First day of CPS class today...some confusing info....LONG

fyrfightermomma

New member
Well I started CPS class today and it was as enjoyable as it could be seeing as how I got out of the hospital 3 days ago from having the flu....but anyways.....maybe I was in a sick fog but it seemed as if some of the info our teachers were giving wasn't quite correct in some ways.....I guess they didn't really seem up to date with all the recommendations. Heres some examples:

1. We were learning about convertible seats. They said the majority go to 40 pounds. There were a very small number of seats that go higher like to 60 pounds (and yes they kept saying 60). They made it sound like it was this rare thing when in actuality aren't all carseat manufactuerers coming out with HWH seats?? When someone asked why you'd want a "60" pound seat they said "Great question, its a good idea if say you have a very large 2 or 3 year old who weighs over 40 pounds or a special needs child who you need to keep harnessed longer" They said nothing about it being safer or that keeping them harnessed as long as possible was a good thing. They just basically made it seem like the only reasons for HWH is special needs and fat kids. I thought "best practice" was now to harness as long as possible until phsyically and mentally they can use a booster???

2. A question was asked by the instructor "what seat would you put a 28 pound 2 year old in." I voted for RFing convertible. The answer was FF convertible (cause according to her your not going to stick a 2 year old in an "infant" seat as she kept calling it).

2. One lady raised her hand and said "my friend just bought some Britax seat and she said it can harness her kid until age 8." (I am assuming the Regent) and the instructor just said "oh that poor kid" and the instructors couldnt figure out what seat it was

3. The instructor couldn't stop saying how horrible Britax seats were, how heavy they were, how hard they were to use, how huge they were, and she couldn't stand them. Thats all she would say during the whole class whenever one had to be shown. She'd just say "oh I give up....its a britax....I hate these things." Yet she raved about how her absolute favorite seat was the Apex and she gives it to everyone

4. Later two instructors were talking about the Apex amongst themselves and I heard one say she thought she had heard somewhere you needed to have a high seat back for the Apex but she wasn't sure so they looked it up in the manual. Isnt that kind of common knowledge?? and does that mean the one who was "giving it to everyone" was giving it to people without the adequate support behind the seat??

5. When going over guidelines for replacing seats after accidents one lady asked if all the guidelines had to be met or just one thing on the list. The instructor stated he wasn't really sure but these were just general guidelines. They are talking about very serious accidents need the restraints replaced. Later I asked "but if theres any questions shouldnt you jsut replace the seat?" and the instructor said again "like I said, those were just guidelines, it has to be replaced for a very serious accident." They were definately NOT encouraging us to have parents replace seats unless it was a very bad accident.

I guess alot seemed like common knowledge to me (not being a CPS tech) and was strange for them not to know some of the more common things. Maybe I'm just used to being on here where I read alot more and maybe they just aren't as "devoted" as those who come on here each day, but is this normal??? Is this how alot of the teachers are? I guess I just thought they'd be more like you guys :) (you rock by the way!).
 
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Stretchy Glue

New member
It didn't sound all that promising:(. I don't have a response to all the issues, but I will say that some instructors are just not up to date. I wish they were, because it is instructors like these that cause techs to be not up to date. My first thought would be that none of your instructors are parents themselves, because ALL the parents I know who are involved in child passenger safety are up to date on all the issues you mentioned.
Generally I avoid saying ALL but honestly, I cannot think of a parent who is a tech who isn't completely up to date on these common things you mentioned (and yes, they are common among us "freaks")
BTW, freaks is used in the most loving, caring, admirable way possible, and I consider myself one of them:love:
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
1. I thought "best practice" was now to harness as long as possible until phsyically and mentally they can use a booster???

2a. 28 pound 2 year old [=] FF convertible

2b. (I am assuming the Regent) and the instructor just said "oh that poor kid" and the instructors couldnt figure out what seat it was

3. "oh I give up....its a britax....I hate these things."

4. Apex . . . Isnt that kind of common knowledge??

5. "like I said, those were just guidelines, it has to be replaced for a very serious accident." They were definately NOT encouraging us to have parents replace seats unless it was a very bad accident.

