not be as strongly recommended as you are used to, and it certainly won't be required.

For example, if you had a practice simulation with a 15 month, 25 lb child, a FF combo seat is going to be just as "correct" an answer as a RFing convertible, unless they specifically ask for "best practice".

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Thanks, I totally understand "best practice" vs. "acceptable/legal" minimums etc. I'm just hoping that I won't have to sit through a week of total ERF bashing and the like ya know? I've heard some horror stories! As long as "best practices" are mentioned and hopefully somewhat promoted it's all good!
(heck, I've spent PLENTY of time consoling myself with "at least they're meeting the minimum" with IRL situations already. Being crazy and over the top never wins people over to the "safety dark side" IME. )
I just don't want to get yelled at or told I'm wrong/crazy for mentioning that I convinced a friend to keep her baby RF to the limits of his seat. If I mention the 45 lb. RF weight limit of the Radian SL, I'd rather not get snapped at with a snotty "those are only for extremely obese children!" kind of response.

oxeye said:

PM me if you want some more info. I'll be working at the check point that Saturday after the class so we'd get to meet too!

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Sweet!

My instructor did remind people "This exercise says "using best practice recommendations" if they tried to FF a 1 year old. But she passed you if you did it during practical exams, so...

My class was a kind of a mostly-good, few-things-weird for me. But, I knew I just had to keep quiet enough to not get kicked out of the class if I disagreed, and when I was on my own, I'd be able to do it my way once I was certified. My instructors understood; techs can have differences of opinions and be civilized about it.

soygurl said:

Thanks, I totally understand "best practice" vs. "acceptable/legal" minimums etc. I'm just hoping that I won't have to sit through a week of total ERF bashing and the like ya know? I've heard some horror stories! As long as "best practices" are mentioned and hopefully somewhat promoted it's all good!
(heck, I've spent PLENTY of time consoling myself with "at least they're meeting the minimum" with IRL situations already. Being crazy and over the top never wins people over to the "safety dark side" IME. )
I just don't want to get yelled at or told I'm wrong/crazy for mentioning that I convinced a friend to keep her baby RF to the limits of his seat. If I mention the 45 lb. RF weight limit of the Radian SL, I'd rather not get snapped at with a snotty "those are only for extremely obese children!" kind of response.

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Best practice is definitely promoted in their class though they will point out situations where it is not realistic (such as when giving away one of their program seats). If anything, ERF was promoted/tolerated more in the course than EH was (since a 40 pound 4 year old in a booster is still technically best practice).

I don't know their opinion of the 45 pound Radian since it wasn't out yet when I took the class. The instructor has known me for several years and knows I do ERF'ing so I don't think they were surprised by the RF Radian in my car for my 4 year old. I excitedly mentioned the 40 pound retroactive limit on it and I didn't get any negative comments.

oxeye said:

Best practice is definitely promoted in their class though they will point out situations where it is not realistic (such as when giving away one of their program seats). If anything, ERF was promoted/tolerated more in the course than EH was (since a 40 pound 4 year old in a booster is still technically best practice).

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That works for me! :thumbsup:
I'm so excited...

Congrats! I hope it all works out for ya!

I took my class in that area Though it was in 2003.... Anyway, it was fine, NV has pretty good instruction in general, I think, and the class was a blast (they of course thought I was beyond geeky for owning a LATCH manual newer than they had, and having my MA RF for my 3 yo....)

joolsplus3 said:

Congrats! I hope it all works out for ya!

I took my class in that area Though it was in 2003.... Anyway, it was fine, NV has pretty good instruction in general, I think, and the class was a blast (they of course thought I was beyond geeky for owning a LATCH manual newer than they had, and having my MA RF for my 3 yo....)

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Did you live in NV then?
I think it *might* be "beyond geeky" to own a new LATCH manual before being a CPTS, but geeky in a way that gives me warm fuzzies!