They've agreed to put an article in the May newsletter at my kids' school. I'd like it to be more of an editorial, but something is better than nothing, right?
Here's the e-mail I sent and the response I received, almost immediately!
Dear Amy,
Thank you for the great idea for a parent newsletter article!
I forwarded your email on to a member of the education team, Gerri Smalley, who is excited about writing this article for our May issue. I do want you to know, though, that while we share your passion about the subject, the best we can do as a national organization is to write a “news” article that reminds parents of current AAP standards (states, counties, etc, as you know, have varying interpretations). Gerri will not be able to write an “editorial” article that advocates for more than what is recommended nationally.
I’d like for Gerri to credit you for the idea (which may encourage more people to send us great ideas). Your email makes it seem as though you are a center director (?). Or are you a parent? Or both? What is your center number and/or your city, state?
Thanks, again, for the great idea. I know many parents will find it valuable.
Sincerely,
Richard Cohen, M.A.
Vice President, Education
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Hughes [mailto:AHughes@2t.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:46 AM
To: Richard Cohen
Subject: Newsletter Suggestion
Dear Mr. Cohen,
I would love to see a topic regarding car seat safety featured in an upcoming issue. It would be an excellent means of reaching out to parents and informing them about keeping their children properly restrained.
I see car seat misuse every day at our location, and I’m sure this is not particular to our facility. To give you a few examples, I see expired seats, seats with horribly twisted straps, children restrained wearing bulky winter coats, children in boosters well before they should be, infants forward facing well before they should be from a safety standpoint, and children without any sort of child safety seat at all.
As you may know, being in the child care industry, state laws vary greatly and are severely lacking. While they are meant to be guidelines, they often do not stress the importance of keeping your child rear facing as long as possible and keeping your child harnessed as long as possible.
It is a proven fact, and has been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for years, that children are always safest in a rear facing position, especially under the age of 2. Unfortunately, many parents perceive turning their child forward facing at the age of one AND 20 pounds as a milestone. Many parents also perceive moving their child to a booster seat as a milestone, even though in most cases, children are not ready to properly use a booster seat until the age of 5 or 6, even though most state laws allow this at the age of 4 AND 40 pounds. These are milestones that I, personally, do NOT look forward to my children reaching. My 14 month old will remain rear facing for as long as her seat allows and my 4 year old will remain harnessed as long as there is a seat on the market that allows her to be. I take this issue very seriously, as motor vehicle injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the US. A great majority of these injuries and deaths could be prevented if children were properly restrained. And a great majority of children would be properly restrained if parents were better informed of not just the law, but of common sense child passenger safety.
While I am not a certified child passenger safety technician, I am very well informed and am very passionate about this issue and wholeheartedly feel that if even one parent changed their mindset and better protected their child, it would be a successful article.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Amy Joyce
Here's the e-mail I sent and the response I received, almost immediately!
Dear Amy,
Thank you for the great idea for a parent newsletter article!
I forwarded your email on to a member of the education team, Gerri Smalley, who is excited about writing this article for our May issue. I do want you to know, though, that while we share your passion about the subject, the best we can do as a national organization is to write a “news” article that reminds parents of current AAP standards (states, counties, etc, as you know, have varying interpretations). Gerri will not be able to write an “editorial” article that advocates for more than what is recommended nationally.
I’d like for Gerri to credit you for the idea (which may encourage more people to send us great ideas). Your email makes it seem as though you are a center director (?). Or are you a parent? Or both? What is your center number and/or your city, state?
Thanks, again, for the great idea. I know many parents will find it valuable.
Sincerely,
Richard Cohen, M.A.
Vice President, Education
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Hughes [mailto:AHughes@2t.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:46 AM
To: Richard Cohen
Subject: Newsletter Suggestion
Dear Mr. Cohen,
I would love to see a topic regarding car seat safety featured in an upcoming issue. It would be an excellent means of reaching out to parents and informing them about keeping their children properly restrained.
I see car seat misuse every day at our location, and I’m sure this is not particular to our facility. To give you a few examples, I see expired seats, seats with horribly twisted straps, children restrained wearing bulky winter coats, children in boosters well before they should be, infants forward facing well before they should be from a safety standpoint, and children without any sort of child safety seat at all.
As you may know, being in the child care industry, state laws vary greatly and are severely lacking. While they are meant to be guidelines, they often do not stress the importance of keeping your child rear facing as long as possible and keeping your child harnessed as long as possible.
It is a proven fact, and has been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for years, that children are always safest in a rear facing position, especially under the age of 2. Unfortunately, many parents perceive turning their child forward facing at the age of one AND 20 pounds as a milestone. Many parents also perceive moving their child to a booster seat as a milestone, even though in most cases, children are not ready to properly use a booster seat until the age of 5 or 6, even though most state laws allow this at the age of 4 AND 40 pounds. These are milestones that I, personally, do NOT look forward to my children reaching. My 14 month old will remain rear facing for as long as her seat allows and my 4 year old will remain harnessed as long as there is a seat on the market that allows her to be. I take this issue very seriously, as motor vehicle injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the US. A great majority of these injuries and deaths could be prevented if children were properly restrained. And a great majority of children would be properly restrained if parents were better informed of not just the law, but of common sense child passenger safety.
While I am not a certified child passenger safety technician, I am very well informed and am very passionate about this issue and wholeheartedly feel that if even one parent changed their mindset and better protected their child, it would be a successful article.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Amy Joyce