I guess to me it didn't seem like the all really knew what they were talking about. Maybe I'm just used to being on here where I read alot more and maybe they just aren't as "devoted" as those who come on here each day, but is this normal??? Is this how alot of the teachers are? I guess I just thought they'd be more like you guys :)

1. You are correct. This is what both of the updated curriculum workshops I've been to have stressed. Staying RF until the maximum limits of any convertible seat is not just for special needs or obese kids (it's just more important for them)

2a. this was an example during my training as well & I had the same question, same response. It's frustrating, but this is what the "standard" answer is because the average parent at a typical busy seatcheck event isn't likely to be able to absorb all the information it takes to convince them that RF is safer that long past the minimum of 12 months. It's tough. It's one reason I prefer private appointments where we have the time necessary to truly address these issues. Teaching a parent to install a carseat correctly FF for a child age/size is better than not teaching them FF only so that when they leave they end up uninstalling the RF seat & puting it in FF incorrectly :eek:

2b. oh please :doh: also similar to my experience during my course. When they decided to use my vehicle for the hand-son exercises only to find a Husky in there installed so tight they couldn't uninstall it, they kind of joked about it, but I simply said with a nice smile that my healthy nonspecialneeds 8 y.o. SD *loved* it & by the last day the lead instructor was asking me questions about it & the RYSport

3. I heard this so much during my training. It was pretty disappointing, but it also helped me realize that Britax is not the best seat ever. I'm still frustrated to hear when a tech isn't aware that Britaxes to tend to generally fit more vehicles & kids correctly & easily than many other seats, but it's important to also learn that everyone finds different seats easier to use.

4. It should be for instructors :thumbsdown: It was explained last year at the national Lifesavers convention + at our regional NHTSA conference....

5. This is pretty typical. Mine taught us the same way. Fortunately, outside of the forum discussions it's not something that comes up very often. During a seatcheck, one of the 1st questions is if the seat has been in a crash. If it has I say that it is not safe to use & am capable of giving them a safe replacement. Some people might argue or refuse to let a tech take their seat, but I haven't experienced that yet. We can't force parents to give up their property. We can only educate them. The guidelines are guidelines & the instructors do have to stick to the curriculum, not personal oppinion.

Lastly, no those of us spending hours each day here are the cream of the crop :p Few techs, even instructors, put as much time & effort into researching & staying up to date as many of us here. If it weren't for the CPST/Is here I'd have taken all the misinformation I was taught as "the way it is", but thanks to the CPST/Is here, I learned better & was prepared to ask questions.

Do ask questions if you think something doesn't sound right, but don't disrupt the flow of the class. If you know for a fact that something is incorrect, explain to the instructors privately that you've learned differently from other techs. Have a converstaion, be humble & respectful. You can be their best ally because you are more dedicated than the average tech. There are average doctors, teachers & technicians, etc. & then there are those who put more time/energy/effort into being better than average.

When all is said & done, if you're worried that the other new techs have been taught dangerous misinformation that runs contrary to safest practice, then keep asking here. You may need to contact the coordinator so he/she can be aware & address those issues with the instructors. You may simply be able to send correct research links to your instructors who could then pass the info on to the other new techs. You may need to do all of the above. You may finish the course feeling surprisingly great about the info taught ;)
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
I am sorry :(. I know they do still refer to any seats that harness over 40 lbs as "special needs" seats. maybe that is why she feels most seats only go to 40 lbs. YOu will get different things from different instructors. My guess is your instructors have been doing this awhile, but do not stay up to date :(.
I hopw you get a bunch of Britax seats at your check so they can see how easy the converibles really are.

Hang in there. You have great knowledge already and will be a greatasset to the CPS community.
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
I hope my instructers aren't like that. I would look into another class.

