Creating a handout for preschool

My daycare kids have mostly been going to the same preschool (and later the attached private school) for several years now; this year one of my kids (N) is in Pre-K for 4s and young 5s. Therefore, I see the same parents constantly, and because we all load/unload in the same parking lot, I see their carseat usage, which ranges from passable to dismal. Mostly 3yo in (often backless) boosters, at least one child in an OHS that I am sure is expired, one ERFer but in a seat which a) may be expired and b) with a really bad install. Pretty typical preschool setup, from what I've read around here. While these kids are not my responsibility, I've been wanting for a while to create a handout that could go home in the kids' folders written "Did you know?" style, hoping to at a minimum raise some awareness about some of the most serious misuses I see.

After much thought, I decided that it would be best to wait until I was certified as a tech to approach the school about writing something like this. However, what I did not realize is that my tech course begins on literally the last day of preschool this year. I could wait until next year, but I really feel like I need to at least make an attempt to educate this years' parents, if only in a very baseline manner. I wrote the teacher, who I have really good relationship with, and she passed my email on to the principal. They are fine with me writing something up like this and open to it being passed out, pending the principal seeing the final copy (which of course I am fine with.)

I want to cover five to six points, in a fairly basic style, and include a few resources for further information if the parents choose to pursue it. This is the list I've come up with; is there anything I've overlooked, or am I including anything unimportant? (I've tried to target the points to the specific situations I see at the school.) They won't be included necessarily in this order.

*ERF
*EH/booster minimums
*Solid installation (less than 1" movement & using tether)
*Extended boostering/5-step test
*Expiration

I think I had one more last night, but now I can't remember it. Suggestions are appreciated. I want to start with the stat from the top of the board, "Did you know car accidents are the #1 cause of death for children?" Is it appropriate to modify it to eliminate the "and adults," and do I need to credit or source that somehow?

Is it okay to link to c-s.org as a "for more information?" I wanted to put a few links at the bottom, including safekids/seatcheck, c-s.org, joelsjourney, ??? I also plan to make a CPS-specific email addy and list that, since I will (hopefully, lol) be certified as a tech within a week or so after this handout goes out. I plan to put a very brief summary of my cps journey (for lack of a better word) in the intro, and I will include that I am not a tech but that my education process will be culminating in certification on x date, so that there is transparency in that.

I'd like to post the handout here for review once I've written it, as well.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks to anyone who's taken the time to read this ramble, and anyone who might be willing to give me a hand with this.

Sounds perfect...I see the exact same thing, just dropped DS off at preschool, he's just 4 and in an MA, most are in boosters, many are smaller than DS. One other is still harnessed and she's probably the biggest in the class.

A friend who's DD is in the class and who has heard me talk about boostering too early, rather sheepishly put her DD in her Turbo the other day, they were beside us....her DD had the lap belt routed over the arm rest- Me "did you put the screws in?"-mom- "what screws?", me-"how does she wear the shoulder belt", mom-" well most of the time she puts it behind her back", me-, mom "I know I know" (mom is also a PT assistant).

At least one mom switched her DD's 3 in 1 to a Turbo which seems to fit her better.

I would add why preschoolers shouldn't be in the front seat when back seats are available. I should do this for my preschool where use by most parents is abysmal. I don't know if I have the nerve.

dmpmercury said:

I would add why preschoolers shouldn't be in the front seat when back seats are available. I should do this for my preschool where use by most parents is abysmal. I don't know if I have the nerve.

Click to expand...

Thankfully, there aren't any families that I can think of who put their preschoolers in the front seat... I may throw back seat in there somewhere, but I'm trying to keep it short and to misuses I see frequently. Of course I don't know about the other three sets of preschool classes... so maybe it should be given more than a passing glance. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm hoping by presenting it as informative, it will either a) be read as such, or b) skimmed/disregarded and thrown out, but in either event, not be viewed as hostile. That helps me not need so much nerve, lol, since I'm not versing it as a confrontation.

