I am so upset over the feild trip situation

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

They told me last year I could install her car seat, but now they want all of them in backless boosters... BACKLESS, further more three seats only have lap belts, I told them no she was too small that she needed her car seat installed, I said "in the center with the lap belt only since boosters can not go there" they told me no that the only way they would let her take her car seat is to put it on the side so they can get to all the kids.. since real car seats are big.. they let me go check out the van, NO head rests! so of course all of these kids in backless boosters, lap belts and not head rests..I tried over and over to tell them they can not do that, it was like talking to a wall literally, they thought I was an idiot.

She then tells ME to "talk to the other parents" and rattled off a few moms whose kids ride in backless boosters (whose car seat usage I find appauling) I lied I said "See I am becoming a cpst, I KNOW car seats safety much better than the average parent"

ALSO We are being discouraged from transporting our kids ourselves, I told them I would just drive her, and htey told me they want the kids to ride on the van, that it is part of the curriculum.. that they discourage it, and that I can come but I no sibbling can join.. after all of this, the plan is...

Put the True fit on the side, with lap shoulder belt (that would be perfectly fine for a child with booster but instead they want to endanger those kids more) because that is where she would be designated, and if they tell me it is too big and a problem, I will just drive from now on weather they like it or not.

I am raving upset right now, and the stupid safe driver excuse came up 500 times ect.. so I am venting and upset...I am now the pain in the neck parent with the big car seat, and every one will hate me but oh well.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

to explain, they are riding in a church van for the trip

hsjwmom · Sep 22, 2010

Yikes, that is horrible! I can't believe that even after being told how dangerous the lap belts are, they are STILL going to insist on kids using them with boosters.

I wouldn't hesitate to do what I had to do to transport my child safely.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

I love her school, but Keith is so upset that he wants to pull her out, I personally do not want o pull her, I will simply not allow her to ride in an unsafe situation though, even if I have to fight every month on their trips

MomToEliEm · Sep 22, 2010

Did you talk to the director of the daycare?

Do you need us to help find you some information to indicate that booster seats with lapbelts are not allowed or safe. Maybe we can find some documentation on the dangers of no head support. If the daycare had written information from a credible source, they might be more likely to listen to your concerns.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

hsjwmom said:
Yikes, that is horrible! I can't believe that even after being told how dangerous the lap belts are, they are STILL going to insist on kids using them with boosters.

I wouldn't hesitate to do what I had to do to transport my child safely.

I think on Friday I am simply going to nicely tell them that I am just not comfortable with the seating situation on the van, and if I can not install her true fit in there (which they REALLY do not want me to do) Then I will simply be transporting her myself to feild trips for the whole year. That I understand they want them to get used to riding in that situation BUT her safety is too important to me and with out meaning to cause any hurt feelings, that this being an area of expertise for me, knows that the travel situation is not at all safe, and that I do not think poorly of others who feel it is ok but for me I am not comfortable at all with it"
something of that nature.. sadly Nolan is not welcome on the feild trips so I have to drop her off and leave and then go back and get her.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

MomToEliEm said:
Did you talk to the director of the daycare?

Do you need us to help find you some information to indicate that booster seats with lapbelts are not allowed or safe. Maybe we can find some documentation on the dangers of no head support. If the daycare had written information from a credible source, they might be more likely to listen to your concerns.

the teachers are the directors, it is a church, preschool. the teachers are who I was discussing it with, honestly they had NO clue what I was talking about when I said car seat instead of booster seat, they were lost, yes I really want to bring them info on Friday when we go back, to explain my point, I want them to realize that I am not just some overly paranoid mom, and that the other parents they want me taking car seat advice from are not at all transporting their kids safely.

MomToEliEm · Sep 22, 2010

What are the ages of the kids going on this field trip?

keri1292 · Sep 22, 2010

Honestly, those vans are so dangerous anyway that I'd prefer to drive regardless. It is very unlikely that they will use the car seat correctly even if you install it.

MomToEliEm · Sep 22, 2010

In Connecticut, it looks like the following is in the carseat law:

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/sup/Chap246.htm#Sec14-100a.htm

(4) No person shall restrain a child in a booster seat unless the motor vehicle is equipped with a safety seat belt that includes a shoulder belt and otherwise meets the requirement of subsection (b) of this section.

I am not sure if there are any exceptions for churches in the law, but if not, the above would indicate that they cannot use the lapbelt only positions for booster seats. They might be able to use them for 7 year olds who are not required to be in boosters seats, but they can't put a booster seat in that position. There might be exceptions to allow a younger child to use just a lapbelt if all seating positions are in use (didn't read the full text to see if there was such wording). Using a booster seat in those lapbelt positions doesn't appear legal in your state though.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

MomToEliEm said:
What are the ages of the kids going on this field trip?

3 and 4... and yes we are the only ones last year and htis year that still use a 5 pt harness, all the 3 year olds were in boosters last year.

The other parents are rolling their eyes about my concern, so are the teachers.. I am a freak as usuall the same mom who had to have an expemtion for her kids flu shot is being a problem parent about the transportation safety for the feild trip.. GREAT.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

keri1292 said:
Honestly, those vans are so dangerous anyway that I'd prefer to drive regardless. It is very unlikely that they will use the car seat correctly even if you install it.

