ConnorsMommy
New member
I've posted about this before, but have a bit of an update. There is a 5 year old girl at my son's school that is dropped off and picked up by her grandfather. He drives an older truck with a 10 year old Britax seat in it. His other vehicle that he has been using more often lately is a old, small sedan with lap belts only and no head rests in the back. I thought that he puts the girl in the backseat without any kind of seat, but today I happened to park next to him and saw that he had a backless TurboBooster there for her. Besides the fact that it is being used with a lap belt only, it also raises her up so her head is completely above the back of the seat. With her head that high, I wonder if she'd be better off without a booster, but the law in my state requires children to be in a booster to 8 years old. I know neither situation is safe.
I tried to be brave today and confronted him. I just mentioned that those seats are not safe to use with a lap belt only. He got defensive saying that it was all he had for her. I get the impression that he responded that way not because he didn't know or didn't care, but because he couldn't afford anything else. I think that other people have talked to him about that issue (This was the first time I said anything to him about car seats) I tried to tell him that a Maestro might be a good option for her (I was putting a child in the seat as I was talking to him) but he interrupted me and said she was too big for those kinds of seats. He didn't let me explain the higher weight limit and higher harness slots. I just told him that I was just trying to help his granddaughter be safe and he left.
It seems to me that if someone was to help him out and get a safer seat for her, that he would use it. I honestly do not think he can afford to buy anything. I can't afford to buy a seat for her. The 2 seats that I have that she would fit in are used regularly.
What are his options for the child? She is about the same size as my son, so around 40 inches or so, probably around 40 lbs or less. She is 5 years old. The car is really old so I'm sure it doesn't have any tethers.
Here are a few things that I was thinking, but I don't know if they would work or not:
Ride Safer Travel Vest (does it work with a lap only belt and does it require a top tether?)
86-Y Harness (Again-does it require a top tether or some kind of anchor?)
An option that I know will work- a Nautilus or Frontier (but there is no way the grandpa can afford that and I can't afford to buy one for her either.)
Are there any other options for an old car, no tether points, lap belts only, and no headrests?
I tried to be brave today and confronted him. I just mentioned that those seats are not safe to use with a lap belt only. He got defensive saying that it was all he had for her. I get the impression that he responded that way not because he didn't know or didn't care, but because he couldn't afford anything else. I think that other people have talked to him about that issue (This was the first time I said anything to him about car seats) I tried to tell him that a Maestro might be a good option for her (I was putting a child in the seat as I was talking to him) but he interrupted me and said she was too big for those kinds of seats. He didn't let me explain the higher weight limit and higher harness slots. I just told him that I was just trying to help his granddaughter be safe and he left.
It seems to me that if someone was to help him out and get a safer seat for her, that he would use it. I honestly do not think he can afford to buy anything. I can't afford to buy a seat for her. The 2 seats that I have that she would fit in are used regularly.
What are his options for the child? She is about the same size as my son, so around 40 inches or so, probably around 40 lbs or less. She is 5 years old. The car is really old so I'm sure it doesn't have any tethers.
Here are a few things that I was thinking, but I don't know if they would work or not:
Ride Safer Travel Vest (does it work with a lap only belt and does it require a top tether?)
86-Y Harness (Again-does it require a top tether or some kind of anchor?)
An option that I know will work- a Nautilus or Frontier (but there is no way the grandpa can afford that and I can't afford to buy one for her either.)
Are there any other options for an old car, no tether points, lap belts only, and no headrests?