Mum2Two, I've accepted (or at least I tell myself that I've accepted) that this won't reach all parents. There are some who think best practice, or the risks involved with not using it, do not apply to them. But my philosophy is that most parents would do better, if they knew better, and they can't know better if they're not educated. Maybe it's because I was one of those caregivers, who didn't know better, and has totally changed her ways, I dunno lol. I'm glad to hear you've gotten someone out of a 3-in-1 and into a Turbo.

I wrote up a draft and attached it below. Any comments or criticisms are welcome, from the factual information (of course) to formatting, etc. A few notes:

The starred out items in the first line are my last name, and the name of the school.

I will either get permission to print the five-step test as I mention, or revise.

Are there any other links to add?

Where would be an appropriate place to add a short note about kids in the backseat?

Thanks in advance to anyone (especially techs, since I'd like this to be tech-checked before it goes out) who can help me with this. I really appreciate it.

In the booster section maybe a quick blub about proper placement of the lap and shoulder belt?

Looks good.

Thanks, I'll edit that in. I really appreciate you taking the time to continue to give me a hand, seems nobody else is interested lol (If I'm getting so few replies because everyone else thinks this sucks, please say so lol... I'd rather be told that than to hand out problematic information.)

In addition to adding the piece on boostering, I added one more link, otherwise it's the same as above.

I'm going to try putting the text of the handout here so that no one needs to download to see it... it'll eliminate the formatting but at least it can be checked for factualness. If anything looks funky, I'd imagine it's due to the lack of formatting. I bolded the first sentence of each point, not including the "did you know... that," so that hopefully it sticks out to parents who just skim (as I tend to do with handouts from school, lol.)

----

Did you know...
car accidents are the #1 cause of death for children?

Dear parents,

My name is Carrie ******, and I have been a child care provider for several kids in the ****** family over the last few years. A year or so ago, I fell somewhat sideways into a learning process regarding child passenger safety. I had always gone above and beyond what the law said regarding kids & car seats, and thought I was doing the best I could by the kids I am responsible for. However, what I have learned in the last year has completely changed my thinking and has led to me being rather passionate about making sure that kids are appropriately restrained in the vehicles they ride in. As a culmination of my learning process, I am scheduled to take a training course next week to become a Child Passenger Safety Technician, which will certify me to educate parents and help them learn how to properly install and use their seats. Because the school year will end before I have finished my course, I wanted to write now and share some of this information with you, to help get the word out on putting kids in safe and appropriate restraints in their cars.

Did you know... that children should remain in a harness until they are mature enough to sit in a booster 100% of the time? The absolute minimum for boostering is 4 years of age and 40 pounds, but most kids aren't truly ready to switch until they are five or six! Dangers to younger booster riders include being out of position at the time of a crash, head injuries, and submarining -- that is to say, sliding under the belt, allowing it to crush internal organs, perforate bowels, and potentially even sever the spinal cord. There are now a number of options to harness children until they are 50, 65 or even 80 pounds, so it would be rare indeed for a preschool-aged child to need to use a booster. When you do opt to use a booster, make sure you use one with a back until your child is too tall for it, and that it fits properly, with the lap belt laying across the hips (not the belly,) and the shoulder belt on the child's shoulder, not her neck or off to the side. Also, if you choose a Graco Turbobooster, double-check that you put the screws in the armrests.

Did you know... that it's now recommended to rear-face to the upper limits of your car seat? The old 1 year and 20 lb minimum is outdated and dangerous. Kids between the ages of 12 and 23 months are more than five times more likely to sustain injury in an accident when riding forward facing, as opposed to rear-facing. This is because childrens' spines are protected only by cartilage at birth, which does not harden until between the ages of 4 and 6. This means when they are forward-facing in an accident, their spinal column can stretch up to 2". However, their spines can only stretch 1/4-1/2" before they break, a process called internal decapitation. Rear-facing keeps the head, neck, and spine in alignment and allows the shell of the seat to take the force of the crash, rather than the child's spine.

