Vent Is it really THAT hard?

Brigala

CPST Instructor
The dad of the girl (age 5.5) I babysit picked her up today using a different car than usual. It's a Suburban. He had her get in through the front passenger seat and climb over the back to get in her car seat which was behind the driver's seat (why???).

The seat she uses in the car is a Safety 1st Apex 65 I gave them a while back. I was curious to see how much growing room she has in the seat's harness (another inch at least in the shoulders, btw). So I go around and open the door as the girl is buckling herself into the harness.

The seat is not even buckled into the car. Seriously. Not even an attempt. It's just sitting there. I mention to the dad that the seat isn't installed, and he said, "I just threw it together" (whatever that means??). I said, "No, I mean it's not even buckled into the car." And he just says, "Oh." So I had the girl get out and I installed it myself. Their seat belt is so dirty that the sliding latch plate barely moves on the seat belt, so it was a little hard to get in securely, but I managed.

I've seen it where he's buckled a seat into the car but not bothered to lock the retractor before, but to not even attempt to buckle the seat belt?? Is it really that hard? When the girl rides in a booster, he also never double-checks to make sure she's buckled properly in that. And I have YET to see her properly buckler her booster without assistance even though she's been riding in a booster since she was three (she rides in a booster in one of my cars as well, and she does great now that she's older, but she always needs assistance to get the seat belt in the right place).

I know the dad thinks I'm a car seat nut (and I am), but at least he could try.

I'm going to have to have a talk with the mom, I guess. I know she tries. Maybe she can lean on him a little. They're going to have another baby and I'm hoping to at least convince them to RF the next one for a whole year. :mad:
 
ADS

tjham

New member
I hope the talk helps. But don't hold your breath!

It's sad that some people are so careless with their children's lives. :(
 

babygirlsmom1005

New member
The dad of the girl (age 5.5) I babysit picked her up today using a different car than usual. It's a Suburban. He had her get in through the front passenger seat and climb over the back to get in her car seat which was behind the driver's seat (why???).

I can't answer the rest, but Madeline gets in this way (just through the drivers side). It's easier to open one door, she climbs in and then climbs directly into her seat (center row, center seat). Marshall's seat is behind mine (drivers) and blocks her way to get in that way. So instead of her going to the other side of the vehicle (possibly by herself) or waiting for me to wrestle the tiny toddler into his seat, I just have her climb through - never has hurt anything and never has been a concern. Even when it was just one seat in there, she did this....totally not something I would voice a concern over.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
Even when it was just one seat in there, she did this....totally not something I would voice a concern over.

The reason I was concerned is because it doesn't give the driver any opportunity to even look at the car seat. To, for example, notice that the seat belt is hanging, limp and unbuckled, from the retractor.

And there was no reason whatsoever. Why not open the driver's side door and let her in that way? The driver has to get in on that side of the car anyway.

And we won't even talk about the condition of the car and all the projectiles...
 

JujuMama

New member
If the parents are that bad, maybe teach the child the important points. Like make sure the seat is buckled into the car, and if not then ask mom or dad to fix it.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
For a 5.5yo with carseat-uninvolved parents, I'd recommend a booster and teach the little girl how the belts should fit.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
I've been trying. She's been in a booster since she was almost three, and her parents never bothered to teach her how to buckle properly. She never gets the belt through the guides, either up top or on the bottom. She doesn't get it right in a LBB, either. In all honesty, she's not the brightest 5 year old I've ever known. :rolleyes:

Recently her dad was in the house while she was getting into her Turbobooster in the car he usually picks her up in. I said I'd go help her get buckled in and he said "she can do it herself." She's never been able to do it herself in my car, so I went out to check anyway. The belt wasn't through the top guide at all, and it was over the arm rest on the bottom, and it was twisted around three times. I helped her untwist it and put the belt through the shoulder guide, and she says "That's not how my dad does it." I told her that was how it was supposed to be. The next day when she came over, she said her dad had taken the back off the Turbobooster entirely (which is how it used to be since the booster was new, but I insisted on having the back when I borrowed it to use in my car for a while, so when I gave it back to them the back stayed on for a couple of weeks but apparently wasn't actually being used).

She does much better buckling herself into a 5 point harness. She uses a Radian in my car and gets herself in and out. I rarely have to fix it for her, although I always inspect.

The mom is just starting to become more aware. The dad... I don't know what his issue is. He's generally a nice guy and not this negligent in other ways. I think he just doesn't see car seats as important.
 

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