I have visited this site before to get info and appreciated the advice I saw, and just joined! Sorry in advance for the long post- hoping to get some advice from like minded moms.
DS who is almost 6 is still in harness mode in a Frontier.
I have a Parkway as well for helping other moms out bringing kids to a game or something or to use when grandma picks him up. A few kids have already started to make comments about not wanting to go in the parkway - and they are only 5!!! I just say these are the seats that we have so please buckle up so we can get going and leave it at that. These kids are old enough and weigh enough to be in a backless booster, so it is personal parental choice.
So fast forward to a few days ago when a mom whose 4 year old daughter is super petite (no where near 40lb and 40" tall) asked if I could help her out next week. I let her know that I might be able to help out but had to check my schedule and that if I could I plan on using the frontier for her daughter and the parkway booster for my son if that was ok with her or she could give me DD carseat. She looked at me like I had two heads and said her daughter has been using a backless booster "forever" and was quite sure her daughter would not agree to ride in a "baby car seat". I was not sure what to say and what I wanted to say was not too appropriate so said I would get back to her and let her know if I could help out.
So there are two things:
1) DS was right next to us for the conversation and now wants to know why he is the only kid who has to use a baby seat. I let him know that that is the seat that we have for him in our cars and then turned the conversation into how the soccer game went but I know this will start coming up more - urgh!
2) So for the other mom, what do I do? I will not use the backless booster for her daughter in my car - it is also against our state law. For now I just texted her to let her know that I do not think I can help her out. I am infuriated that she made the baby seat comment in front of DS - so from that perspective I don't want to help , but am trying to let that part pass and focus on her daughter's safety. Maybe she really does not know you are supposed to be 4 AND 40lb to go to booster and also meet height requirements? And if she does and is choosing to ignore it and I the one one is supposed to call her out on it?
My husband thinks I should just say no this time and if she askes another time let her know I can't and hopefully she will not ask again. He thinks I should butt out and not give her unsolicited advice - he said no matter how I phrase it will sound like I am saying that she is not concerned about her daughter.
I appreciate this groups input on how to handle it - I feel like I am kind of alone in my area with keeping DS in harness mode when almost every one of his friends and classmates are in backless boosters - some that meet the weight, and many who don't...
DS who is almost 6 is still in harness mode in a Frontier.
I have a Parkway as well for helping other moms out bringing kids to a game or something or to use when grandma picks him up. A few kids have already started to make comments about not wanting to go in the parkway - and they are only 5!!! I just say these are the seats that we have so please buckle up so we can get going and leave it at that. These kids are old enough and weigh enough to be in a backless booster, so it is personal parental choice.
So fast forward to a few days ago when a mom whose 4 year old daughter is super petite (no where near 40lb and 40" tall) asked if I could help her out next week. I let her know that I might be able to help out but had to check my schedule and that if I could I plan on using the frontier for her daughter and the parkway booster for my son if that was ok with her or she could give me DD carseat. She looked at me like I had two heads and said her daughter has been using a backless booster "forever" and was quite sure her daughter would not agree to ride in a "baby car seat". I was not sure what to say and what I wanted to say was not too appropriate so said I would get back to her and let her know if I could help out.
So there are two things:
1) DS was right next to us for the conversation and now wants to know why he is the only kid who has to use a baby seat. I let him know that that is the seat that we have for him in our cars and then turned the conversation into how the soccer game went but I know this will start coming up more - urgh!
2) So for the other mom, what do I do? I will not use the backless booster for her daughter in my car - it is also against our state law. For now I just texted her to let her know that I do not think I can help her out. I am infuriated that she made the baby seat comment in front of DS - so from that perspective I don't want to help , but am trying to let that part pass and focus on her daughter's safety. Maybe she really does not know you are supposed to be 4 AND 40lb to go to booster and also meet height requirements? And if she does and is choosing to ignore it and I the one one is supposed to call her out on it?
My husband thinks I should just say no this time and if she askes another time let her know I can't and hopefully she will not ask again. He thinks I should butt out and not give her unsolicited advice - he said no matter how I phrase it will sound like I am saying that she is not concerned about her daughter.
I appreciate this groups input on how to handle it - I feel like I am kind of alone in my area with keeping DS in harness mode when almost every one of his friends and classmates are in backless boosters - some that meet the weight, and many who don't...