Did I do the right thing?

Ok so here's the deal... A family I have been a nanny for since for almost 5 years is just plainly horrible when it comes to car seats. Here is how the kids were restrained...

Oldest child turned 8 in February and rides in an adult belt, shoulder belt behind his back and usually sitting on his knees playing with his DS. (he is the size of a tall 5 year old/maybe 6 year old) ...very petite for his age.

Middle child turned 5 in June and was rides in a Cosco no back booster with shoulder belt behind her back....if anything. Sometimes no booster since her mom gave away their Evenflo 3 in 1 type seat that had no crotch buckle. They had taken the crotch buckle out because it got in the way and they only ever restrained her with the chest clip despite me making polite comments out of concern.

Baby born March 09, rides in a waayyyy expired 3 point Graco bucket that was outgrown long ago... It is the bucket they bought/were given for the 8.5 year old :( it was likely second hand for him from cousins/friends so may exceed 10 years old. I gave them my SS1 when the baby was born even though I needed it for Olivia. My mom had one for her so even though it wasn't convenient- we could make do with one so I gave them mine. I tried to explain that it was more up to date etc. and safer in the hope that it would stop them from using the red and green plaid Graco but no, they used both :mad: Eventually she gave the SS1 back asking if I knew anyone selling/giving away a "straight up" car seat for the baby... I explained the RF thing and hooked her up with a trusted friends friend who sold them they 08 Cowmoo MA for $75. I explained to them that the mother was car seat stupid and to help install it when they met to buy it.

I watch the kids last month and I am a mixture of confused and horrified.

They have a brand new GMC SUV and the seats are arranged as follows...

8 yr old- center seat in the booster and thankfully has started putting the shoulder belt on properly as I've drilled it into his head in my car :thumbsup: Ok, she listened to me about Preston still needing a booster- cool. I am impressed.

5 yr old FF in the MA chest clip only with the straps on the BOTTOM slot and no attempt to loosen them :eek: I guess she was attempting to listen to me because I had expressed concern that Olivia should probably still be in a harness or a good HBB. So when she bought this convertible from my friend of a friend she believed this was doing the right thing even though she was buying it for the baby :confused:

1 yr old- STILL in the 3 point expired head over the top of the shell Graco SR 20lb limit. Mom thought that was the right thing because I had explained that she must remain RFing...good God.

:confused::confused::confused:

So... I watch the kids for 4 days that weekend and thank God had 2 Britax convertibles in my car. I put the baby RFing in the Cowmoo MA and put Olivia in my RA50 FF. She's exactly 40lbs and was almost on the top slots. I drove their SUV but rearranged seats. Even the neighbor came out and asked if I was fixing the situation because it had scared her!

I was seriously considering letting them borrow one of my seats until they got a new seating arrangement but I would likely never get it back :( They are the type of people that would consider that a "gift" or a 2 year loan giving it back destroyed and no good.

I took the kids to Target and decided that I would be much happier with Olivia (5/40lbs) in a HBB than chest clip only in a convertible badly installed. I was able to get the pink one on clearance and gave it to her as a birthday gift...she had just turned 5 and I missed her party.

Sure I'd be more comfortable with her in a Nautilus or similar but I know they won't spend it and I shouldn't have to spend that much on a kid that isn't mine. I am not 100% confident that she will sit well 100% of the time in the Turbo but it fits great and to me there seemed to be far less room for error. She wouldn't stand a chance FF chest clip only which will be the case in any 5 point they have her in.:thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Now Olivia is in the Turbo behind the drivers seat, Preston is in the middle in the backless booster with the seatbelt on properly and the baby is RFing in the MA behind the passenger seat. The purchase of the Turbo has solved the whole situation and I know that the baby and little boy are great but I'm not crazy about any 5 year old in a booster...

In this case would you say this was a good move? I just want to feel like I did the right thing. I showed them how to strap in the booster and set it up, put the screws in and fit it to her before I left. I explained she must sit all the way back and showed that the belt must go under the arm rest and throught the red guide etc. They are extremely well behaved children so I have faith that she listened, it just makes me a little nervous because I would rather have her harnessed... the Turbo is safer when she's always buckled as opposed to a terribly installed convertible with loose straps and no crotch buckle, right?

Sorry for the ramble...I just couldn't think of a better plan in that situation but want to feel like others would have done the same thing.
 
ADS

Maedze

New member
Uh....YEAH.

There is nothing under the sun wrong about a neurotypical 5 year old in a nice Turbobooster.

Of course, it sounds like you could have bought some duct tape and a bike helmet, and the kid would have been safer than she was, soooooo.....

8 year old backless, 5 year old high back, baby rear facing convertible? Doesn't get much better than that in the real world. :twocents:
 

Mae

Well-known member
What 3B's said.

They're safer now than they were before, no doubt in my mind. Would MomDad uninstall your MA and put the bucket back for convience? That'd be my worry. Or if they did uninstall it, how would they put it back in? FF or RF? And would it be installed properly?

But this confused me:

I showed them how to strap in the booster and set it up, put the screws in and fit it to her before I left. I explained she must sit all the way back and showed that the belt must go under the arm rest and throught the red guide etc. They are extremely well behaved children so I have faith that she listened,

Did you explain this to MomDad or the kids? Do MomDad know about the new set up?
 

babyherder

Well-known member
If the kids will ride the way you arranged it they're very, very safe. I'm afraid the seats won't stay like that but maybe they will, especially if the 5 y/o is excited about her new present.
 

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