should I be ok with "safe enough" in grandparent car

So its rare that my MIL drives either of my kids but in the event it needs to happen I put my evenflo triumph in her car. Since its easy to adjust the straps I knew it would work for her using it for my 3.5 year old, his 3.5 year old cousin, and technically my little one (21 months). I am kinda ok with my 3+ year old riding ff in a properly installed seat (he is still rf in our cars) but am I being overly crazy about being hesitant about my younger one? My family already thinks im nuts and tells me to turn around my older son all of the time. Before my evenflo was in her car, she was driving my nephew with only a backless booster!

how do you handle your kids riding with other people?
Sorry.... I didnt know what section to post this.

I would not be ok with a child under 2 ff. Only you can decide if you are ok with it. If you don't need your mil to drive your children then just don't have her drive the little one. If you do need her to, I'd install the seat rf and tell her to use it that way.

I would probably keep switching the seat around or moving another back and forth until at least 2.

I would not be ok with that either. I would install a seat if your 2 year old rides with grandma or put the Evenflo in rearfacing for everyone. I rearface until 4 and while my parents are not vocal about questioning it, I know they would not do that if it was their choice.

When my parents asked if my 3 year old could switch to ff in their car, I thought about it and questioned it the same as you--is "safe enough" ok? I decided that, for me, if I am not ok with turning my child ff full-time in my car, then I am not ok with doing it in any car. My parents graciously accepted that answer even though they would prefer ff seats in their car.

However, 4 is just my personal preference. I think it is awesome to rf until 2 or 3 as well. I think whatever your personal minimum is, then go with that in grandmas car and don't worry about what she thinks about it.

Unless its an absolute emergency, and that hasn't happened yet, than its my way or no way when it comes to transporting my kids.

JKC said:

So its rare that my MIL drives either of my kids but in the event it needs to happen I put my evenflo triumph in her car. Since its easy to adjust the straps I knew it would work for her using it for my 3.5 year old, his 3.5 year old cousin, and technically my little one (21 months). I am kinda ok with my 3+ year old riding ff in a properly installed seat (he is still rf in our cars) but am I being overly crazy about being hesitant about my younger one? My family already thinks im nuts and tells me to turn around my older son all of the time. Before my evenflo was in her car, she was driving my nephew with only a backless booster!

how do you handle your kids riding with other people?
Sorry.... I didnt know what section to post this.

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The way we handled it with our kids is that we installed our car seats in any vehicle our children would be riding in. With one of our car seats with a lower rear-facing limit, we did put our DS in the seat in the forward-facing position for the babysitter's car at 2yo. But she was only driving him for short distances once or twice a week. We put our car seats in my parent's car when they were going to be driving our children. My children have never been in a vehicle with my in-laws driving.

With your situation, how rare is rare? If you have the seat installed forward-facing for your MIL and it is really just an emergency, back up seat for your baby, then I would be okay knowing the seat will be forward-facing. During that emergency, rarely happens situation, I think the properly installed forward-facing seat for a short drive would be safer than a poorly installed rear-facing seat.

If your MIL is driving the baby every week or two, then I would want the child in a rear-facing seat. I would probably see about getting another seat so one car seat is installed rear-facing.

Or would it be possible for you to flip the seat to the rear-facing position when your MIL is using the seat for your baby? If the "rare" is once a month, this might be a feasible option.

I wouldn't be okay with it for a baby under 2 at all. If it were truly an emergency, an ambulance would be in order lol! Just kidding. After 2 I'd probably be okay with a very occasional ride if it was really necessary.

lpperry, that is great that your parents respect the parenting decision you've made to rf to 4! Mine don't say anything either, but I know a lot of people hear griping from their family like the OP. My kids don't ride with anyone else except for a few times a year while visiting the in-laws. In those situations, I try to make it as safe as possible without seeming to be outwardly anal about it. MIL told me how easy it was to install the ff harnessed seat she has (a graco something that i'm not familiar with). Turns out all she did was buckle it in like you'd buckle a passenger. The belt wasn't locked or anything!!! I would definitely install my kids seats if they were going to ride with her, but she's not fussy so it wouldn't be a big thing.