Just go ahead with a booster?

I have posted about this before but I wanted to get opinions again now that I can get a Maestro for cheap.

My little sister is 4 years, 4 months. She is small. About 33 pounds (in undies) and around 38 inches or so maybe 39?. Right now she rides in a GN as her main seat and a RA50 as a spare seat.

My mom never straps her correctly. He straps are always hanging off her shoulders and twisted. She always wears a big puffy coat. They really just don't care about car seat safety at all. The RA50 is taken in and out constantly so my great grandmother can ride in the car and is never top tethered or installed correctly (unless I do it and then they take it out with in a week). The GN is installed correctly and top tethered.

Originally, I was thinking of getting her the $40 Maestro from Target to replace the RA50 as I think it would be easy to get her in and out of but I worry it would be a waste since they won't use it right. Would it makes more sense just to get her a booster? I worry about getting a turbo booster because I have read they fall apart easy and I would be worried that they would use backless or rig it up some other way and use it. Maybe the harmony highback or amp high back?

Any ideas or suggestions? Maestro or booster or just let them figure it out?

Tough situation At 4, a properly used booster is safer than an improperly used harnessed seat, provided she meets the minimums of the booster. I would choose a booster that doesn't fall apart.

I somewhat disagree w/Brianna. Sorry Brianna.

She's not even 4.5 yrs old and she doesn't even weigh 35 lbs. If you give them a booster for the other car, they will probably then get rid of the Nauti or switch it to booster mode. I think it makes an awful booster for kids that size, although some folks have had good luck w/it, so I would be really concerned about that. I also don't think they'll use the booster any more correctly than the carseat....this isn't a grandma who can't buckle the straps or anything like that. This is just being ignorant.

At 4.5 yrs old, I think you could probably teach your little sister better than your parents. Buy the Maestro (I do think it might be easier for getting in and out of, but make sure she can buckle herself). Show her how to buckle herself in and put the straps over her shoulders and put the chest clip where it goes.

You could even show her how to pull the sides and front of her coat out from under the harness before and after it's buckled. I taught my kids how to put their hoods up first, get in the seat, pull the shoulder straps over, buckle the crotch buckle then the chest clip, and pull their jackets out from under (they aren't wearing heavy, puffy jackets). It isn't likely you're going to convince your mom if you haven't yet, but at least your lil sis will be safer than before. Also, puffy jackets don't belong a/booster seats either (or on any of us really in the car...). There's best practice and what's safest....and then there's what you can convince someone to do, what they are most likely to do, and what's safer than before...it's a tough call.

The booster option isn't a terrible option...at least the lap belt portion would likely be right and there's no "installation" to worry about. But it also has serious potential for misuse in this situation....such as attitude ("aw..come on...it's for 3 miles and all it does is hold the seatbelt--what's the big deal?"), putting the lap and/or shoulder belt *over* the armrests (you'll have to train your lil sis to make sure that is *under* the armrests and correct for herself, as well), lil sis putting the shoulder belt behind her back and them not teaching her, and them not using the shoulder belt guides (pretty similar to the shoulder harness being off her shoulders, although the lap belt may be tight enough to keep her contained w/the booster..who knows??)

Not an easy position to be in...I'm sorry. She's lucky she has you looking out for her. Can you give your mom some info to read or a video?

FWIW-Many years ago I deliberately scared my niece to teach her to sit correctly in her booster....and told her that if she didn't, I would put her back in a harnessed seat (would have been tough at the time to have really kept that threat, considering her size at the time!). I drove to a deserted parking lot, sped up a little (less than 20 mph), and hit the brakes pretty good--probably harder than she had ever experienced, but not enough to hurt us. Her seat belt locked, she got a tiny bit jostled, and it startled the daylights out of her. Then I asked her where she thought she'd be right now if she hadn't been buckled in correctly and if she thought she could be hurt. She thought she might have fallen in the floor or hit the seat in front of her. I asked her where she might be if another car hit us on the side or if the car went over sideways. She figured it out pretty quickly. She was barely 5 yrs old.

henrietta said:

I somewhat disagree w/Brianna. Sorry Brianna.

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I don't mind it I don't know OP or her family, but the people I know who don't harness properly aren't likely to care what the child says about it not being right, and after years of being strapped in like that the child wouldn't care either. I shouldn't have assumed that would be the case here without giving other suggestions

i was in that situation, though not full time. I put 4.5 year old 30 pound Piper in a booster when I had knee surgery, couldn't drive, and had no one I trusted to install seats. It was better than the alternative.

Wendy

Sorry you're in such a tough spot, but you are a great big sister!

I would agree with the suggestion of trying to teach your sister to buckle herself. She may or may not have the hand strength, but I would try it first. Promise her a treat if she gets it and have a practice session. If she can get herself buckled, than straighten up her straps and tighten them to the proper setting. See if she can still buckle herself (it's harder than with loose straps). If she can do it and gets used to be buckled correctly, she'll notice when something is wrong (like twisted straps, or too loose, etc.) and she can hopefully ask for it to be fixed.

