mamabear
New member
She'll be 7 next month. She is 56lbs and 51" tall. She is actually one of the bigger kids in first grade. I'd say in the top 75% size wise at her school, for her grade. Heck, she's even bigger than some of the 2nd and 3rd graders!, but she's one of the only kids over Kindy age still in a booster.
Normally, this isn't a problem. She's never complained about being in a booster. Rather, she prefers it. Until today.
She is going home with a friend after school. I know the mom, she drives a new Jetta. She has 2 kids. a first grader and a 3rd grader. Neither are in boosters (So I knew she probably wouldn't offer or provide one for DD either). And her first grader is the size of my 4yo. I'm not kidding. But, (sigh), the CA law is 6 or 60lbs. So pretty much NO one over 6 uses one. I get the same response from parents all the time. "But they are 6, so they don't HAVE to". blah blah blah. It makes me so sad. Even another friend of mine who has her DD in my DD's class. They are without a car right now. I drive them home on occasion. Her DD is another small one. She rides HARNESSED in my DD2s Frontier in my car. Yes, she fits the harness setting for my 4yo. But in her mom's car, nope, nothing
Anyway, back to today.
I decided to take the back off the TB, and just bring the bottom to school for DD to go home with this mom. She fits pretty well with no back, and I figured it transports the easiest and has the least margin for error. (even though my DD knows how to buckle herself). They are only going 8 blocks. I'm OK with it.
We get to school this morning. I'm carrying the TB bottom through the play yard to DD's classroom. Kids are playing everywhere. As we walk by tons of kids are stopped in their tracks staring and gawking at us. You would think I was was carrying a basket of dead kittens or something the way they were looking at us
A friend approaches DD: "What is that??"
me: "A booster seat"
Friend 1: "Why?"
Me: "she's going home with a friend today"
Friend 1 just stares
we keep walking and get to her room, I can tell DD is getting embarrassed. I told her maybe that friend1 asked because she thought she was going on a field trip today or something. DD bought it.
Then more and more classmates arrive and we get all the comments "why do you have that?" "you still ride in a car seat??" "I don't need a carseat anymore!!"
It's coming from all directions.
DD was so good. She let it roll off her back.
I think it bothers ME more than anything. I feel like I'm embarrassing her. I know it's for her safety, but it still feels bad.
What am I supposed to say? "sorry kids, I just care about her more than your parents care about you??" I would never, but still.
Even worse. I came home and shared with DH how it was. He gets the car seat stuff, but compared it to like making her wear orthopedic shoes. She may need them, and it's better for her and will help her, but at the end of the day, she's still wearing orthopedic shoes
Thanks for listening to my vent. It was tough on me today.
I'd love to hear how others get through this
Normally, this isn't a problem. She's never complained about being in a booster. Rather, she prefers it. Until today.
She is going home with a friend after school. I know the mom, she drives a new Jetta. She has 2 kids. a first grader and a 3rd grader. Neither are in boosters (So I knew she probably wouldn't offer or provide one for DD either). And her first grader is the size of my 4yo. I'm not kidding. But, (sigh), the CA law is 6 or 60lbs. So pretty much NO one over 6 uses one. I get the same response from parents all the time. "But they are 6, so they don't HAVE to". blah blah blah. It makes me so sad. Even another friend of mine who has her DD in my DD's class. They are without a car right now. I drive them home on occasion. Her DD is another small one. She rides HARNESSED in my DD2s Frontier in my car. Yes, she fits the harness setting for my 4yo. But in her mom's car, nope, nothing
Anyway, back to today.
I decided to take the back off the TB, and just bring the bottom to school for DD to go home with this mom. She fits pretty well with no back, and I figured it transports the easiest and has the least margin for error. (even though my DD knows how to buckle herself). They are only going 8 blocks. I'm OK with it.
We get to school this morning. I'm carrying the TB bottom through the play yard to DD's classroom. Kids are playing everywhere. As we walk by tons of kids are stopped in their tracks staring and gawking at us. You would think I was was carrying a basket of dead kittens or something the way they were looking at us
A friend approaches DD: "What is that??"
me: "A booster seat"
Friend 1: "Why?"
Me: "she's going home with a friend today"
Friend 1 just stares
we keep walking and get to her room, I can tell DD is getting embarrassed. I told her maybe that friend1 asked because she thought she was going on a field trip today or something. DD bought it.
Then more and more classmates arrive and we get all the comments "why do you have that?" "you still ride in a car seat??" "I don't need a carseat anymore!!"
It's coming from all directions.
DD was so good. She let it roll off her back.
I think it bothers ME more than anything. I feel like I'm embarrassing her. I know it's for her safety, but it still feels bad.
What am I supposed to say? "sorry kids, I just care about her more than your parents care about you??" I would never, but still.
Even worse. I came home and shared with DH how it was. He gets the car seat stuff, but compared it to like making her wear orthopedic shoes. She may need them, and it's better for her and will help her, but at the end of the day, she's still wearing orthopedic shoes
Thanks for listening to my vent. It was tough on me today.
I'd love to hear how others get through this
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