Question what would you do?

SAHDADDY · Oct 21, 2011

so my YDD is is 2.75years (will be 3 jan 15) she is 35-36lbs 36inches tall. Currently she rides RFing in a RNXTSL. she complains 9 out of 10 trips getting in her seat(like makes a huge battle of it). i started letting her ride in her sister seat FF when Sadie is not in the car, the only time that is is on the 5min trip after dropping ODD off at preschool and then back to pick her up

i'm considering just turning her FF (had hopped to get 3or older RFing)

WWYD?

carseatcoach · Oct 21, 2011

That's a call only you can make. I would continue to RF a 2yo and just brace myself for the battles (and not let her in the FF seat at all), but what works for my family may not work for every family. If you came into a carseat clinic and told me you wanted to FF a 2.75yo, I would not argue with you about it.

mominabigtruck · Oct 21, 2011

At 36lbs and 2.5 years old she would be just fine ffing. You have already done better then 90% of other parents out there so there is nothing at all to feel guilty about.
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Judi · Oct 21, 2011

You have done really well. But for me, I wouldn't let a 2 year old tell me what to do.

VoodooChile · Oct 21, 2011

She's a few months older than my ds, but he went through a "throwing a rf fit" phase a few months back. It was really unpleasant, but he did quit doing it after a few weeks.

murphydog77 · Oct 21, 2011

Does/can she say why she's unhappy? I'd try to make it to 3, but be open to turning her if there's a valid reason. I wouldn't turn it into a battle of the wills.

bnsnyde · Oct 21, 2011

What DO I do to get my 2-year-old into his seat? You don't want to know, lol!

Last time I told him to hurry before a bee came in the van, and then a giant bee actually swarmed around my head! Not using that threat again.
He is not quite 2.5 and 37 inches and 31 lbs. We're going to RF until he doesn't fit in the Radian (right now in Advocate). Not that that's what everyone would do, but for us it works. Just so long as the bees stay away.

(But he just hates being told what to do, direction of seat not an issue. Once he's in, he's fine.)

skylinphoto · Oct 21, 2011

My 3 year old really hates our radian. I bought her a myride and she doesn't complain at all anymore. I don't know why she hated the radian..she had plenty of legroom and it wasn't too reclined. She just kept saying "I don't like this seat"..But, whatever the reason, she was happier in a different seat.

I personally wouldn't turn a 2 yr old ffing just because they're uncooperative. However, making it to almost 3 is fantastic.

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rachelandtyke · Oct 21, 2011

skylinphoto said:
I personally wouldn't turn a 2 yr old ffing just because they're uncooperative. However, making it to almost 3 is fantastic.

:yeahthat:

SAHDADDY · Oct 22, 2011

i think i'm going to just fight it out with her for another month and see if anything changes. i really want to get to at least 3

An Aurora · Oct 22, 2011

It's totally up to you. I would not stress about a child that age FF. I'm a huge proponent of ERF, but I'm also in favor of decreasing stress, and thus I turned my youngest FF at 2. His sisters RF'd until 4, but he's a complainer and kicks his sisters in the face, so FF he went, and it certainly made the trips easier. That said, he went RF again as soon as we hit freezing temps, as I know it's so much safer and we are in much more danger of getting in a crash during nasty weather.

StillThankful · Oct 22, 2011

Hi SAHDADDY!

I faced that same dillemma when DD1 was 3 years old. She really wanted to FF ! I made the mistake to let her FF for a trip to the post office after checking her installing her RNXTSL FF to see whether it would install rock solid in our van.

After that errand, I re-rfd her carseat and she asked me almost every day for about a month if she could turn around to ff.

Like you, I posted on here to get some guidance on what to do.

Well, I received great advice--someone on here told me to purchase a stuffed animal that has velcro hands and attach it to the back of the seat so she can play with it.

Maybe that can help your situation?

NannyMom · Oct 22, 2011

carseatcoach said:
That's a call only you can make. I would continue to RF a 2yo and just brace myself for the battles (and not let her in the FF seat at all), but what works for my family may not work for every family. If you came into a carseat clinic and told me you wanted to FF a 2.75yo, I would not argue with you about it.

