A bit of a vent

opaque1997 · May 23, 2012

Ok - being pregnant and on the pregnancy / new mom boards. Scary. I just read two different posts about people going from infant seats to boosters (now one was a nautalis so I'm hoping at least harnessed - but still ff)

I get tired of repeating myself - but hope that if I can educate at least one person then its worth it.

My fear is that I know how I feel when someone tells me 'how to raise my kid' so I'm trying to be clear to give them facts and state - based on these 20 things I've decided to do this - I'm a bit of a fanatic -but AAP recommends rear facing until 2 - and if you look at these resources.. etc.

Does anyone have a standard reply they use with links and such?

eddis · May 23, 2012

I just posted a similar question, re: handouts to give my son's nursery school teachers. You'd think they would be more familiar with car seat regs and best practices, since they deal with children all day, but not so much in this case.

Someone suggested this one-pager:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic Injury Control/Articles/Associated Files/4StepsFlyer.pdf

And I found another that addresses car seat myths and extended rear-facing:

http://www.newparent.com/parenting-101-featured/top-5-myths-rearfacing/

I'm meeting with my DS' teachers tomorrow for a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference, so I'll share it with them then. Good luck with your sharing!

opaque1997 · May 24, 2012

THANK YOU!

wendytthomas · May 24, 2012

http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/ is my standard answer.

Wendy

opaque1997 · May 24, 2012

Thanks - just sent the last one to my best friend who has told me that at 1 and 20 ilbs she's turning her little man (Ok he's not little at all as he's HUGE linebacker type) but at 1 he's still too young to ff iMO. I'm trying to let it go - its legal in wa state at that time and she's a mother of 3 - I'm trying to respect her choices. She's knows I'm unhappy with it.. but anyway.. thanks

eddis · May 24, 2012

wendytthomas said:
http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/ is my standard answer.

Wendy

Very comprehensive, thank you. I think I will keep a printout in the car (for me to remember all the statistics, when someone asks me about DS.

)

mlohry · May 25, 2012

There is only so much you can do...my neighbor does daycare for just a couple kids very off and on and the other day our other neighbor asked if she could watch her son, but he wasn't in the bucket anymore and it would be too much work to install his convertible so she was just going to put him in the FF stupid seat she has just for a short ride, (20 minutes each way thru major in town driving with old FL people drivers). He's only 8 months! I whispered to her, don't do that, it's illegal, she knows my car seat knowledge, and she just turned back to dad and said she could do it. I hoped she would get his seat, but she didn't, she drove him FF. I'm sorry I just could NOT live with myself if someone else's child was harmed that I was responsible for... Not sure what people think sometimes!

opaque1997 · May 25, 2012

I know and I try to hold my tongue - most people know my stance - and my best friend said - "I know you won't like this but He's getting flipped - I can handle it anymore"

Whats soo weird is the has him all the way reclined in a CA 65 and I told her - you can put that so much more upright now that he is older - and she said he was happier reclined (which makes no sense when you talk about moving him ff which is the reason??) - Anyway - I sent her the one pager listed here and said I promise - last I'll say - but do your research and decide.

Ultimately - its her choice - its her kid and its not against the law (When she will flip him) - I told her I needed to 'fight her a little' on it because I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.

The boards.. oh thats a whole other bag of worms - I am amazed that people know NOTHING about carseats and just assume.. I guess it has changed rather quickly (The best friend? She has a 6 year old - just think the rules back then based on the rules now.. it has changed a lot)

I just wish I wasn't soooo passionate about it - makes me crazy - seems like such an easy thing to do (Erf) for such a huge potential benifit.

bnsnyde · May 25, 2012

To add to your vent, the last seat check I went to (before I got certified myself), the tech told me she'd like to move my son FF. He was under 2 as he's still 2 now. He was over 12 months, maybe 14? His feet were touching the seat. Then they made a big ordeal about using noodles and getting him 45 degrees (my seat does not require that). After all that my husband could not drive the van with the seat so close. Ha!

So, that's my vent.

Oh, and we did move him back to a better angle in that seat and he's still RF, just in a different seat now.

joolsplus3 · May 25, 2012

Bare legal minimum to go FF in a Complete Air is age 1, 22 pounds, AND 34 inches tall. It might be too late to try to help her, but if you still have another chance to mention that politely, it might help her make a better choice.

whiteyacht · May 25, 2012

bnsnyde said:
To add to your vent, the last seat check I went to (before I got certified myself), the tech told me she'd like to move my son FF. He was under 2 as he's still 2 now. He was over 12 months, maybe 14? His feet were touching the seat. Then they made a big ordeal about using noodles and getting him 45 degrees (my seat does not require that). After all that my husband could not drive the van with the seat so close. Ha!

