She's letting me drive my niece!

AtTheSouthDam

New member
My soon to be SIL, that is. She is dropping her off at my mother's today and I am to pick her up and take her ToT with my girl's at DH's work while she and my bro close on their fist house.

I won't actually see her mother before she leaves. I am hoping, really hoping, her mother forgets to leave a car seat. Why? This child has been riding is an Evenflo big kid booster with the belt behind her back since she was about 18-20 months old! She just turned 3 last month. (Yes, I tried. Bro tried, but technically she is my step niece and we have no say :()
So, should I install the MR RF or FF for her? (If she does leave the car seat I am planning on just hucking it in back and making her ride harnessed in my car). She is about the same size as DD2, maybe a few more pounds on her but I really doubt she is over 40#.
DH votes RF in case DD2 has a sudden fit that she must ride in that seat. I am leaning towards FF since she normally rides (improperly) in a booster.

What do you say?
 
ADS

lynsgirl

New member
At this point, I'd probably put her FF. Yes, RF is safer, but you might have a fight on your hands from either SIL or niece and you're more likely to get a better reception to FF and not be written off as a crazy, paranoid loon :eek::( (not saying you *are* crazy, paranoid OR a loon, just sayin' I've been there. As the supposed crazy one). Good luck and I'm glad she's going to get to ride safely at least once! Good for you and have fun!
 

Wiggles

New member
If the option exists, I'd ask the child. You have a kid rear facing in your sig, so if that's up to date, I'd say "Do you want to ride like your cousin? It's really fun!" and if she says no, then put the seat forward facing. If that's not an option (or it can't be switched quickly), then I'd probably install forward facing. If it can be switched quickly, I'd probably just install it rear-facing and then if she doesn't want it or pitches a fit, I'd switch it around.
 

tjham

New member
FF - You know that there is no possibility of her ever putting her RF but there is a possibility of her putting her harnessed FF.
 

Mommy0608

New member
She's 3? I vote FF. That's a HUGE improvement in safety over a booster at her age/size. Yes, she'd be safest RF, but it sounds like that's just not a possibility for her on a daily basis. Maybe if she's happy in the harness FF, SIL will be a little more receptive. I agree about SIL thinking you're crazy if you try to RF her. (Of course, WE don't think you're crazy, but you know what I mean). Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
 

jess71903

Ambassador
She's 3? I vote FF. That's a HUGE improvement in safety over a booster at her age/size. Yes, she'd be safest RF, but it sounds like that's just not a possibility for her on a daily basis. Maybe if she's happy in the harness FF, SIL will be a little more receptive. I agree about SIL thinking you're crazy if you try to RF her. (Of course, WE don't think you're crazy, but you know what I mean). Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

:yeahthat:. If you weren't trying to convince mom to re-harness her, I might say RF her, just for fun, but then she will really think you are nuts ;).
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
If I'm understanding your DH correctly, his reasoning is so that your own DD doesn't realize that the MR goes ffing and have a fit wanting to ride that way. I think he has a valid point. You are not going to get through to the mom by by setting the kid up to ask for a harnessed seat. I've tried it, it rarely works, and only works if someone is handing them a harnessed seat to use. Most parents aren't going to drop $100 because their 3yo asked for something some adult told them to ask for.

You might as well rf her. She will be safer, not confuse your own child, and someday she may look back and remember the cool aunt that let her ride backwards in the car and do the same with her own kids. You can also play it off if SIL questions it by saying you didn't want your DD to get jealous over seeing another kid get to do something she doesn't get to do.
 

AtTheSouthDam

New member
Well, she didn't fit in the MR RF anyway (long torso, she was had less than 1/2" to the top slots!) so she rode FF with no complaints. Her mom did forget the car seat :rolleyes: And felt horrible when I dropped her off. DH laughed it off to her as "You should know she has spares".

DH wanted them both RF simply because Ciara may not have wanted to share her new seat, not because she didn't know it FF. She knows it forwards faces because of the plane trip. She doesn't want to because she doesn't know where to put her legs :p

And yeah, I am not trying to convince her anymore. I gave her sate law, best recommendations and all that. She didn't care. A "fireman" said it was safe and that is that. :mad:
 

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