carseatfreak
New member
I ventured 40 minutes to the other side of the city we live near yesterday to get my 2 kiddos rear facing in MA's and 1 child in a turbobooster checked at an event yesterday. I waited in line over 30 minutes...and spent less than 10 minutes at the actual check. I was SO disappointed! I haven't had the seats checked since they were in infant seats. I feel I do pretty good but I'm sure there are things I miss.
Started with the tech weighing my oldest dd. Had her sit in the booster and buckle herself. She looked perfect. Asked the tech at what point my oldest dd could graduate to the adult belt (mainly so my dd would here). She said 4'9" or when her feet rest on the floor. That was quick. Then wrote down the model numbers on the MA's...looked at how they were installed (latch), said kids should rear face to the max of the seat, and pretty much said that was it. Asked if I had any questions. I was just stunned I think. I did ask about one of my rear facing tethers. She asked me to get out my vehicle manual...I told her it doesn't say anything about rear facing tether points. She said she needed to go get her latch manual. Then she came back and said she talked to the 'expert' and it can be tethered to any part of the front seat. Huh?!?! I didn't think that was true. She said the 'expert' also said this is the only brand you can tether this way (rear). I told her you can also rear face tether a sunshine kids radian (we have those in dh's car). She said 'I've never heard of that seat...what kind did you say'. I was just ticked at that point. Seriously?!!? Maybe I totally expected too much. How do checks usually go. Did I just get a bad one? All the other cars around me had seats out of the car inspecting them. I filled out this survey while waiting in line that asked about my kiddos and there was over 2 pages of questions that looked like they would address. She never touched my convertible seats...let alone checked to see if the harnesses were tight (and never said anything about my mirrors I have for rear facing).
If it 'looks' like someone is doing it all right do you not really check them?
Ugh...should I try again somewhere else or assume I'm doing it all right?
Thanks for listening this far...I was really excited actually to get my installs checked and see what I should be doing better.
Started with the tech weighing my oldest dd. Had her sit in the booster and buckle herself. She looked perfect. Asked the tech at what point my oldest dd could graduate to the adult belt (mainly so my dd would here). She said 4'9" or when her feet rest on the floor. That was quick. Then wrote down the model numbers on the MA's...looked at how they were installed (latch), said kids should rear face to the max of the seat, and pretty much said that was it. Asked if I had any questions. I was just stunned I think. I did ask about one of my rear facing tethers. She asked me to get out my vehicle manual...I told her it doesn't say anything about rear facing tether points. She said she needed to go get her latch manual. Then she came back and said she talked to the 'expert' and it can be tethered to any part of the front seat. Huh?!?! I didn't think that was true. She said the 'expert' also said this is the only brand you can tether this way (rear). I told her you can also rear face tether a sunshine kids radian (we have those in dh's car). She said 'I've never heard of that seat...what kind did you say'. I was just ticked at that point. Seriously?!!? Maybe I totally expected too much. How do checks usually go. Did I just get a bad one? All the other cars around me had seats out of the car inspecting them. I filled out this survey while waiting in line that asked about my kiddos and there was over 2 pages of questions that looked like they would address. She never touched my convertible seats...let alone checked to see if the harnesses were tight (and never said anything about my mirrors I have for rear facing).
If it 'looks' like someone is doing it all right do you not really check them?
Ugh...should I try again somewhere else or assume I'm doing it all right?
Thanks for listening this far...I was really excited actually to get my installs checked and see what I should be doing better.
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