Safety week at dd's school

kangato2roos

New member
Dd came home from school yesterday all riled up. She stomped her way out of the building with her arms crossed on her chest and a scowl on her face. This is highly unusual for her as she loves school and is generally a happy child, although a bit of a drama queen.

It is safety week at school and yesterday they had a police officer come to talk to all the first grade classes (4 in all, about 80 kids total) about ways to be safe. She ranted, the whole way home, about this police officer. She said he told her lots of good stuff, but when he got to being safe in the car he just didn't know what he was talking about. She told me EVERYTHING. Apparently he told the kids to always buckle their seatbelts, to sit in the back seat, and that because they were all 6 now, they didn't need booster seats anymore. He apparently "forgot" about the law that went into effect in July that kids need a booster until 8 (yay Virginia! Progress is made!). She raised her hand and told him he was WRONG!

Ever the outspoken 6 year old, the conversation apparently followed this line. She told him he was wrong and all the kids still needed a booster because they were shorter than her mommy (I'm 4'10"... it makes a startlingly physical example for adults of how tall kids really need to be). She said 8 year olds needed boosters because it was the law. He said no, that was just silly to be in a booster that long. She asked him about harnesses and he said no 6 year old needs a harness, that harnesses were for babies. She told him, again, that he was wrong and she rides in a harness sometimes still and rode in one all last year too, that it is the safest way to ride. He said that was crazy (he actually told my 6 year old that was crazy!!! I've already filed a complaint). She told him HE was crazy because he wasn't really being safe, that she knew how to be safe and she wasn't going to listen to him about carseats anymore. He asked that she be removed from the gym at this point.

I asked her teacher about it this morning and sure enough, that's what happened. She says with the way dd argues, she's sure to be a lawyer when she grows up. :ROTFLMAO: Though her teacher did say another teacher pointed out to the officer that the law did in fact change and children needed to be in boosters until 8 years old. He apparently "didn't know" or probably just didn't agree or care.

I'm just proud my girl stood up for what she knows is right, and had no qualms about doing so to a police officer in a room with 80 other first graders and a bunch of teachers.

I filed a complaint with the police department this morning and talked with her teacher, who is also rather proud dd stood up like that and pointed out what was wrong (she may not be carseat savvy, but she's a GREAT teacher).

I figured you guys, at least, could appreciate my daughter's bad day yesterday.
 
ADS

keri1292

Well-known member
awww...you must be so proud! :D I'm impressed that she stood up to a police officer like that. I'm working hard with my dd. She's very timid and is absolutely compliant with authority figures and grown-ups. I worry about her being able to say no in an abuse situation, KWIM? I have a feeling that if anyone laid a hand on your dd, she'd be heard objecting anywhere in a 30 mile radius! Good for her. :thumbsup:

I would want to talk to the police officer. He owes your dd an apology. He was WRONG. :thumbsdown:
 

tarynsmum

Senior Community Member
OK, I really, really wish that had been video-taped. It would be a hit on you-tube for sure!

I'm all for kids standing up for what they believe in (and what they know is right). Way to go! And I can't believe that the officer would say anything to her, let alone that she was "crazy" in front of all those people. He really needs to be reprimanded.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Ditto everyone else -- you & your daughter deserve to feel very good about her speaking up about what's RIGHT (+ good) ... I would definitely seek out that officer to deman an appology to both your daughter as well as the school for not doing his job of knowing the law!
 

southpawboston

New member
ha, that's a terrific story. i would have loved to see the face of the officer when the teacher vouched for your DD regarding the recent law change. talk about egg on a face. good that you filed the complaint as well. if a person of authority is going to preach, he better have his facts straight and at least know the current laws!
 

Starlight

Senior Community Member
Not only does your dd deserve an apology, the officer - or a tech in his department - needs to come in an eat crow. Someone needs to tell these kids that they should be in boosters.
 

amyg530

Active member
way to go to your DD for standing up to a cop b/c she knew he was wrong. i cant believe he had the nerve to tell her she was crazy, even more so i'm impressed she had the guts to tell him he was the crazy one. glad the other teacher backed her up. did they actually take her out of the room when he asked? glad you filled a complaint and i would definatly want him to apoligze to her, let us know what happens with that
 

amy919

New member
You have every reason to be very proud!

I can see Kaylie doing the same thing. She told her friend Jada (just turned 4, smaller than Kaylie and in a backless booster) that she couldn't be friends with her anymore because of her "car seat misuse". She's too fanatical. We're working on it.

But wow - that officer needs someone to seriously smack him. I would have filed a complaint, too. How embarrasing that a 6 year old knows more than a law enforcement official. Sad world we live in...
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
I think I would have gone into the police department myself and had a meeting with the chief. And then asked to speak with the officer who told my daughter he was crazy....then he would have had to apologize.

And I would have made sure he or another officer came back to the school to correct the information he gave out. Can you imagine all those kids going home to their parents and saying..."I don't have to ride in a booster anymore...the policeman came to school today and said so."

UHHHH

Susan
 

mommy2env

Active member
What a brave little girl! *bows*

You must be so proud. I would also demand that the officer go back and give proper information to those children. THat has to be the most embarrasing thing for him :D
 

ThreeBeans

New member
You must be so proud. I would be calling the police department, demanding a letter of apology, and demanding that the police officer return to the school and inform the students that he was wrong and out of line. Shame on him.
 

Mama2J

Member
Wow! She really did great standing up to him like that! I hope he or another officer comes back and tells the kids the correct information.

Our school is having a police officer come in sometime this month. I'm wondering if they are going to talk about car safety, and what they will say to preschoolers!
 

CrabbyBunchX3

New member
HUGE APPLAUSE to your DD!!

I definitely think that officer needs to apologize to your DD! AND the same officer needs to return to the school and apologize to everyone and then give out the correct information.

I can't believe he told her she was crazy! :thumbsdown:
 

scatterbunny

New member
WOW!! :eek:

Major kudos to your dd, what an awesome little girl! :love:

I am in shock that a cop would come in and not only teach the wrong information, but talk to your daughter the way he did. :(

Hayley is totally into carseat safety and will talk to her friends about it, and she's very outspoken with friends/family, but at school, with 80 kids around and a cop to stand up to, I don't think she'd do it.
 

daycaremom2002

Active member
wow. I just read that to my 14yo DD and she said that is her kind of kid!!! Good for her. That officer does owe her an apology and he need to come back and give the right information. He was absolutely in the wrong. Nothing she said was wrong and he should have NEVER called her crazy. I would be fuming!!
 

kangato2roos

New member
Sorry to have left you guys hanging!

The officer will be going to her classroom tomorrow to apologize to my daughter in front of her entire class (and me, because you bet I'll be there!). He has been given a handout on carseat safety to give to each child IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL to make sure no more misinformation goes out... though I highly doubt the handout talks about erf or eh or anything... but it should at least mention the booster law and basics. I'll let you know tomorrow afternoon what it says.

When I filed the complaint this morning, I just called and asked to speak with his supervisor. The supervisor said he would be dealt with and then I was surprised to have received a call about the handout and the apology! The supervisor said the officer got "flustered" by her challenging him, but that was no excuse for his behaviour.

I AM proud of her! She's always been very outspoken and never shies away from standing up for what she believes is right. Now, that's all well and good when she's talking about safety, but it can be extremely frustrating when she believes it's right that she have ice cream an hour before dinner. :rolleyes: She is not and has never been timid, which is often good, but sometimes bad. At least I know she's got traits that will stand her in good stead throughout her life.
 

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