I saved a BIG carseat mistake today

lovemyfamily

New member
DS#2 had mommy and me day at PreK today. DH was dropping me off, as DS#1 was getting out of K before DS#2 and I would be done. One of the mom's of a girl in DS#1's class was giving her baby, I think he is about 3 months old, to a young girl. I imagine to babysit since it was mommy and me day, and she probably didn't want any distractions. DH saw the exchange and told me I better watch the carseat install the young girl was doing. She was putting the infant seat in the backseat of her car, FORWARD FACING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't not say anything. I got out of the car, I had to go in to DS#1's class anyway, and I asked her if she was doing ok with the install? She said yes, and I said that I just wanted to make sure she was just setting the carseat in the car forward facing while she got the seatbelt ready, as it is a rear-facing only carseat. She said no, she didn't know it couldn't be forward facing and asked if I could help her. Being that I am 9 months PG and it is is a 2 door car, I asked if she would mind if my DH helped her. So I got DH to install the seat for her. She didn't have the base for it, it was just an infant seat. But I was SO shocked at how irresponsible the mom was being, not making sure that her baby was properly installed in the car. I am sure she assumed the girl knew what she was doing, but if it was my baby, I would have installed the seat myself. I typically wouldn't say anything, but I just couldn't let it go.
 
ADS

prosan98

New member
:eek: that is scary! I'd never have trusted anyone who didn't have their own SnugRide to install mine, base or not!
 

keri1292

Well-known member
:yeahthat:

In fact, I don't trust 99% of people who do own the same seat to install it correctly. :whistle:
 

scatterbunny

New member
Good for you for stepping up and saying something, helping out the babysitter! How young was she? Maybe she didn't know any better, and felt silly asking for help? No excuse, but just wondering about the mindset of someone who would not know any better than to install an infant seat FF.

Do you know the mother well? I'd possibly say something to her.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
:thumbsup:. I am glad you were able to help her. I hope she will gain a little interest into CPS ;).
 

MomToEliEm

Moderator
I remember back in the late 80's, I was babysitting a family and was suppose to take the kids somewhere. The mom left me a shield booster to use, but I had no clue how it worked. She just assumed I knew. I think I figured out how to make it work (it was in my VW Bug with only lapbelts), but I really wish the mother would have showed me how to use it initially.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
Good for you for stepping up and saying something, helping out the babysitter! How young was she? Maybe she didn't know any better, and felt silly asking for help? No excuse, but just wondering about the mindset of someone who would not know any better than to install an infant seat FF.

Do you know the mother well? I'd possibly say something to her.


I am guessing, by looking at her and her voice, she was early 20s. I would bet she had no idea. I really felt the mom was irresponsible to not make sure she knew how to install it.
I don't know the mom well enough to feel comfy to say something to her. I wish I did.
 

Jordynsmama

New member
Its really pathetic a mom just hands her baby over to someone without a thought of her ability to install a seat. I wouldnt let a young girl drive my kid, let alone let her install my seat. UGH. Doesn't surprise me but its just sad. Good job for helping!
 

Mattkarn

Member
Thats scary!! Even before I became obsessed with car seats, I read the directions on the side of the seat, always had a tight install, and tightened the harness with chest clip correct.
 

stayinhomewithmy6

Senior Community Member
That is scary! I'm just curious - how was the baby strapped in to the seat? If the mom didn't care enough to make sure the seat was installed properly, I'd be really surprised if the baby was actually in the seat correctly.
 

TXAggieTech

Active member
There are only a handful of people I let install our seats. We are lucky to have friends/nannies that have taken it seriously!

One of my best friends used to work at a daycare and would babysit some of the kids there after hours. She called me one day and said she needed help before taking a one of the kids again. They had left the child and the seat and told her just to buckle it in. From keeping our boys she knew the seat had to be in tight but couldn't remember how to do it. She used all THREE seat belts trying to buckle the seat in.
 

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