Awesome BRU story

amy919

New member
I had to run to BRU to get Table Toppers this weekend and had the girls with me. Kaylie asked to visit the car seats and play with the sit and stand, so being the nice mommy I am, I obliged :p.

We're in the car seat section and Kaylie wants to take a look at the AF Marathon since we just ordered the cover for Tea. Kaylie notices right away that the fabric near the harness adjuster is different and she's standing in the cart playing with it, all the while telling Teagan how it's different. Yes, she has a problem :rolleyes:.

Anyway, there's this really nice couple in there with a 5 month old in a Graco Snugride. The mom looks like she's ready to cry. They're literally just standing there in the car seat section looking completely lost. The mom walks up to me and says she's so sorry to bother me, but did I happen to know anything about car seats? Well, hello my new friend! I told her yes, that I wasn't a tech, but that I was pretty informed. Kaylie rolls her eyes and says "my mom knows EVERYTHING about car seats. She's played with every one in the store. She makes us come here all the time". That's not exactly true. I rarely take the girls to BRU with me.

Anyway, they were looking for another car seat for dad's car. The baby was a good size for a 5 month old, but not huge and had plenty of room in the Snugride. The salesman told them that they needed to buy a new carseat TODAY because the baby had outgrown the seat she was in because her legs were too long. He actually told them that if someone rear ended them, the baby's legs would break. Scared that crap out of these poor people. This baby had a good 2" between the top of her head and the seat shell. I told her that wasn't true, etc., not to worry, that her daughter had NOT outgrown the seat. So then dad starts asking a million questions. Tells me money is no object, what do my girls ride in, etc. Mom says that money is sort of a concern and dad says "oh, you didn't blink an eye with the $1200 crib you had to have, but a $300 car seat to keep our daughter safe has a budget?" :thumbsup: dad!

So we started talking, dad actually goes to the customer service desk and gets a pen and a paper and starts writing things down. These people were seriously interested! They decided to go with a MA for the baby in mom's car once the baby is closer to outgrowing the Snugride and I told him to get a Scenera for his car since the baby's only in his car maybe once a month. I told them to buy the MA online and gave them a few web addresses (including this one in case he had more questions) - and he wrote them all down. He asked if she would be safer in a MA than the Scenera and I said that both seats are safe. He said "OK, because if the Scenera isn't as safe, I'll eat P&B sandwiches for a month and buy another MA". Aww, I was loving this dad!

Towards the end of the conversation, I mentioned that the baby needed to restrained properly. The chest clip was sitting directly above the buckle and the straps were so loose they were hanging around the baby's upper arms. She asked me to show her, so I fixed them and then both mom and dad practiced. This baby did make one peep the entire time. These people didn't know how to adjust the harness. I strongly suggested they read the manual :rolleyes:.

So then he asked me what I meant when I said I wasn't a tech. They had no idea that there was such a thing as a CPST. They also had no idea that they could go somewhere to have their seat checked. Then the dad asks me where I can find someone to check the seat because theirs slides all over :eek:. I asked about their car, told them they needed a locking clip and how to use it.

It just amazes me that such nice people who obviously care about keeping their child safe were so completely clueless. I hope they listen, but I'm pretty confident they will. I mean, they thanked me a million times and the dad wrote down everything.
 
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ADS

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
You are awesome!!!! :love:

(the BRU people gave me a major ration of poop for Leah's legs hanging out of the SS1... they 'learn it in their class'...I was shocked, told her it must be a sales ploy... :mad:)
 

arly1983

New member
It just amazes me that such nice people who obviously care about keeping their child safe were so completely clueless. I hope they listen, but I'm pretty confident they will. I mean, they thanked me a million times and the dad wrote down everything.

THat is the majority of people I met.
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
Mind if I piggy back on?

I did a seat check on Tuesday and had a 31 pound 4 1/2 yr old come in---in a Turbo booster. This little girl was as cute as a button and happily got in and out of her seat so I could show them how she fit in it. They turned the buckle backwards because her friend taught her how to unbuckle...and they did lock the belt around her. Myself and the other tech that was helping me told the grandparents--who have custody--that she needed to go back in a harnessed seat. We were about 5 mins up the road so I suggested they go look there. The other tech said they needed a harnessed seat that goes to 80 pounds. We told them we'd be there until 1, come back and we'd help them with their new seat. Grandma said she had her in an Eddie Bauer seat with a harness and Grampa moved her out of it...she wanted to keep the harness. So Grandma was having a great "Told You So" moment.

Well they didn't come back---ah well I though. But I needed to get hangers for the hand-me-downs I keep getting. So I headed into BRU and they were there looking at seats. Along with another mom of a 3 yr old. So they asked for my help. They had seats all over the place! The BRU employee tried to help but the grandparents turned her away....I was the expert. I told her I was a CPST. So I put the little girl in a 3 in 1 and believe it or not---she still fit at the last harness position with a bit of room to grow. This little girl was TINY. I did show them the fine print on the EB seats too. So then we looked at the MA. She still had a good bit of room...only needed the 2nd from top slot. The other little girl needed the top slot. So then we got the Regent out---WOW look at all the growing room...and for the same price. Both families got new Regents. I helped the grandparents install theirs in a 97 4-runner. Grandpa tried to convince me that the cargo hooks were re-enforced so that I could hook the tether to them(no vehicle manual). I got his email, so that when I get my LATCH manual I could get him part numbers. Told him when she hits 40 pounds it will need to be installed differently. Little girl left LOVING her new princess seat(showed her the pic on the instruction manual cover!).

Susan
 

mommy2env

Active member
"oh, you didn't blink an eye with the $1200 crib you had to have, but a $300 car seat to keep our daughter safe has a budget?" :thumbsup: dad!

"OK, because if the Scenera isn't as safe, I'll eat P&B sandwiches for a month and buy another MA". Aww, I was loving this dad!

I could kiss this man :love:

Great Job!:thumbsup: to both of you ladies.
 

Laurenc0101

New member
Those are both great stories! Great job to both of you :2thumbsup: And I am super glad all the parents and grandparents were receptive! :D
 

starbuck22

Senior Community Member
Must be something in the air at BRU lately. I had a great experience last night too. I was playing with the seats of course, and FYI my DS is too tall for the KeyFit 30:whistle:. A couple had a ton of questions about HWH seats. I was evesdropping just in case the sales associate was a nincompoop. I wrote down this website and went to give it to mom, she was very grateful, then DH swoops in and says "she's a tech!". So then we chatted for about 20 mins. She was sooo receptive. She had already done the hard work researching online. She had heard about ERF and no coats etc. she was looking to confirm with me. Probably the easiest CPS education I'll ever have. So the 3yr old will be getting a Regent and the 1ish year old will go back rear facing in a new Boulevard. I should mention it wasn't my idea to get those seats, she already knew she wanted them. I should also mention that the sales girl did know her stuff about car seats, or at least smiled and nodded to everything I said.:thumbsup:
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Glad you were there to help that couple! :thumbsup: It is just not right that BRU emloyees scare parents like that. :(
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Wow, must be a record for BRU! More people leaving educated than being fed incorrect info. WTG everyone!!

Wendy
 

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