Did you know... that car seats expire? Most seats expire in six years. Expirations serve dual purposes -- first of all, over time the seat's components may become less effective due to aging, parts may get lost or broken, pieces may be missing. Additionally, older seats use older technology, which may be less effective or in the worst cases even dangerous for the children riding in them. To find out if a seat you use is expired, look on the back or bottom for an expiration date. If you cannot find one, check for a "date of manufacture" sticker -- if your seat was manufactured in 2004 or earlier, it is probably expired!

Did you know... that our state's booster law is just a minimum? Although the law indicates that children may come out of a booster on their 8th birthday, most kids' bodies are still not mature enough to properly fit the seatbelt at that age. It's typical for children to still need a bit of a boost until they are 10-12 years old. There is a simple way to tell whether your older child is ready to be done with boosters, called the five-step test, which is printed on the reverse of this handout.

Did you know... that a harnessed seat should move less than an inch when it's installed? To check for a tight installation, grasp the seat with one hand at the beltpath and tug gently. You can either use your car's lower anchors (LATCH) or the seatbelt, which should be locked in place in order to hold the seat tightly. Also, make sure to attach the tether on a forward-facing seat.


If you're interested in learning more about these and other topics, check out...
* car-seat.org * joelsjourney.org * cpsafety.com * seatcheck.org * safekids.org *


Or please feel free to email me with any questions, at *********@*****.

Does your state have a best practice brochure? That is what I used for my son's preschool class. We send out brochures for free to anyone in CO who asks for them, maybe check and see if your state has something similar.

Where would I find out about something like that? To be honest, I highly doubt it. Our state just recently (Oct for warning, Apr for enforcement) upped the law from 4 & 40, in general we're lucky to get minimums around here (although I suppose the preschool is better than average, nobody totally unrestrained there or anything.)

This is all I found for your state but I couldn't hurt to see if they have any best practice brochures http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhPrograms/hprr/cpsafe/cpsafety.aspx

here is what we have in CO http://www.carseatscolorado.com/Documents/boostseatbrochure.pdf

I would change "attach the tether" to "attach the top tether." I'd also try to streamline the first paragraph a bit. It reminds me of the way I write, which is to say, a little wordy. When I have dh look over my writing, he comes up with a way to say the same thing using half the words.

ETA - just had another thought, you may want to tie in the timing of the letter with the upcoming summer vacationing season. Something like, "Many families will be taking road trips this summer. Did you know that car accidents are the #1 leading cause of death for children? Find out how you can best protect the most precious people in your life during this summer's travels."

I can drop an email to somebody this weekend and see. However, even if they have such a brochure, isn't it likely to have more minimum recommendations? The one from CO, although it does indicate to RF to max convertible seat weight, also indicates to booster at 4 and exit a booster at 8. A big part of my point was wanting to introduce some best practice thinking, instead of minimums thinking...

I don't mean to be argumentative, and I definitely do appreciate your help. I guess I'm hesitant to use a pre-made brochure because most of them reinforce the minimums thinking that needs to be changed -- 1 & 20, 4 & 40, etc. I'd really like to share with the parents what I've learned over the past year, which encourages best practice at all times, as opposed to stating the minimums which are often inadaquete for best protection. It doesn't have to be in my words, but on the other hand, I think a letter from someone is going to be more regarded than a stock brochure, kwim? (I know I'd read a letter from another parent, whereas a brochure about issue x would probably get stuck on the junk mail pile.)

Again, I'm not trying to be difficult, although I guess I am lol. Thank you so much for your time. I'll look this weekend and see if I can find a resource for a best practice brochure or similar. I need it to out sometime next week, though, not sure if I can even access one by then...

I'm replying to myself, cross-posted lol.

jjordan said:

I would change "attach the tether" to "attach the top tether." I'd also try to streamline the first paragraph a bit. It reminds me of the way I write, which is to say, a little wordy. When I have dh look over my writing, he comes up with a way to say the same thing using half the words.

Click to expand...

I'll change that about the tether, thanks. Ha ha, that *is* the streamlined first paragraph, that's the funny thing. I'll look at it again this weekend though, I can probably do better.

