WWYD - friend's 4.5YO in expired seat

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #1

Recently had a visit with some good friends and when they were packing up to go, discovered that their little DD (4.5YO, am bad at guesstimating weight but would venture that she's around 35 lb. Seems like the type of kid who would stay seated if told) is still using the RA we gave them a couple years ago (we don't see them often and yes, I did email them when the seat expired). They're on a very tight budget (3 kids, wife is a SAHM and her DH is a sadly underpaid youth pastor) so I think even a Maestro would be too much of a stretch for them.

We'll be seeing them tomorrow at another friend's house - would you:
1. Bring DD1's old-style PW that has been mostly just sitting in the garage since DD1 started using the Air Booster last year, so their DD can have an unexpired seat that should fit her to use *now* (the PW will expire in Oct 2011)
2. Suggest they take the expired RA to the BRU trade in and get a highback Turbo
3. All of the above
4. Other?

Thanks!

 

Mae

Well-known member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #2

"Hey, I'm going to BRU to trade in an expired seat I have. If you give them a seat, they'll give you a 20% off (or is it 25%?) coupon to use in store. Then I can buy another car seat! Want to come with me and help me choose?"

Descreetly explain what seats you like and don't. AKA: Which ones make good seats and which ones don't. "Oh, this TB here is great, people just don't remember to install the screws."

You can always turn around and return the car seat.

 

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #3

NannyMae said:

"Hey, I'm going to BRU to trade in an expired seat I have. If you give them a seat, they'll give you a 20% off (or is it 25%?) coupon to use in store. Then I can buy another car seat! Want to come with me and help me choose?"

Descreetly explain what seats you like and don't. AKA: Which ones make good seats and which ones don't. "Oh, this TB here is great, people just don't remember to install the screws."

You can always turn around and return the car seat.

Click to expand...

nice thought, but since my girls are 8.5YO and we're not planning on any more, I don't have a real credible reason to be buying any seats at BRU. They also live about an hour's drive away from us (in light traffic) so it'd be kinda tough to plan a carseat-shopping get together

 

monstah

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #4

I'd suggest they turn in the RA for a Maestro or Turbo. If they can't swing that, I'd probably give them the Parkway, warn them about the expiration and pick up a Harmony for $14 at Walmart if you need a backup seat for your girls.

Unofficially, I wouldn't get too bent out of shape using an expired Parkway provided it positions the seatbelt properly.

 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #5

How expired is the roundabout? Does she still actually fit in it height wise?

That would affect my choice of what to say, or not to say.

 

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #6

Jennifer mom to my 7 said:

How expired is the roundabout? Does she still actually fit in it height wise?

That would affect my choice of what to say, or not to say.

Click to expand...

We bought those RAs in spring of 2002, so the latest they would have expired would have been spring 2008. It was late when they were getting ready to leave so I didn't get a good look at how she fit the seat height-wise

 

Mae

Well-known member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #7

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom said:

We bought those RAs in spring of 2002, so the latest they would have expired would have been spring 2008. It was late when they were getting ready to leave so I didn't get a good look at how she fit the seat height-wise

Click to expand...

Wait, did you two buy them together? If so, maybe just call her up and say, "OMG xyz, I just realized that those RA's we bought are expired! I got rid of mine but I wanted to let you know that they aren't safe to use anymore. Apparently seats expire and the harness can rip out of the shell if you use it while it's expired. I just wanted to let you know in case you are still using it.

 

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #8

NannyMae said:

Wait, did you two buy them together? If so, maybe just call her up and say, "OMG xyz, I just realized that those RA's we bought are expired! I got rid of mine but I wanted to let you know that they aren't safe to use anymore. Apparently seats expire and the harness can rip out of the shell if you use it while it's expired. I just wanted to let you know in case you are still using it.

Click to expand...

No, "we" refers to DH & I - bought two of these for our twin DDs in 2002. Friend's DD was born about 5 years after her YDS so they didn't have any baby gear left so we gave them one of DDs RA's. I'm drafting an email to her to let her know I noticed her DD was still using the RA and that it's expired and that I could bring the PW for her DD tomorrow.

 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #9

Darn interweb! Lost my post. But at least now I don't have to try explaining the we

I would be a bit hesitant to put a 4.5 year old that still fit in a roundabout by height, unless barely, in a booster. But, the turbo does fit itty bittys well, as does the parkway most of the time.

But, for comparison, I have pics of my large then 4 year old (42 inches, 42+pounds, 17-18 inch torso, would have outgrown a roundabout at probably 20 months ff), my then 3.25 year old (38+ inches, 36 pounds, 15+ inch torso, probably would have outgrown roundabout by 3), and my then 18 month old (26 pounds, 33-34 inches, 14+? inch torso, might still fit in the roundabout ff, barely), in the turbo, and the oldest in the parkway.

this parkway pic is at 4, turbo is at 4.5

DISCLAIMER: These children do not ride this way. The oldest here rides harnessed, and the boys still both ride rear facing.

 

christineka

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #10

I let my dd3 ride in the parkway a few days ago. She has an almost 15 inch torso, weighs 35 pounds and fit the parkway beautifully. I think donating the parkway is probably the best option if the family can't afford any other seat.

 

autumnlily

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #11

Doesn't the parkway have a 40lb minimum?

 

christineka

New member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #12

autumnlily said:

Doesn't the parkway have a 40lb minimum?

Click to expand...

The parkway sg does, but pretty sure the original parkway is only 30 pounds.

 

B

babyherder

Well-known member

• Sep 4, 2010

• #13

If the RA is over a year past its expiration I would give your friend your old parkway. Its hard to pull a kid out of a harnessed seat but in this case all evidence that we have indicates she'll be safer in the booster.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Sep 4, 2010

• #14

I would trade her out seats. I just did this for a friend, and will be trading one more out for her too.

 

J

jjordan

Moderator

• Sep 4, 2010

• #15

The maestro is $60 shipped at Amazon right now, fwiw.

Depending on what kind of relationship you have with her, you could call and say something like, "I saw your daughter is still using the RA I gave you, and I realized that it must be expired by now. I can bring by a booster that we're not using anymore, but honestly since she is so small, a harnessed seat would be better. If there's any money in your budget for new seat, there's one that's perfect for her on sale at amazon right now for $60."