Change of plans, DS is FF in one car now

Mommy0608

New member
I posted a thread previously about turning DS FF in DH's car when he turns 3 on August 5th and keeping him RF in my van in the Radian for a while longer. Well, we bought two FR85s (got a great deal!) and were sticking with this plan. I was going to replace the True Fit in DH's car on his birthday. Well, this morning, my mom called me and said my soon-to-be SIL (marrying my step-brother in a couple of weeks) totalled her van this morning. She has a 2 year old (2 days older than my DS) and a 6 year old. Both kids were in boosters. :( The 2 year old has a cut on his face but otherwise, everyone is fine. Turns out that the 2 year old weighs nearly 50lbs, which is why he was in a booster. They have no money, had no insurance and know he'd be safer in a harness but don't have a means to purchase a higher weight seat. I rarely see them, so I didn't know he was in a booster nor did I know his weight. My mom called me to ask if they had to buy new seats now (which she thought was the case, but wanted to confirm). They live an hour and a half away, but I said I have a seat for the 2 year old... I met my step-brother half-way and gave him my True Fit. I showed him how to install it in my mom's car.

I had planned to sell the seat, but obviously I'd rather give it to them and forfeit the money and turn DS FF in our secondary vehicle than see their 2 year old go back in a booster. I'm just hoping DS won't have to ride with DH until after his birthday... I know it's only a couple of weeks, but I would feel better not having him FF at age 2.

I did the right thing, right?
 
ADS

Pixels

New member
Two properly restrained children is better than one best practices child and one semi-restrained child. That's not worded the greatest, but I think you know what I'm trying to say.
 

Mommy0608

New member
Thanks everyone! I didn't even think twice, I knew it was the right thing to do. Of course, now I'm sitting here thinking about DS being FF and kind of freaking out. Just needed to hear it from someone else I guess. :eek:

I just feel so, so bad for my step-brother and his fiance. I won't go into too much detail here because it's personal, but they have had the crappiest luck lately... lots of serious things going wrong for them, yet they try so hard to do the best they can with what they have. I wish there was more I could do for them. Oh, and she's due with her 3rd baby in January. My mom and I are splitting the cost of a new seat for the baby (no idea what yet... as it gets closer to that time I'll probably ask for opinions here).
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
you definitely did the right thing... it was FAMILY this happened to... I'd sacrifice money for family any day of the week. They were also doing the best they could to keep the kids safe, so I'm sure they will install and use the seat properly.

Your ds will be perfectly safe ff... I promise.

How can I promise this? because his seat will be PERFECTLY installed and used 100% PERFECTLY every single time he's in it.

(in fact, I'd go as far as to say that it being easier for your dh to use makes it completely equal to to the true fit due to your son's age and size...)
 

Mommy0608

New member
Thanks everyone! I've only seen this little guy two times now - once at Christmas and one other time. My step-brother was very interested in learning how to install and use the seat properly. The kiddo wasn't there (we met half-way, and the 2yo stayed home with his mom because he didn't have a safe seat to ride in).

I hope it didn't come across like I was concerned about the money... that was NOT it at all. I didn't hesitate to offer the seat, and knew it was right, I just feel a little weird turning DS FF now before my minimum limit. The more I think about it logically, I know that 2 years, 11 months he'll be safe in a properly used FF seat. He just seems so... little.
 

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
You certainly did the right thing and you are awesome for doing so.

Aug 5 is what 2-3 weeks away. Even if DS has to ride in DHs car before then, he'll be perfectly safe. Super close to 3. You did a great thing and I don't feel you are making your son unsafe by doing it. I had to turn DD2 ffing in 1 car and she is still rfing in the other. Sometimes I have a little mommy guilt over it, but then I remind myself that the seat is installed correctly, she is in it correctly, etc.

I am so glad your step brother's baby is ok after that accident and is so much safer now.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
hey, anyone would be conderned about just giving away a 200 dollar carseat... unless they were totally loaded.

the fact that you were able to was total coincidence, but very fortunate.

with the no-rethread harness, it's also a great seat, because they won't have to reinstall it if they need to adjust the height when they put him in.

also, since he must be a pretty bulky kid... the truefit is a perfect seat for him because of how roomy it is on the interior seating area... and how tall it is.


But I know your primary concern is your son... and in this case, if he didn't have another seat he could use in that car, I would have run out and bought a scenera with a 40lb limit or an evenflo maestro to do what you did.

being family and (I can't state this part enough) the fact that they were doing THE BEST their budget could allow them to would make me go above and beyond to help them.
 

ginny4

New member
you did an awesome thing, my lady!!!!

Tyler will be A-ok FF. i know it feels weird... that will pass as time goes on.
 

Mommy0608

New member
Thanks! :eek: We certainly aren't loaded by any means, and really looked forward to getting the money from the TF and Radian to help fund the two FR85s but we'll be okay without the TF money.

He's quite the solid kiddo, so hopefully the short crotch strap on the TF won't be an issue. As I said, I didn't get to see him in it, but I'm hoping it will work. Before I left to take them the seat, I had my mom sit him down and measure his torso height (they drove the van to my mom's house after the crash). His torso height is 14" so he should fit the TF for a while, as long as the harness itself is long enough... seems to me that it had a slightly shorter amount of harness than other comparable seats, but maybe I'm just imagining it.

Going to put DS in the FR85 tonight to get it adjusted properly and put the seat in DH's car.
 

Phineasmama

New member
So awesome of you to do that for them!! I know how you feel, I dread turning any of my kids FFing, although I guess I'm used to DD being FFing now.
 

misstj9

New member
how awesome are you! absolutely the right thing!!!

i can imagine how weird it feels to turn your son FF before you were "ready" to... i just put my 7yo in a booster, and that feels scary and weird to me....even tho he's doing just fine and plenty old enough. i dread the day my DD seat expires (next october) because she'll have to FF at 3y 6 mo! :eek: but retrospectively, both my boys were FF by 18m cause I didn't know any better. glad to hear that their LO is alright!

good for you doing the right thing!!
 

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