I broke the law

H

HEVY

New member
I believe I read somewhere that Florida law stops at five, correct me if I'm wrong.

We were traveling to Florida behind my friend, he drives a truck and wanted DD to ride with him, I told him no she needed a car seat, he said put in hers, I said I don't trust anyone driving her, eh, eventually he gave up, she did not ride in his truck.

Anyway, we get to Florida and his sister wants to take DD to the store, my friend is like, oh, she won't let anyone drive her around, all pissy, I said, yeah, she can go with you, I'll put in the booster, lol, he was not happy. Anyway she didn't go.

He comments on how no one in Florida uses car seats for kids, I said I believed the law only went to 5yrs.

Then DD, who has to be in everyone's business, wants to know why she has to be in the car seat if the law is only to 5. I told her we don't live in Florida and that we follow the law of our own state and even so that she is safer in her seat because she is still young and small and don't fit properly in the seat of the car.

Anyway she continues to insist that I'm breaking the law, and I HAVE to follow the laws of where I am. She feels that if the law only says till 5 I have to obey it, I'm breaking the law, I'm making her break the law.

How do I explain more than I already did?
 
ADS
jourdysmom

jourdysmom

CPST Instructor
Tell her, "I am your mother, my house (car), my rules. Period." I put DD2 (age 8) in a LBB and she freaked and begged for the back to be put back on. She HATED it. Completely felt "floppy" (her words). I agree, show her the video!
 
H

HEVY

New member
Rachel has no problem being in a car seat, she has seen the videos and I definately have said to her that I am the mother, I make the rules. But she more complicated than that, so literal, must have all details explained to her, over and over again, and the law is the law and you must follow the law. Ugh, she's a frustrating one.
 
joolsplus3

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Uh, it's three and younger, so on your 4th bday in Florida, legally into a belt you go... http://www.iihs.org/laws/childrestraint.aspx (look at that picture, it's dangling like an infected appendage there in green, with the worst law in the nation.
Maybe someone could post a link to that thread that's been mentioned, pretty please?
And here's the Federal recommendation...it's more important than the State Law... http://www.nhtsa.gov/ChildSafety/step4
 
leighi123

leighi123

Active member
That is true though, LOTS of people here go by "the law" and their 3+yr old kids are riding in a seatbelt alone or, nothing because they climbed out of their seatbelt.
 
TerisBoys

TerisBoys

Well-known member
Tell her that the booster law is a minimum. That kids in Florida have to be in a seat AT LEAST until they're 5 - if their parents want them to stay in a carseat longer, that's fine too.

I'm trying to think of a comparison that she'll understand...
 
christineka

christineka

New member
The law is a minimum. While kids 3 and up may ride without a car seat, it is not against the law to use one. My kids have past their 8th birthdays, which is when my state says kids can be out of boosters. It is not illegal, however for a kid to use the seat past the 8th birthday.
 
Baylor

Baylor

New member
jourdysmom said:
Tell her, "I am your mother, my house (car), my rules. Period." I put DD2 (age 8) in a LBB and she freaked and begged for the back to be put back on. She HATED it. Completely felt "floppy" (her words). I agree, show her the video!
Click to expand...

This .. There are some things I explain to my kids and some I just play the MOM card.. My rules.. sorry that is the way it is...

joolsplus3 said:
Uh, it's three and younger, so on your 4th bday in Florida, legally into a belt you go... http://www.iihs.org/laws/childrestraint.aspx (look at that picture, it's dangling like an infected appendage there in green, with the worst law in the nation.
Maybe someone could post a link to that thread that's been mentioned, pretty please?
And here's the Federal recommendation...it's more important than the State Law... http://www.nhtsa.gov/ChildSafety/step4
Click to expand...

That is abhorrent..
 
krasota

krasota

Well-known member
If she's that literally minded, she can probably understand the notion of a legal minimum and also the laws of physics (if you explain them). ;)
 
Morganthe

Morganthe

New member
The "LAW" says that everyone MUST HAVE a seat until ____ age. After that point, there is no Law covering childrens' safety except Parent sense of danger.

It's like Extra credit on a school assignment. The law/teacher says you have to do problems 1-10 and turn them in tomorrow. They must be done.
But if you want to, you can get extra points by doing problems 10-20.

In carseat speech, 'extra credit/points' with use of a carseat would mean extra-safety from 5-12 years old for booster/ harness seat instead of better grades.

DD would understand that and she's a very literal questioning child. But she also questions adults who say things that don't make sense to her -- such as the crazy talk that she fits into the regular vehicle seat when she's still physically too small. :shrug-shoulders:
 
Carrie_R

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Ooh, I like the extra credit analogy, I'll have to hang onto that one :)

Sorry Rachel's being difficult. I break the law with my kids every day -- our law is "child restraint" until 4, and "booster" after 4. There's no allowance given for continuing to harness past 4. My sometimes-RF 5yo is so far outside of the law it's not even funny. :p
 
Pixels

Pixels

New member
Most kids are aware that the legal drinking age is 21. That means that until you turn 21, you are not allowed to drink alcohol. But that doesn't mean that when you turn 21, you must drink alcohol and can't drink water. Until you turn 5* in Florida, you are not allowed to ride in the adult seat belt. But that does not mean that when you reach that age, you have to ride in an adult seat belt and can't ride in a carseat.

* maybe it's actually 4, but go with whatever number she believes is true
 
LISmama810

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
It's like vegetables. You expect her to eat the carrots on her plate, but it doesn't mean she can't have more carrots if she wants them.
 
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