ETA - just had another thought, you may want to tie in the timing of the letter with the upcoming summer vacationing season. Something like, "Many families will be taking road trips this summer. Did you know that car accidents are the #1 leading cause of death for children? Find out how you can best protect the most precious people in your life during this summer's travels."

Click to expand...

Hmm, good idea. If I can take some words out of the first paragraph, I can probably get that in... I'm right at a page and don't want to go over lol.

I'm mostly a lurker here but thought i'd throw in my 2 cents speaking as a preschool parent of a 3 year old. i think it's way too long. i understand the info is important but i don't think most parents are going to read through the whole thing once they see it does not pertain to school. i appreciate what you are trying to do though

SheSparkles said:

I'm mostly a lurker here but thought i'd throw in my 2 cents speaking as a preschool parent of a 3 year old. i think it's way too long. i understand the info is important but i don't think most parents are going to read through the whole thing once they see it does not pertain to school. i appreciate what you are trying to do though

Click to expand...

I agree. It looks AWESOME, but as a parent to a 4 year old preschooler, I would probably skim over the highlighted parts and that's it. Make it a little shorter and 'user-friendly'. Something that catches their eye. Great info though!!!

I totally get wanting to write you own, at a seat check I asked if they had any handouts, but theirs were the old minimums, not the best practice that I think is very important.

I also know that sometimes it just feels right to do a handout and know that you have done your part to inform other parents. Yes it has a lot of information but it's very hard to condense the info.

My best friend and I put together what her DH refers to as "THE MANUAL"....it's a totally comprehensive car seat safety info that we sent to all our friends, from birth to seat belts....it was long, but we had fun doing it, and felt better knowing we had passed along all the info.

PM if you want a copy (it is email ready).

Thanks to all who replied. I did get the okay from SafetyBeltSafe to include the 5-step test, as well as some additional recommendations. I streamlined and revised some portions, and will include the latest copy below.

SheSparkles said:

I'm mostly a lurker here but thought i'd throw in my 2 cents speaking as a preschool parent of a 3 year old. i think it's way too long. i understand the info is important but i don't think most parents are going to read through the whole thing once they see it does not pertain to school. i appreciate what you are trying to do though

Click to expand...

ajtastad said:

I agree. It looks AWESOME, but as a parent to a 4 year old preschooler, I would probably skim over the highlighted parts and that's it. Make it a little shorter and 'user-friendly'. Something that catches their eye. Great info though!!!

Click to expand...

To be honest... I do totally agree with both of you. I had a very difficult time trying to figure out what information was pertinent, and what information was irrelevent. The best compromise I was able to come up with was essentially a number of bolded "headings," with some detail about each topic. I know that the way I read handouts from school is by skimming them, and reading the pieces that are relevent to me. My hope is that parents will do the same with this handout; if they have a toddler and preschooler they'll read the RF section and harnessed section but can totally ignore the booster-to-seatbelt section, kwim?

I don't think there's a way to make it shorter, and I'm not comfortable making a bullet list that just reads "RF longer" "harness longer" "booster longer" without explaning the whys and wherefores. If I was only targeting, say, 4yos, that would be easier, but because some of these families have infants and others much older schoolagers, there's such a range of info.

Thank you both for your input -- like I said the irony is that I agree -- which is why I wanted to include the bolded items and then expand on each. I couldn't come up with a better way to do it.

mum2two said:

I totally get wanting to write you own, at a seat check I asked if they had any handouts, but theirs were the old minimums, not the best practice that I think is very important.

I also know that sometimes it just feels right to do a handout and know that you have done your part to inform other parents. Yes it has a lot of information but it's very hard to condense the info.

Click to expand...

Right. That was my problem with getting a handout from elsewhere, they emphasize minimums and I want to introduce best practice.

I'll send you a note re: "The Manual," that sounds really cool, thanks.

Below is the revision. I'm planning to email it to the teacher this afternoon.

----

Did you know...
car crashes are the #1 cause of death for children?