So, that's my vent.
Oh, and we did move him back to a better angle in that seat and he's still RF, just in a different seat now.

This is why I'm scared to go to a check. Worried they'll question why my 4 yo is still RFing!

wendytthomas · May 25, 2012

whiteyacht said:
This is why I'm scared to go to a check. Worried they'll question why my 4 yo is still RFing!

Or, bring your manual, ask for their sources, and educate them.

Wendy

macasa · May 25, 2012

It's so tough to see so many kids being put at risk....and everyone seems so clueless. It makes me crazy!

I would say 95% of the car seat use I see in friends, acquaintances, facebook pictures, is lacking......... and sometimes SEVERELY lacking.

I always want to say something but I really don't want to put everyone I know on the defense.

However, I did influence my best friend into turning her 18 month old back rear facing (after being forward facing immediately when she turned 1). So I felt like that was a small victory! I did check her installation randomly one day (with her permission!) and it was not installed even remotely tight enough. I fixed her up and educated her...... and she didn't even know about FF top tether use, she had never used a top tether, didn't even know what it was. I see so many people not using top tethers. There should really be more road stops by police and experienced techs for car seat checks. Sigh.

macasa · May 25, 2012

I also meant to mention that I think it is often the poor grandparents who really don't seem to have any idea how to install seats. We as parents have to figure out how to tactfully educate.

Example, my father in law wanted to do me a favor (he was just trying to be nice) and install the car seat base in my car for my newborn's infant seat. He placed the base in the middle seat, and then used the seatbelt from the OUTBOARD seat, stretched it all the way across and buckled it into the female end for the middle seat???!???? And also loosely attached the latch. Like 6 inches too loose on each side. It looked so crazy I should have taken a picture.

That said, I think the links people have posted are really helpful. Thanks everyone!

runnerchic77 · May 26, 2012

Most of my friends turn their kids as soon as they turn 1. Drives me crazy and I tried so hard to get them not too but they think I'm crazy. My 4.5 year old asked recently to go RF again, so I obliged. She told me it was so much more comfortable!

opaque1997 · Jun 1, 2012

joolsplus3 said:
Bare legal minimum to go FF in a Complete Air is age 1, 22 pounds, AND 34 inches tall. It might be too late to try to help her, but if you still have another chance to mention that politely, it might help her make a better choice.

I sent her some basic links and last I spoke to her she said she would likely rear face longer then a year .. I also offered to swap the CA with a radian to see if he liked it more (this is a big sacrifice as seats get nasty dirty in her car - however it kept him rear facing longer....)

Anyhoo - she said he just hates seats in general - I sent her one of the links above and I think my - I swear last time I say anything but I love him so much and would really be upset if something happened and I didn't press a little harder email may have worked!

opaque1997 · Jun 1, 2012

I'm soo passionate about it I feel like i should get certified - then provide my friends and such with that knowledge -however what I run into is some / most know that its recommended to go to age 2 - but they want to ignore it (for whatever reason) - I mentioned in my vanpool that I wanted to rear face until at least 3 (I have a radian - I know my stats in my car etc) and 2 moms were laughed and said - no way.

One said their legs would have no where to go - and I said - yeah - but if they've always sat rear facing they'll fold them indian style or just hang them over - they won't know any different - they both paused and said.. well thats true.. I feel like I should print some pics of kids ERF from the board (sure I can take the faces out if thats better) and share it with the vanpool - one of them I know is getting ready to deliver - has a 2 year old thats been ff for a year.. sigh

Brianna · Jun 1, 2012

You can always share this photo album with them- parents of these kids gave permission for the pics to be shared publicly http://www.photoshop.com/users/CarSeatsAreCool/albums/2a9fce7bbf5040bab2f8925bc7b7a2e4

And there's nothing wrong with wanting to get certified, or actually doing it

J'sMamaCC · Jun 1, 2012

wendytthomas said:
http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/ is my standard answer.

Wendy

I can't open any of these links??

wendytthomas · Jun 1, 2012

J'sMamaCC said:
I can't open any of these links??

They all worked for me. About a third are pdfs.

Wendy

A bit of a vent

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