Brianna said:

I don't mind it I don't know OP or her family, but the people I know who don't harness properly aren't likely to care what the child says about it not being right, and after years of being strapped in like that the child wouldn't care either. I shouldn't have assumed that would be the case here without giving other suggestions

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That is so true--they're not going to listen to the child, but if the child's sister helps her learn how to do it for herself, the parents won't be hearing about it anyways. They'll just be glad that they don't have to fool with it.

I wouldn't teach her to argue w/her parents, b/c I don't want anyone to punish her for trying to do the right thing. However, sometimes a little education can go a long way.

Kids CAN be taught to care, even at a young age, even w/o being scared to death. It can make a difference, even if it only means that when she's 5 or 6, she doesn't bug her parents to let her go without a booster. THAT could be a lifesaver in a wreck. Even if it only plants a seed in her head, it matters.

henrietta

I wish there was a convertible and combo with the auto tightening straps like on the Summer Infant Prodigy.

Thats a rough situation. I agree that a booster would be safer.

I just got a $40 maestro and I'm taking it back. I had a lot of trouble doing the buckles. My almost five year old and seven year old could not do them (or undo them) at all. I don't know if this is typical of all maestros are if we got one with messed up buckles. I didn't want to be forced into crawling into the back of our minivan every single time we get in the car. Anyways, if this is typical of maestros, I don't know that I would recommend it for someone who doesn't want to mess with carseats.

henrietta said:

At 4.5 yrs old, I think you could probably teach your little sister better than your parents. Buy the Maestro (I do think it might be easier for getting in and out of, but make sure she can buckle herself). Show her how to buckle herself in and put the straps over her shoulders and put the chest clip where it goes.

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The thing is, I am not sure I could teach my little sister. She is very stubborn is is so used to the loose straps and "belly" clip that she gets really upset when she is with me and I try to strap her in correctly. She says the its too tight and that the chest clip is choking her

I just don't know what to do. I really want her to be safe but I just don't see that happening. They are already talking about taking her out of a booster when she is 8 (the law here) and think its crazy that my niece who is almost 2 1/2 is still RF (and we haven't told them she is staying that way until she doesn't fit!). They just honestly don't care about car seats, well except that she is in the middle

I guess I will talk with my mom about it tomorrow if I see her and see how she feels about it and possibly use that as a way to bring up my concerns about their car seat usage one more time and see if she is more receptive.

Are there any videos or anything that talk about not adjusting the straps right?

Thanks!

Somebody posted a link showing misuse crash tests, I can't remember who posted it or in what thread. I do have it bookmarked at my work computer so if nobody else has linked it for you by then I can in the morning.

kdkm said:

The thing is, I am not sure I could teach my little sister. She is very stubborn is is so used to the loose straps and "belly" clip that she gets really upset when she is with me and I try to strap her in correctly. She says the its too tight and that the chest clip is choking her

I just don't know what to do. I really want her to be safe but I just don't see that happening. They are already talking about taking her out of a booster when she is 8 (the law here) and think its crazy that my niece who is almost 2 1/2 is still RF (and we haven't told them she is staying that way until she doesn't fit!). They just honestly don't care about car seats, well except that she is in the middle

I guess I will talk with my mom about it tomorrow if I see her and see how she feels about it and possibly use that as a way to bring up my concerns about their car seat usage one more time and see if she is more receptive.

Are there any videos or anything that talk about not adjusting the straps right?

Thanks!

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It's always worth a try. You may be risking really alienating your Mom, but it may be worthwhile for your little sis's life. :hug: It may be worth a try w/some very explicit explanations of what could happen or videos. My friend honestly didn't think much about all their misuse (and it was really bad, like you Mom, but sometimes worse, like the seat wasn't even installed and no one noticed...or it fell completely over...). It took me a whole year...I even broke down and cried and asked her if it was really her subconscious attempt to get rid of her kids (which I totally know it's not...but it really woke her up when I pointed out that on any given day NONE of her kids were likely to be uninjured in a crash).

Try making a new post asking for links to videos and handouts on child passenger safety, esp about misuse and loose straps. They are here somewhere. I lost all my old links when my computer crashed.

At least the GN in the main car is installed properly. Good job on that!

And one thing to check...if she is going to switch her into a booster, does the middle seat have a shoulder belt? Boosters MUST be used w/a shoulder belt.

hths and good luck! You just do the best you can do.

henrietta

Links:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5cUY9vUw70&feature=player_embedded"]Car Seat Safety - YouTube[/ame]

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=95799

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=116272

kdkm said:

The thing is, I am not sure I could teach my little sister. She is very stubborn is is so used to the loose straps and "belly" clip that she gets really upset when she is with me and I try to strap her in correctly. She says the its too tight and that the chest clip is choking her

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That's too bad. If talking with your mom doesn't work out, than maybe try the Nauti in booster mode and see how it fits?

I don't think these were covered in Henrietta's links- it never hurts to have more to pick from http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1557382 Click on the crash test picture to watch the video.