Unfotunately classes around here are limited and taking 4 days off work and find childcare for 4 days is not something I can do again. I have to take this class, i've already planned the logistics
:(
 

libranbutterfly

New member
My instructor seems ok, I have the class in 2 weeks, but I have been emailing her, and she is excited to try my Radian :) I hope your instructor improves.
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
It didn't sound all that promising:(. My first thought would be that none of your instructors are parents themselves, because ALL the parents I know who are involved in child passenger safety are up to date on all the issues you mentioned.
:


Yeah when they introduced themselves there were 4 instructors. Only two had children under 10 and neither were in boosters (had been out of them at age 8)
 

keri1292

Well-known member
If my instructors are like that , I'm going to have a VERY hard time keeping my mouth shut. The ADD will not allow me to keep quiet. :eek:

azgirl ~ is it just the pic or has Tucker's hair color changed quite a bit lately? :scratcheshead: She's getting lots of it!
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
If my instructors are like that , I'm going to have a VERY hard time keeping my mouth shut. The ADD will not allow me to keep quiet. :eek:

azgirl ~ is it just the pic or has Tucker's hair color changed quite a bit lately? :scratcheshead: She's getting lots of it!

YEs, she is getting lots more. She is alomost where she was when we had to cut it all off. I will make a post, so I don't take over this one.
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
I guess I am just bummed as I was hoping for some really great instructors so I could learn some things and ask more "in depth" questions but when I asked any questions they looked at me like I was from another planet. But I know I still wil get things out of the class and I will keep my mouth shut :) I have to remember the other people in the class know NOTHIGN about car seats so trying to teach them anything above the basics may be difficult at this point :) (like the girl who asked why you couldn't fold down a center rear seat armrest and install the seat on top of that because you can get at the LATCH easier hehe )
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
Maybe, if those of us (us being car-seat.org) who go through a class with instructors giving out bad or out of date information were to start bombarding Safe Kids with letters expressing our concerns we might start to see an improvement in tech/instructor quality.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
I'm taking a class starting Wed. I know that they teach and stress the minimums so am preparing myself for that. I'm really hoping for the best! We were required to do 2 seat checks as prep work and the techs at the first check were totally awesome. One of them is coordinating and teaching so I have high hopes!
 

minismom

Well-known member
Luckily, I had really great instructors in the class this week! When we first got to the chapter on car seats, the general one, I have to admit I got a little nervous. The cop that thought that chapter said that lots of kids get teased about being in baby seats so in real life you might have to put a kid over 40lbs in a booster because that's better then they trying to get out of the harness. I raised my hand and asked what if the child hit 40lbs at 2.5/3yo and he said it didnt matter :eek: He also kept teaching the seats like: infant, convertible, combination and booster, and I kept wondering if the students saw a seat without booster belt guides they'd assume it's a convertible cause they weren't told there are FF only seats (but later we were). But then in the next chapter about RF they really pushed ERF and in out last exercise you had to install RF seats to every child under the weight limit. And in the FF chapter they did say to push harnessing for long and how absolutely no one under 3 should be in a booster. The had a regent, the radian, an MA, a BLVD, an EFTA and Safeguard that they actually showed us how it has all those new features! It was so nice to take a course where everyone is pushing best practice!

Oh, and it was really cool at the end of the RF chapter when we were shown the video of the two crash tests compared, to hear all the students go "oohhh". Those videos really make it click for people!!
 

mommy2zander+baby

Senior Community Member
I'm so sorry that your experience was so yucky... :(

There were three of us at our training last summer that are carseat freaks along with 20 other folks that were there cause their jobs were paying them their salaries to be there (as well as travel expenses for a few)... & the instructors were actually fairly rude to us, I think because they weren't used to people really wanting to get "a lot" out of the class... (Thankfully over the last 9 mos they've really come areound!!)

One of the instructors there was a big rear-facing advocate, but other then that they were pretty much follow the minimums unless there is a "special need." But I just figure, "whatever! :rolleyes:" I still tell parents we recommend rfing & harnessing to the limits of the seats!! At least our safe kids boss lady has told me that I can advocate extended use (even though she doesn't) as long as it follows the manual.

We were fortunate to have many seats at our class & although the instructors didn't know a lot about each seat, they did stress "read each manual".

Ugh! Hope you make it through ok!! I did think a couple time during my class, "And I'm leaving my son for four day for this?!"
 

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