Are techs taught to encourage extended rear-facing?

MPQ8903

New member
Okay, let me start at the beginning....

About a little over a year ago when we switched our DD from her baby bucket seat to a convertible I took the car and carseat to our local police department to have a tech install it. Well, I ended up in a "discussion" with the officer because he told me that after my DD hit the 1 year/20lb mark I would have to turn her around when her feet touched the seat or else she could break her legs in a crash :eek:. Well, I of course disputed his claim and informed him that her feet touching the seat was not a valid reason to turn her, that if I had to choose injuries I would prefer broken legs to a broken neck. He then stated he wanted my "proof" so I ended up printing off all this info I found on the pros of extended rear-facing and sent it to him :thumbsup:.

Fast forward to the present. We just got our now 18 month old DD a new convertible and I took it to a different local police department (I called the previous one I went to and it's the same guy doing it so i decided to go somewhere else). DD was sick the day of the appointment and napping when I left so she stayed home. Well, the officer/tech saw that I had installed it rear-facing and asked how old my child was. When I told him she was 18 months he gave this not sure that's a good idea look. He then asked her weight and I responded "only 22lbs". He then asked if I "wanted to keep her rear-facing as long as possible" again with that not sure that's a good idea look and tone in his voice. I said a firm "YES!".

I was surprised that I got that kind of response AGAIN for wanting to keep my DD rear-facing. Aren't techs taught that rear-facing to the rear-facing limits of the seat is best?
 
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azgirl71

CPST Instructor
I do not know if it was encouraged as much under he "old" cirriculum as it is in the "new".

In the new cirriculum Best Practice is what is taught. Best practice is to RF to the extent of the car seat limits. The techs you saw may now have been up to date. I am sorry they made you feel uncertain. :thumbsup: for keeping your child RF as long as possble.
 

WillnCaroline

New member
Yes and no... I actually spent 8 hours in a CEU workshop. It is discussed but as in life, there are even TECHS who think its silly to stay rear facing for extended periods. Its ignorance in a sense.. even for those who have training.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Yes and no... I actually spent 8 hours in a CEU workshop. It is discussed but as in life, there are even TECHS who think its silly to stay rear facing for extended periods. Its ignorance in a sense.. even for those who have training.

I do agree you will fid techs who feel it is silly to remain RF for a long time. It is unfortunate. However, if they stay up on the cirriculum they should be telling the caregiver that has been found to be safer to RF to the limits of the car seat since that is best practice. It is then up to the caregiver to make the final decision of if they want to RF or FF the child.
 

mommyto4kiddos

Senior Community Member
Not only do I think it isn't really taught well, but all the info that we have to hand out to parents say 1 year and 20lbs. I hate even handing it out, cause I always try to get them to stay rf as long as possible. Today a 1 year old 23lbs left rf in 1 car and ff in the truck because of space needed for the front seat. I hated it, but it was the best we could do. Maybe you could search for a tech through the safe kids website that is near you.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
I went to my ToysRUs and wanted to try a Marathon in my vehicle to check for fit. An employee took it out for me, and wasn't at all phased by my 18 month old in her SS (with legs hanging over the end and head looks over the top at most angles because she is REALLY close to having outgrown it). She looked at DD (crowded in her SS) and said, "I assume you want to install the Marathon RF and keep her RF as long as possible?" And I said, "Yes....are you a tech?", and she replied, "yes". Although she seemed a little sketchy on her knowledge of the Marathon (and in her defense, the Marathon JUST became available at our ToysRUs a few weeks ago), I was so surprised she wasn't telling me to swap her FF. And I live in a fairly small city in a backward province in Canada!
 
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azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Not only do I think it isn't really taught well, but all the info that we have to hand out to parents say 1 year and 20lbs. I hate even handing it out, cause I always try to get them to stay rf as long as possible. Today a 1 year old 23lbs left rf in 1 car and ff in the truck because of space needed for the front seat. I hated it, but it was the best we could do. Maybe you could search for a tech through the safe kids website that is near you.

I think it will vary from instructor to instuctor as to what they teach. My instructors did teach it, but did not feel it was a major deal IMO. However, I just assisted with a course this past week and they really push ERF and EH. No booster until age 5 as a min unless there is no other option.
 

MPQ8903

New member
Thanks for the replys!

The responses I got won't affect my decison to keep her rear-facing. I've done EXTENSIVE research and know rear-facing is best but what makes me nervous is what if the techs make those comments or act that way to someone who hasn't? If I didn't know better I would of probably just said "okay, put her forward facing then". Afterall, the carseat tech is the "expert" and doesn't think it's a good a idea so it must not be. I just think it would be a tragedy that a parent was trying to do what was safest and the "expert" told her otherwise.