Dear parents,

My name is Carrie {last name} and I have been a child care provider for several kids in the {school name} family for the last few years. Recently, I have become quite passionate about making sure that children are appropriately restrained in the vehicles they ride in, and next week I plan to take a training course which will certify me as a Child Passenger Safety Technician. With the summer travel season quickly approaching, I wanted to share some information that will help to keep your kids safe in the car.

Did you know... that children should remain in a harness until they are mature enough to sit in a booster 100% of the time? Although some boosters are rated from a year and thirty pounds, most kids aren't truly ready to switch until they are five or six! Dangers to booster riders who don’t fit include being out of position at the time of a crash, head injuries, and submarining under the belt, causing massive injuries to internal organs. There are now a number of options to harness children until they are 50, 65 or even 85 pounds, so it would be rare indeed for a preschool-aged child to need to use a booster. When you do opt to use a booster, make sure you use one with a back until your child is too tall for it, and that it fits properly, with the lap belt lying across the hips (not the belly,) and the shoulder belt falling on the child’s shoulder. And if you choose a Graco Turbobooster, double-check that you have put the screws in the armrests.

Did you know... that it's now recommended to rear-face to the upper limits of your convertible seat? The old 1 year and 20 lb minimum is outdated and dangerous. Kids between the ages of 12 and 23 months are more than five times more likely to sustain injury in a crash when riding forward facing, as opposed to rear-facing. A young child’s spine can stretch to the point of breaking in a forward-facing seat, whereas rear-facing keeps the head, neck, and spine in alignment and allows the shell of the seat to take the force of the crash, rather than the child.

Did you know... that car seats expire? Most seats expire in six years. Expirations serve dual purposes -- first of all, over time the seat's components may become less effective due to aging, parts may get lost or broken, pieces may be missing. Additionally, older seats use older technology, which may be less effective or, in the worst cases, even dangerous for the children riding in them. To find out if a seat you use is expired, look on the back or bottom for an expiration date. If you cannot find one, check for a "date of manufacture" sticker -- if your seat was manufactured in 2004 or earlier, it is probably expired!

Did you know... that our state's booster law is just a minimum? Although the law indicates that children may come out of a booster on their 8th birthday, most kids' bodies are still not mature enough to properly fit the seatbelt at that age. It's typical for children to still need a bit of a boost until they are 10-12 years old. There is a simple way to tell whether your older child is ready to be done with boosters, called the 5-step test, which is printed on the reverse of this handout.

Did you know... that a seat with a harness should not move more than an inch when it's installed? To check for a tight installation, grasp the seat with one hand at the beltpath and tug gently. It should go less than an inch front-to-back or side-to-side. You can either use your car's lower anchors (LATCH) or the seatbelt, which should be locked in place in order to hold the seat tightly. Also, make sure to attach the top tether on a forward-facing seat – this is very important to reduce head injury. If you do not have top tethers, there are resources available to help you get them, often for free.

Did you know... that children are significantly safer in the back seat? One expert I spoke with stated that the importance of riding in the back seat is nearly equal to the importance of using a restraint at all! The latest data now suggests that everyone under driving age should ride in the back. 84% of crashes involving children happen within 20 minutes from home. Buckle up, every trip!

If you're interested in learning more about these and other topics, check out...
* car-seat.org * joelsjourney.org * cpsafety.org * seatcheck.org * safekids.org *


Or please feel free to email me with any questions, at {email}.

I love your new intro paragraph! Perfect! I skimmed the rest and it looks good too.

Just an idea about how maybe to keep the info, but get the important stuff read is to, in addition to bolding the first sentence, also increase the font size, so the first two points are emphasized. This would make me see the first point, then the general "why" then if I wanted to read more, the rest of the paragraph...Something like this perhaps...

Did you know... that it's now recommended to rear-face to the upper limits of your convertible seat? The old 1 year and 20 lb minimum is outdated and dangerous. Kids between the ages of 12 and 23 months are more than five times more likely to sustain injury in a crash when riding forward facing, as opposed to rear-facing. A young child’s spine can stretch to the point of breaking in a forward-facing seat, whereas rear-facing keeps the head, neck, and spine in alignment and allows the shell of the seat to take the force of the crash, rather than the child.