Why don't people listen?

lorismurph

Senior Community Member
Just got a call from my BIL. He wanted to know how to re-route the LATCH strap in his EFTA from RF to FF. "We're going to FF him for our trip" The baby is only 14 months old! I've talked to them countless times, sent them ALL the movies, links, etc. I even got them to buy seats that would get them to 2 RF (longer if they wanted) and then harnessed until at least 4 (their oldest is almost 4, hopefully, they aren't in a huge hurry to move him, he has a Nautilus and a Maestro).

I just want to cry, especially with Anne's story. Horrible things can happen on long trips. I bought a new seat to re-RF my dd when she was 3 so we could go on vacation.

Sorry, vent over.
 
ADS

sparkle3116

New member
I used to nanny for someone who was a well-respected scientist, well-versed in research methodology, etc. . She read some of the research on FF vs RF and decided to turn her child FF at one year. (Though I think it was before the new AAP recommendation came out).

She understood that RF was safer, but she felt that the benefits of FF (child being able to look at her, less hassle in/out) for her outweighed the increased risk.

I guess my point is that some people FF early because they don't know any better and some people choose to do it in spite of the risks.

It sounds like you have done your best to educate your BIL, but ultimately it's his decision as a parent and you have to try to let yourself off the hook for his parenting choices.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I think most people think it will not happen to them, so the risk is worth incurring.

If it's any comfort, they're right. Statistically, it's likely NOT to happen on any given trip.

The problem is that when it DOES happen, the consequences, the cost, can be much higher than most people expect. That's why we have a different view of the risk- it's a small risk per trip to be unsafe, but IF you hit the odds that one time that you're not being as safe as possible, if the bullet is in that particular chamber when you pull the trigger in this game of Russian Roulette, the cost could be horrible. It could be a child's life, or ability to walk for the rest of his/her life, etc.

So, probably nothing will happen this time. Probably. If it does, at least you know you did everything you could to prevent it. At least you know that if they, not you, made that choice, they knew the risks at least in theory, and that you made sure that if they were going to do something risky they did it in the least risky way possible...

After all, a child in any correctly installed and used seat, even a FF 14 month old, is so, so much safer than the majority of kids on the road. So you did your best to convince him, and absent that, you did your best to make sure this child is as safe as possible FF. You have done what you could, and most likely nothing will happen anyway.

Besides, they may decide that baby sleeps better RF and call you asking how to turn the seat back around halfway through, you never know!
 

Ninetales

New member
The only convenience I see in FF is the installation of the seat. Elsa has to FF when we ride with my mom because I won't move the Radian around and she's 40 lbs. It's more annoying to get her in because she can't climb in herself, and it's more annoying to adjust the harness (we switch between cloth and paper diapers so we can't really leave the straps at one tightness). And RF just seems more comfortable for sleeping. She also doesn't drop all her stuff on the floor.

I never get the convenience factor in FF.
 

Brianna

New member
FF is a pain for trips. They drop everything. At least when RF you can just pass things over the top of the seat, and they can keep their toys or sippy cup right on their lap.

Sent from my DROID4 using Car-Seat.Org
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
maybe remind them of the AAP saying children need to rearface until at least two... that the carseat companies just haven't changed their minimums yet to reflect it (god I hope they will)
 

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