How do you respond when people say.....

J

Jazlynn's Mommy

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #1

I have told all my friends who have children about ERF, but i get a lot of bad feedback. Some just call me paranoid, some tell me that their brother, sister, friends child was FF in an accident and was just fine. How do you respond when people use past accidents to justify why turning a toddler around is perfectly safe? How about when they tell me their doctor or even the owner's manual said FF was ok after 1 year and 20 lbs.? So far, i have ONE friend who agrees with me, and she doesn't have any kids yet! Oh and my dad gets it too, he's on board :thumbsup:

 

L

lorinick

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #2

Interested to see what everyone says. I tell some of my friends. Most. But still I know they think I'm over the top with this subject. They look at me like your crazy when they see my guy still rf. I'm not bothered by it. But I've given up on trying to get them on board.

 

NannyMom

Well-known member

• May 2, 2010

• #3

That FF child was lucky. Not all are as lucky. Have you seen Joel's Journey? An 18 month old that wasn't as lucky as so-and-so's child?

 

MANDY1234

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #4

I don't talk about it...The ones that are really good friends know that we ERF and have talked to me about it. The don't ERF. Most think I am nuts in fact but I only have to ensure MY children are safe and don't have any reason to "prove" that I am right to others

 

ntrenary

Active member

• May 2, 2010

• #5

I don't respond. I give them the info once and they can do what they want with it from there. And I try to lead by example by letting them see me strap my almost 3 year old in his RFing seat, and posting links on facebook.

 

canadiangie

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #6

A rear facing seat does all of the hard work in a crash. As soon as I turn the seat ff'ing it's the child that has to do all of the hard work, specifically the child's neck and spine. I paid a lot of money for my car seats, and I intend to make them do the hard work in a crash. It makes no sense to make my childrens bodies do the hard work. They should just sit and be protected, for as long as possible (until they no longer fit rear facing).

That's about what I say, in a nutshell.

 

Last edited: May 2, 2010

J

Jazlynn's Mommy

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #7

canadiangie said:

A rear facing seat does all of the hard work in a crash. As soon as I turn the seat ff'ing it's the child that has to do all of the hard work, specifically the child's neck and spine. I paid a lot of money for my car seats, and I intend to make them do the hard work in a crash. It makes no sense to make my childrens bodies do the hard work. They should just sit and be protected.

That's about what I say, in a nutshell.

Click to expand...

I love this! Great way to put it :thumbsup:

 

Stacy

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #8

canadiangie said:

A rear facing seat does all of the hard work in a crash. As soon as I turn the seat ff'ing it's the child that has to do all of the hard work, specifically the child's neck and spine. I paid a lot of money for my car seats, and I intend to make them do the hard work in a crash. It makes no sense to make my childrens bodies do the hard work. They should just sit and be protected.

That's about what I say, in a nutshell.

Click to expand...

That is an awesome way to put it.

 

agurlsride

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #9

I'm a little less nice about it....I usually say that "some children get lucky but I am not going to take a chance with my child's life. I'd rather be paranoid and KNOW that my child is safer rf'ing than play Russian roulette with his/her life...I'm sorry that you and too many other parents don't care enough"...its a bit harsh but I can't stand criticism from people who don't do their research.

 

ProudMommysince09

New member

• May 2, 2010

• #10

You know I dont know what to tell these people either, and I get similar responses, oh my doctor told me he is fine because he has a strong neck bla bla. I wonder what is so hard about installing a convertible RF and keep it that way.. I put up a carseat album on my FB just to let everyone see that my chunky, tall 14 mos old still fits RF. Guess what happened in response, 2 of my friends putting pics up of theyre kids in theyre Nautilus. One of them has barely an inch between buckle and chest clip, thats how tiny she is.

 

zactayaus

Well-known member

• May 2, 2010

• #11

That is part of the reason why I became a tech. I figured maybe more people would take me seriously about car seats. I know that people still won't listen if they don't want too, but at least I can say well I'm a tech and this is what I was taught.

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• May 3, 2010

• #12

That's why I use the egg toss analogy. Anyone who has ever played egg or water balloon toss knows that you cup your hands to catch the egg/balloon to prevent it from breaking. Once you explain that a RF car seat does the same thing, most people get it - and also get a vivid mental picture of a broken egg that someone has dropped.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• May 3, 2010

• #13

CPSTs are educators, not evangelists. If you offer people information and they aren't interested, tell them that they know where to find you when they are ready to learn. (I admit that I am just a little stronger with actual misuse as opposed to not-best-practice.) You can't make people want to learn or change on your timeline, but you *can* turn them off by evangelizing.

 

Stacy

New member

• May 3, 2010

• #14

^^Yes that. WE all know how much safer our toddlers are by rf, but in reality we are a small percentage of the population, most people do not erf their babes past the minimums. So that makes us "fringy", and coming off real strong and emotional about it easily turns people off, although I know it's hard not to be since it's something that we here are all passionate about. I think people are much more receptive to "here is why I do it..." than "this is what YOU should do". :twocents:

 

A

Athena

Well-known member

• May 3, 2010

• #15

I sympathize. FWIW, even when you don't bring it up, this situation happens. Too many parents are threatened by others doing things differently than them, especially if the other person is being safer. I am referring to the wider spectrum, not just ERF.