:yeahthat:
In my car, she would absolutely remain rear facing.

gsdguenter · Oct 22, 2011

I also would keep rfing BUT once DD1 turned 4 and asked to ride in her RSTV (that I had actually bought for friends we were bringing to play dates or home prom preschool) I decided to let her ride in it on Saturdays to and from ballet.

She knows that's the only time she can ff and if she asks during the week I just remind her she knows what day she is allowed to ff and it helps. Not saying she doesn't argue, but it helps.

But, she is 4. I am a huge ERF proponent so my rule was buy any seat possible to stay rf until at least 4. Not saying that works for you though, kwim.

At her age, I think it might be confusing to let her ff in Sadie's seat sometimes and not others. I'd just rf her always. But I could be off base, so feel free to ignore

cookie123 · Oct 22, 2011

I would want to rearface to the max of the seat, as is recommended. I can't believe your baby is getting on to 3 already!

I'm probably just lucky. Matthew didn't give me any issues about rear facing, even after he was ff in all the other cars he was riding in. Actually he's a pretty mellow kid.

SignCuer · Oct 22, 2011

Agreed with the posts about continue RFing... 2-3 years old toddlers tend to have strong opinions about everything lol! They obviously don't like been told what to do so they will fight you on it.

Personally, I would keep her RFing and not put her in the FF seat at all because its more confusing to her. Cuz no 2 year old should tell u what to do regards to safety, but that's my opinion.

Cognito* · Oct 22, 2011

I'm curious about the reason for her fits too. Typical 2yr old tantrum? Not a chance. Expressing pain or able to voice other issues? Maybe.

My now 3yr old has some SN which are definitely not the norm, but explains my maybe answer. At that same age he started telling us he was in pain on a regular basis. He has restless legs from low iron stores (still working on that), severe anxiety (requiring meds & therapy), GERD (already on multiple meds) & other things going on. He'd get stuck in a vicious cycle of his legs hurting which increased his anxiety & then his reflux was worse. He freezes when anxious so he couldn't wiggle his legs which helps with the restless feeling. So then he regressed in the progress we made elsewhere... So he has been primarily FF since then.

mominabigtruck · Oct 22, 2011

I totally don't understand the logic of letting a child ride ffing in one seat or car and making them rf in another. To me it's along the same lines as buying a top of the line seat for one vehicle and a scenera for another. If you feel that your child is safer rfing, rfing tethered, or with sip then why wouldn't you do that in all vehicles.

Just my .02, I've said this before and I always get flamed for it but that's how I feel. I'm not saying one or the other is safer or safest but if you feel it is then why wouldn't you do it for every ride, all the time.
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gsdguenter · Oct 22, 2011

mominabigtruck said:
I totally don't understand the logic of letting a child ride ffing in one seat or car and making them rf in another. To me it's along the same lines as buying a top of the line seat for one vehicle and a scenera for another. If you feel that your child is safer rfing, rfing tethered, or with sip then why wouldn't you do that in all vehicles.

Just my .02, I've said this before and I always get flamed for it but that's how I feel. I'm not saying one or the other is safer or safest but if you feel it is then why wouldn't you do it for every ride, all the time.
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Sometimes a seat won't fit rfing in one car so you get a ff seat for that car. Or, perhaps you need to outfit 3 cars (like me) and you can't afford to buy expensive or fancy ERF seats for all three cars, so you buy the best you can, and sometimes that ends up being an RNXTSL in one car and then a ff or rf if they fit Scenera in another car, kwim.

Cognito* · Oct 22, 2011

mominabigtruck said:
I totally don't understand the logic of letting a child ride ffing in one seat or car and making them rf in another. To me it's along the same lines as buying a top of the line seat for one vehicle and a scenera for another. If you feel that your child is safer rfing, rfing tethered, or with sip then why wouldn't you do that in all vehicles.

Just my .02, I've said this before and I always get flamed for it but that's how I feel. I'm not saying one or the other is safer or safest but if you feel it is then why wouldn't you do it for every ride, all the time.
Posted via Mobile Device

If only life were that simple. Sometimes you have to make the best of what resources you have or the situation you're presented.

Do I prefer to have my 3yr old RF? Yes. I'd also prefer he didn't have physical & mental health issues, but that is out of my hands. I do the best I can to keep him safe & improve his quality of life.

I hope you never find yourself in a situation where you have to make those kinds of tough choices.

Question what would you do?

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