Carrie_R
Ambassador - CPS Technician
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.
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.