By the way, please don't think that I'm knocking or discrediting techs. I think you guys are awesome and I'm actually considering becoming one! I guess I was just surprised that the extended rear-facing wasn't encouraged more with the techs I saw. Hopefully they get updated soon!
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I went to my ToysRUs and wanted to try a Marathon in my vehicle to check for fit. An employee took it out for me, and wasn't at all phased by my 18 month old in her SS (with legs hanging over the end and head looks over the top at most angles because she is REALLY close to having outgrown it). She looked at DD (crowded in her SS) and said, "I assume you want to install the Marathon RF and keep her RF as long as possible?" And I said, "Yes....are you a tech?", and she replied, "yes". Although she seemed a little sketchy on her knowledge of the Marathon (and in her defense, the Marathon JUST became available at our ToysRUs a few weeks ago), I was so surprised she wasn't telling me to swap her FF. And I live in a fairly small city in a backward province in Canada!

BRU advertised in their baby catalog last year that all stores would have certified techs in the baby department. TC's official position is rf to limits of the seat, and all these techs are going through the TC/SJA curriculum, so that's great to hear that the tech was telling parents best practice. I think in a store like BRU/TRU it could become easy to quit telling parents best practice. It's wonderful she's doing it without question. :thumbsup:
 

tcottawa

New member
BRU advertised in their baby catalog last year that all stores would have certified techs in the baby department.

Wow... I find it fascinating that they would advertise that. Have you found many techs in the BRU around you? Most of the techs here in ottawa are SAHMs, or people like paramedics, RCMP, children's aid, etc. that took the class for their job (a job that pays more than the $10/hr BRU does!). You'd think that they'd throw a little money/donations towards the clinics if they were interested in having techs work in their stores...
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
I took the class 3 weeks ago. ERF was not taught heavily. It was mentioned a few times, but the instructors during checks definately didnt enforce it that great. If the child was under say 24 pounds and maybe 18 months then they pushed RFing, but never past that and they thought I was silly for having DD1 still rear facing. All they said is "she must be tiny" like no normal 2 year old could rear face.

If they are in fact supposed to be teaching it more, they need to inform the instructors of that :)

And EHing was just for fat kids under 4 and special needs kids ;)
 
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azgirl71

CPST Instructor
I took the class 3 weeks ago. EFR was not taught heavily. It was mentioned a few times, but the instructors during checks definately didnt enforce it that great. If the child was under say 24 pounds and maybe 18 months then they pushed RFing, but never past that and they thought I was silly for having DD1 still rear facing. All they said is "she must be tiny" like no normal 2 year old could rear face.

If they are in fact supposed to be teaching it more, they need to inform the instructors of that :)

And EHing was just for fat kids under 4 and special needs kids ;)

It is sad :(. Even sadder is as I said in my other replies it the in the new cirriculum best practice is supposed to be really pushed. The instrucors have all that info in thier manuals.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
I finished my class 2 (or was it 3) weeks ago. Best practice is what was taught. Did they push like crazy that erf was the only way to go? No. So did all of the techs walk away die hard erf advocates? I don't think so. But, they did teach that it's best to keep a child rf as long as possible. I thought our instructors were all very much for extended rear facing.
 

Baby D

New member
DH took the class under the old curriculum and I took it with the new. ERF and HWH were not pushed in my class (6/07) or his. I learned most of that here on this site. I agree with the PP that it is hard to push with parents when all the printed materials we have say 1 and 20.
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
In my class it was pushed till about 18 mos, after that it was just a bonus. I tend to mention it to parents who come in w/ children under 2, or those over 2 that are just tiny like mine. The class I sat in on last year pushed HWH seats more than my class did, but there are more choices now. I was disappointed in their booster answers, it was just the standard once they outgrow the seat they're in, they can use a booster. No mention of age or mentioning to parents there are safer options etc. I tried to get them to say 4 was the reccomended min, but they wouldn't do it.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
Jennifer, I had the same issue with booster recommendations. They say when they outgrow their convertible they can go to a booster. What if that convertible is a Comfortsport and it's outgrown at 2.5 years of age!

Our instructors did talk about hwh seats and said we can and should discuss them with parents as an alterative to boosters. I was glad b/c I just can't even recommend a 2 or 3 year old ride in a booster unless there is just no other option.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
The lead instructor of my class thought ERF was silly and said she turned her own son at 15 months, as soon as he hit 20 pounds.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
They say when they outgrow their convertible they can go to a booster. What if that convertible is a Comfortsport and it's outgrown at 2.5 years of age!

.

Yep, this is what prompted me to BECOME a tech..because my 22 month old daughter outgrew her comfortsport (really long torso) and everybodsy was like "yay, she can use a booster now!" and I was like..umm??..??...help??..I knew there had to ba another option, and I found this board, and took a class...and the rest is history, LOL!
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
my class was very pro-erf. I remember one instructor (a likeable hwy patrolman) smacking the back of one had against the palm of his other as he emphasized and practically yelled "to. the. limits. of. the. seat!" when someone answered 1 and 20 on the second day.
 

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