Nedra
Car-Seat.org Ambassador
I always thought of my parents as nearly-perfect. When they expressed surprise at some of my car-seat info (how long kids stay in car seats these days, etc), I figured it was just because things had changed so much, but that they had followed best practices of the time and been well-informed. As a kid I remembered them reading lots of parenting books and discussing parenting with their friends, etc.
I also remember riding in a car seat, so I figured my parents had followed all the best practices of the time.
So imagine my surprise when I found out last weekend that when they brought my sister home from the hospital, it was in a cardboard box -- placed on the floor behind the passenger seat for stability.
At first I thought they were joking. That this must have been a device that was box-like, but was actually a car-bed because my sister was premature. No, it was the kind of box that you use to package reams of paper. In fact, my dad had brought it home from the office for this purpose.
So then I asked if he had brought it home in a hurry -- because they had been planning to buy a car seat, but because my sister came early they didn't have time? No. In fact, they didn't even think of it until their friend came to drive my mom and sister to the pediatrician and looked in their car and said, "uh...where's your car seat?"
I am in a total shock. When my MIL told me that they'd bought the car seat the day that she went into labor with her first, I thought that was really risky! Clearly my own parents were even less aware! I still can't believe that they went through the trouble of procuring a cardboard box in advance of my sister's arrival and placing it in a (relatively) secure location in the car, but didn't pick up a car seat. In 1981 they weren't unheard of, from what I can tell.
As my mom said, I am lucky I was the second child.
I also remember riding in a car seat, so I figured my parents had followed all the best practices of the time.
So imagine my surprise when I found out last weekend that when they brought my sister home from the hospital, it was in a cardboard box -- placed on the floor behind the passenger seat for stability.
At first I thought they were joking. That this must have been a device that was box-like, but was actually a car-bed because my sister was premature. No, it was the kind of box that you use to package reams of paper. In fact, my dad had brought it home from the office for this purpose.
So then I asked if he had brought it home in a hurry -- because they had been planning to buy a car seat, but because my sister came early they didn't have time? No. In fact, they didn't even think of it until their friend came to drive my mom and sister to the pediatrician and looked in their car and said, "uh...where's your car seat?"
I am in a total shock. When my MIL told me that they'd bought the car seat the day that she went into labor with her first, I thought that was really risky! Clearly my own parents were even less aware! I still can't believe that they went through the trouble of procuring a cardboard box in advance of my sister's arrival and placing it in a (relatively) secure location in the car, but didn't pick up a car seat. In 1981 they weren't unheard of, from what I can tell.
As my mom said, I am lucky I was the second child.
