How would you approach this???

So my my sister-in-law's mother watches my DS and her grandaughter three days a week. They drive in My SIL's sister's van (so the grandaughter's mom, sorry, so complicated) which is a Honda Odyssey.

The Grandaughter, is about 3 yo, and maybe a little taller than my DS, harnessed in an AOE. Her older sister, almost 7yo, is probably about 50lbs, and I'm guessing has about a 17 in torso (guessing). Anyways, so last week I'm installing DS's seat in the van and I notice that the 7yo is in the back in a backless booster. Okay, so I decide I'm going to think about this carefully before I say anything.

Well this morning, as I'm saying bye, I see the 7yo hop into the front seat, no booster. I pull out and they pull out behind me, and I can see in my rear view mirror that the shoulder belt is on her neck.

I didn't and still don't know what to do. Besides the no booster thing, which is bad enough, she's a 50lb 7yo sitting in the front passenger seat of an Odyssey! BTW, I'm guessing the van is no later than an '06.

Anyways, this is my niece (sortof) and I care about her, but I'm really nervous about what to say, since I have to see them 3 days a week and they watch my DS and everything. Oh and did I mention the AOE isn't tethered? (Tethering is mandatory in Canada) The tether is just hanging over the seat back.

Ugh. Suggestions please?!!

Well with the tether I would just ask if they needed help in hooking it on. As for the 7yr old I would have a hard time saying something too. Is it illegal for children of a certain age to be in the front? If so then maybe you could try that first, appeal to her thrifty side of not wanting to get a ticket then add that it's safer for her to be in the back anyway.

It is law that a child be in a booster until age 9 or 4"9 here. I don't know if its illegal to have her in the front, although I'm sure it says right on the visor "Children 12 and under can be killed by the airbag, the back seat is the safest place for children". I know my Durango says that.

Nicole might know if its illegal....she lives by me...

Its not illigal for her to go with out a booster seat until July 1st, than the new Booster Seat law comes into effect in BC. As for the front seat? I've had my 8 year old sit in the front once or twice, and I make sure that the seat is all the way back.......doesn't mean its safe...but I don't know the laws on that one

Effective July 1, 2008
Children must ride in a booster seat until they are a minimum of 4 feet, 9 inches (145 cm) tall, or a minimum of 9 years old.

Click to expand...

As for the tether, I would say something, including that if they get into an accident, it becomes a projectial.....

Thanks for the tips ladies!