So who gets NO seat?

bbartlettnfld

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #1

Well this is a very difficult situation for me.

backround:
My daughter takes private transportation to and from school each day via my husbands company. The morning is the same car and the afternoon is a 15 passenger van. Remember I am in the Middle East and CPS does not exist!

I travel with my daughter in the transportation due to her age. I install and uninstall the Radian in the Car in the AM and the Van in the PM.. So far all is perfect..

Now very shortly baby #2 will make his arrival, I still have to take the transport with my daughter. I can barely carry the Radian now as it is, how do I do it when the baby is here??? Does the baby ride in a carseat or my daughter? Its only me, I have no help so this has to be something that I can do alone as DH will not let me hire someone to ride with her.

I still have to email to see if there is anyway we can alter the afternoon bus so that it just goes direct to her school and back home a 30minute ride and not the 2 hrs it is now because we stop at 2 other schools.

I do not look froward to this at all... The way I see it right now Emma will continue to use a seat and baby will be in a front carrier as I need the hands...

BethAnn

 

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bensmom

Admin - CPS Technician

• Nov 5, 2007

• #2

Are there lap/shoulder belts? What about getting a ridesafer travel vest for your older daughter and using an infant carrier for the baby?

 

bbartlettnfld

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #3

I'll look into the vest but are they available in Canada? As that is where I will have to get it from so my parents can bring it. It needs Lap & Shoulder belts doesn't it? It would work in the AM in the car but not in the PM as there are only Lap belts in the van.

I wish they could send the same vehicle both morning and night and have some way to just leave the Radian installed but I seriously don't think that is an option.

BethAnn

 

Mom2nj

Member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #4

Based on this website, it looks like it can be used with a lap belt only if it can be tethered.

http://www.safetrafficsystem.com/

 

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Laurenc0101

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #5

Does the transportation pick you up at your residence? Assuming that is does, would the driver be able to help you at all? Like if you have baby in a infant seat and dd's hand, would they carry the radian to the vehicle? Have dd climb in so she is contained, install infant seat with the seatbelt and then install dd's radian and buckle her.

If the driver can't help, could you carry infant seat to vehicle with dd and install then go back inside and get dd's seat, install and then leave?

I am sure you are probably on some time constraint, but the baby in a front carrier with you in a lap belt only doesn't sound very safe, if you are saying that that is how you have to ride.

Would dh let you hire someone to get you on and off the transportation for awhile, like an extra set of hands, and you still ride with both children?

 

steph

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #6

If it is the company whom your husband works that provides transportation can he or you talk to who is in charge about the transportation?

Also don't the vehicles pick you up at your house? or do you have to walk to get to them? If they are at your house I like the idea of the driver helping.

It kinda seems like there is alot going on though, in addition to the safety issue of seats, I can't imagine having a newborn on a van 2hours a day while you drive from school to school, KWIM?

I hope things work out for you.

 

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lovemyfamily

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #7

A lot to carry, but put the baby in an infant seat, then have your Radian in the other hand, allowing your daughter to hold on to it with you. I am assuming they pick you up at home, and you are not walking a long ways, or this would not work.

 

canadianmom2three

Active member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #8

Well rather than seeing the baby unrestrained, would it be possible to very slightly compromise the safety of your older DD by allowing her to use a hbbooster on the transportation. That would be very light and easy to carry, and would install very quickly. I know by your siggy your DD is 4, so a bit young for a booster, but you are going to be sitting right beside her for the entire ride, so I'm assuming you would assist her to stay in position, and with a parkway she would be well supported with SIP...AND this would allow the baby to ride safely in a bucket.

I guess if I had to make the choice of one of the kids being TOTALLY WITHOUT restraint use, I would have to go with the oldest anyway, she would at least be 'somewhat' safe in the seatbelt, compared to infant in front carrier. Tough situation for you to be in

 

ThreeBeans

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #9

Having one child unrestrained is simply not an option. Cps may not exist in Qatar, but the laws of physics are still very much active

Put the baby in an infant carrier and your daughter in a highback booster, if that's easier than the infant carrier and the Radian, or get a carrying handle for the Radian, but both the children MUST be restrained. :twocents:

 

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LuvMyGirls

New member

• Nov 5, 2007

• #10

If you are riding the same car in the mornings and the same van in the afternoons, could you purchase another Radian and leave one installed in each vehicle? I know another seat wouldn't be cheap, but the Radian is quite heavy for someone who isn't pregnant. I can't imagine hauling that thing around at 9 months pregnant. The hbb suggestions won't work with the lap only belts in the afternoon van.

 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician

• Nov 5, 2007

• #11

Can you get a Laptop shipped to you from England?

 

Avery'sMama

CPST Instructor

• Nov 5, 2007

• #12

A bucket and a low back booster, would provide some safety for both children. Although a low back isn't the best, it would be better than nothing and WAY better than a baby in a front carrier! And it would be easier to carry both than a HBB.

 

bbartlettnfld

New member

• Nov 6, 2007

• #13

I have read through all the replies and I agree with everyone, I really want both kids restrained.
I was able to talk to the transport clerk this morning and they are going to do their best to shorten the PM ride so it won't be 2 hrs!
Time really isn't a big deal, Anything is do-able expecially since I hold the esteemed title of "madam" so basically I do hold all the cards!

I have an infant seat so I will use it, Its a Maxi Cosi cabrio which needs the shoulder belt behind it..But do you think it would fail using just the lapbelt? I'm thinking no but I'm not a Maxi cosi engenieer!

Since the transportation is used by other people durring the day I would be leery of leaving my seat installed full time. The transport does come to my front door, and if they make the AM trip a little earlier Dh will still be home to carry stuff out.

In practice its probably going to be fine. Its just pregnancy worries.. I'll have to take some pictures of us all on the bus..Tho I have gotten kudos for haveing DD in a seat on the bus by a few other "western" moms.

Thanks for everyones opinions on this, you all basically mirrored how I was feeling/what I was wanting so it was nice to hear a little affirmation.

BethAnn

 

ThreeBeans

New member

• Nov 6, 2007

• #14

:thumbsup:

I never noticed before that you live in Qatar. How did you end up over there? I'm curious

 

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lovemyfamily

New member

• Nov 6, 2007

• #15

ThreeBeans said:

:thumbsup:

I never noticed before that you live in Qatar. How did you end up over there? I'm curious

Click to expand...

I was wondering this too. Thinking military. Hats off to you!

 

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wondering1

New member

• Nov 6, 2007

• #16

Are there any homeschooling families there? If not, maybe see if there is interest?

Just thinking outside of the "box".

 

bbartlettnfld

New member

• Nov 7, 2007

• #17

We're not military! We're teachers!!! My husband is an English as a Second language Instructor for a College that has its roots in Atlantic Canada. Its the College of the North Atlantic Qatar campus. I followed him and have easily gotten teaching jobs.

On the Homeschooling front there is a huge following here for many reasons the major one being huge shortages of school places, most schools have wait lists of 200 kids or more. Some just don't like any of the choices and would rather teach their own kids.. I'm not a homeschooler I haven't the patience for my daughter though I could teach other peoples kids in my home, so figure that one out!

BethAnn