I know I am probably going to just say screw it, let the other moms put their kids in that situation and tell the teachers, my kid, my choice, sorry!

babyherder · Sep 22, 2010

Since when do you need an exemption for the flu shot????

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

I am such a wreck over this, I really hope it is not a problem, that she will b e allowed to participate still. She loves school and I want her to experience field trips with her class, but I can not have her in an unsafe situation..I cant eat I am so ill over it.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

babyherder said:
Since when do you need an exemption for the flu shot????

new law in CT for all preschool kids now

MomToEliEm · Sep 22, 2010

I thought graco turbuboosters said the miminum for backless booster use was age 4 (though reading through the manual does say "recommended age 4-10 years").

I am guessing the graco turbo will be the most common booster brought in, and in the manual, it does indicate on page 10:

http://download.gracobaby.com/ProductInstructionManuals/ISPB057BA.pdf

Without back support
(approximately 4 to 10 years old) :
• weigh between 40 and 100 lbs. (mass between 18 and 45 kg), and
• are between 40 and 57 inches (101 and 145 cm) in height, and
• the shoulder belt MUST lay across child’ s shoulders in red zone as shown in
and the lap portion is positioned low on the childs hips, and
• when sitting on the booster seat, your child’ s ears are below the top of the vehicle seat cushion / head rest.
Your Graco booster seat can be used with or without the back support (on certain models) as long as the above requirements are met.

babyherder · Sep 22, 2010

Babywearing Meghan said:
new law in CT for all preschool kids now

Ugh. On the plus side I'm student teaching in CT next semester so maybe this means I don't have to get a flu shot since all the little germy people (I love them anyway!) I'll be around will have them. But really, the flu shot is so new. I'm not sure I want to have it let alone give it to a child.

I hope you figure out the field trip situation. That sounds horrible. I would hang out and watch everything they do if you send her on the van. It sounds like they really don't care about anything so I'm not sure I'd trust them to use her car seat correctly.

vrclay · Sep 22, 2010

I had a similar issue with my son's preschool this summer - they were using all expired seat, none installed even close to correctly and some dating back to the 80s! I'm happy to report that as of Labor Day the van is fully out-fitted with Evenflo Maestro seats - $50/each program seats direct from the company.

My first step --after a long vent here -- was to find a local technician and discuss the situation and possible solutions. I made sure he was on board with seats need to be replaced, kids in 5 pt harnesses and then I asked him to have a discussion with the director. That way, I didn't come across as the psycho car-seat crazy lady - that came later

I volunteered to do all the leg work and had the local police car-seat install team come to put them in the van. The leader used it as a learning situation for her technicians in training - brilliant, right?

My advice is if your child is going to stay in the pre-school to get a local tech (read: neutral, expert, 3rd party) involved and offer to do the research and leg work to purchase the seats. If your child is not going to stay in the preschool, I'd contact the local police station and let them know about the violations.

Honestly, I can't believe I'm the only parent who ever thought to ask about the seats - but many parents have told me they are glad I did.

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

MomToEliEm said:
I thought graco turbuboosters said the miminum for backless booster use was age 4 (though reading through the manual does say "recommended age 4-10 years").

I am guessing the graco turbo will be the most common booster brought in, and in the manual, it does indicate on page 10:

http://download.gracobaby.com/ProductInstructionManuals/ISPB057BA.pdf

yep I already told them that too! I told them that they ahve to weigh 40 lbs and be 4 to use them backless

Babywearing Meghan · Sep 22, 2010

vrclay said:
I had a similar issue with my son's preschool this summer - they were using all expired seat, none installed even close to correctly and some dating back to the 80s! I'm happy to report that as of Labor Day the van is fully out-fitted with Evenflo Maestro seats - $50/each program seats direct from the company.

My first step --after a long vent here -- was to find a local technician and discuss the situation and possible solutions. I made sure he was on board with seats need to be replaced, kids in 5 pt harnesses and then I asked him to have a discussion with the director. That way, I didn't come across as the psycho car-seat crazy lady - that came later

I volunteered to do all the leg work and had the local police car-seat install team come to put them in the van. The leader used it as a learning situation for her technicians in training - brilliant, right?

My advice is if your child is going to stay in the pre-school to get a local tech (read: neutral, expert, 3rd party) involved and offer to do the research and leg work to purchase the seats. If your child is not going to stay in the preschool, I'd contact the local police station and let them know about the violations.

Honestly, I can't believe I'm the only parent who ever thought to ask about the seats - but many parents have told me they are glad I did.

we all have to provide our own seats for our kids, but they want us all to bring our own backless boosters.. for our kids. there was another mom who went out and bought her barely 40 lb 4 year old a parkway SG today for the trips, then found out about the lap belt and was also upset about it.. she knew a little more than the other parents there about car seats it seemed. but she did have some misuse on her alpha omega, she at least told me itwas a replacement seat from insurance after she got hit a while back so she knew to replace, and she knew that she wanted the SG if her small child was in a booster.. I would get the same but Fiona is not 40 lbs yet.. she is 33ish lbs.

I am going to tell the other mama on Friday that I got into the van and the are making some boosters go in lap belt only, to install her apha omega and use the harness (she has a 50 lb one) if she can.

I am so upset over the feild trip situation

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