Nedra
Car-Seat.org Ambassador
Just got back from our 12 month well visit. On the survey that we fill out before the doctor enters, there was a question about whether we had our child in a rear-facing seat (and under it it stated the AAP rec as a reminder). Then, on the handout there was also a section with a few car seat recommendations, when I looked more closely at the wording, I noticed that this is how it was phrased:
Your child should be in a rear-facing car seat until he is 2 years of age AND reaches the height or weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
I was surprised -- not only that it was phrased with an and, instead of an or, but that the and was capitalized! Normally, I hear the recommendation stated as "Keep your child rear-facing until two years old or until they outgrow the rear-facing limits of their seat." To me, this is confusing because it makes it sound like you can pick whichever recommendation you prefer.
I love this -- I think it makes the recommendation so much clearer! I feel like parents hear "2 years old or until they outgrow their rear-facing car seat" and figure that once their kid outgrows an infant seat or a low-limit convertible, they're ready for a FF car seat. I know more than one set of parents who are fine with buying a low-limit convertible for their huge kids because they figure the lower the limits, the faster they'll outgrow the seat and they'll be able to FF them with no guilt because they outgrew their seat.
I LOVE that my pediatrician's office phrased it as an "AND." I think it makes the recommendation so much clearer, and it mirrors the "and" in the "1 year AND 20 lbs" legal minimum, so parents are more familiar with this phrasing and what it means.
I know that there will be some parents who, despite buying the seat with the highest limits they could afford and that fit their vehicle, will still not be able to get their kid to 2 years old and will have to get clarification on the recommendation (that they should forward-face rather than have a rear-facing kid in an outgrown seat). But if it keeps the vast majority of kids rear-facing longer and gets parents of big kids to ask questions when they aren't sure what to do, then I think it is totally worth it!
Your child should be in a rear-facing car seat until he is 2 years of age AND reaches the height or weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
I was surprised -- not only that it was phrased with an and, instead of an or, but that the and was capitalized! Normally, I hear the recommendation stated as "Keep your child rear-facing until two years old or until they outgrow the rear-facing limits of their seat." To me, this is confusing because it makes it sound like you can pick whichever recommendation you prefer.
I love this -- I think it makes the recommendation so much clearer! I feel like parents hear "2 years old or until they outgrow their rear-facing car seat" and figure that once their kid outgrows an infant seat or a low-limit convertible, they're ready for a FF car seat. I know more than one set of parents who are fine with buying a low-limit convertible for their huge kids because they figure the lower the limits, the faster they'll outgrow the seat and they'll be able to FF them with no guilt because they outgrew their seat.
I LOVE that my pediatrician's office phrased it as an "AND." I think it makes the recommendation so much clearer, and it mirrors the "and" in the "1 year AND 20 lbs" legal minimum, so parents are more familiar with this phrasing and what it means.
I know that there will be some parents who, despite buying the seat with the highest limits they could afford and that fit their vehicle, will still not be able to get their kid to 2 years old and will have to get clarification on the recommendation (that they should forward-face rather than have a rear-facing kid in an outgrown seat). But if it keeps the vast majority of kids rear-facing longer and gets parents of big kids to ask questions when they aren't sure what to do, then I think it is totally worth it!