Vent People frustrate me

I was looking through facebook pics of a friend of mine - her DS is the same age as mine - 19 months. He's (unfortunately) ffing since he was 11 months. I told her at the time it wasn't safe, and was against the law, but she said she's the mom and she knows best and that was that. Well, in these pics he's pretty much sideways in the seat, the straps are so loose they're wavy on his clothes and the chest clip is down to his belly!

Another friend just turned her 14 month old because "she's big and it's easier to get her in". And she's heard me rant about car seat safety before!

I wish there was more I could do than inform people, I wish the laws were more strict, or at least that the info on rfing was more available so people knew that the minimum just isn't enough. Honestly, why do people think they make seats that fit toddlers?

When FB friends post pictures like that, I post informational videos on my page. I do it periodically just to spread the word. Otherwise, I don't comment negatively on their pictures, it just makes people feel attacked and causes a lot of tension/hurt feelings.

Believe me, the nonchalant approach does work, once they watch the video, they start thinking and asking questions. Then you can share your wisdom

I also post car seat safety info on my facebook page. I just did today, actually! I have more than a few fb friends whose pictures make me cringe. I also have started to bring up car seats and using them properly at my 4 y.o. pre-school. Lots of the moms have their newly turned one year old's forward facing and when I bought my 10 month old his new marathon, I invited them all over to my van to see his adorable cow moo print, and when they saw it rear facing, many asked questions...it was great!

Yeah, I did post a car seat video after I saw it (I usually post them with the change of the seasons anyway). I just looked at the pics of another friend's 2yo - forward facing with a huge sweater on and the shoulder straps down to just above her elbows!!! There is NO WAY those straps are above the child's shoulders (seeing as I can't see the top of the strap in the pics). Sigh. I really really wish they had more car seat checks around here.

I saw my SIL's facebook page today with her most recent pic of her 4 y/o son in his booster sound asleep and leaned all the way over on his side, completely out of the seat belt. She kept her first child in a harness until he was 6 and I thought that was great. The 4 y/o is her second, she turned him ffing before his 1st bday and has him in a booster already even though he is not ready. Since her 4y/o is only 4 mo older than mine, she saw us keeping DD1 rearfacing (until she was almost 3) and she would say things like poor libby and oh you still have her rear facing? and said that she had been told it was dangerous. I showed her the videos, but she stuck with so and so told me this...Her 3rd child she kept rear facing beyond 1 year, but that is only because she was 14lbs. When she finally got to 20 lbs they put her in a Nautilus.

It frustrates me to no end, and this is just 1 example. I have decided I will let someone know once that it is safer and show them videos or tell them where to find them, depending on when and where we are talking, and then I just have to know that I did the best I could and it is up to them. I also hope and pray that they don't have to learn the hard way.