A question for those who are car-seat technicians

Lea_Ontario · Feb 20, 2006

How does the certification serve you ?

Okay - a badly worded question, I know.

I am on the waiting list for our car-seat tech course locally, it should come up in the spring. And I'm looking forward to it.

I know that I have to do 10 inspections per year to keep my certification, which basically means that I must volunteer my time at one of our local car-seat inspection clinics during the year. Fair enough - I'll gladly do that.

But, outside of those regional inspection, how can I use my certification ? Will I only be able to do inspections for those regional ones, or can I legally inspect the car seats for my friends ?

I admit that my getting my certification is mainly a selfish endeavour - I want *MY* children as safe as possible, and I feel that getting my certification will enable me to keep them safer.

AM I making any sense ?

thepeach80 · Feb 20, 2006

Makes complete sense! I'm getting my certification for selfish reasons too, though I'm looking forward to volunteering and hopefully setting something up at work (YMCA). My DH tells me now when I criticize people's seats, at least I have credentials. lol

I LOVE your blinkie! Both of my kids are milk/soy intolerant (AJ outgrew eggs and Evan is intolerant to everything). AJ weaned at 13 mos and I weaned Evan at 12 mos b/c my diet of 4 foods was not cool. He's now on Neocate and rice only at 14 mos.

Victorious4 · Feb 20, 2006

Yep, pretty selfish reasons here, too ... mostly that I want the credentials to back up the unsolicited advice I can't help offering

& beyond that I want the kids in my daughter's classes properly buckled so it's more of a "norm" in general to her -- of course, the ideal would be to make it normal across the board, though!

I think it's funny how much a lot of us have in common ... what started out as Lactose Intolerant was then diagnosed as a milk protein allergy then Ulcerative Colitis & now Crohn's Disease

Unregistered · Feb 20, 2006

How weird! I too am milk intolerant(mild allergy as well as lactose intolerant). And DS is 2.5yo still nursing and never had straight up cows milk(well except a couple weeks ago when mom fixed him a cup of milk by mistake because she forgot who she was dealing with, he took one sip thinking it was his normal drink and made an aweful face and doesnt trust anything white now lol!). We do organic and no-preserve. cheeses and yogurts but no milk and no icecream(we do real frozen yogurt though). And soymilk as a sub for EVERYTHING(I use it in cooking and everything, it especially makes breads, muffins, cookies, and cakes moister). I dont know what Id do if we were milk and soy intolerant.
He doesnt show any signs of allergies but Id prefer to keep him off it anyway.

Anyway, I want to get certified so I can say 'you have to listen to me, Im a certified carseat tech!' lol!

Actually I want to get certified so I can volunteer, we only have 3-4 techs in this area and the more techs we can get the more flexible we can be with carseat checks. Right now its the last thursday every month from 10-1 and thats just not realistic for a lot of people around here. Im hoping we can start offering weekend and after hours checks.
I also would like to be able to install seats for people when they ask for help. I often get asked if I know anything about seats when I am in that depertment, so it will be nice to be able to say Im a tech so you came to the right person.

Some selfish and some not so selfish but still selfish because Im such a helper personallity. lol!

Michi · Feb 20, 2006

We've got two peanut allergies here at my house.

I'm having an awful time trying to convince everyone at my son's school (he's in kindergarten) how serious it is! He got peanut butter candy bars for Valentine's Day!

Victorious4 · Feb 20, 2006

Sorry -- getting way off topic

Oi! Aiyaiyai ... yeah I was the only parent who asked if any of the kids in my DD's nursery school had any food allergies ... the parents looked so confused & no one said their kids do, but I'm paranoid so I send only soygurt covered bananas & raisins when our turn to bring snack -- Leila used to get a sort of rash on her face from strawberries & tomatoes, but doesn't anymore....

Lea_Ontario · Feb 20, 2006

It's my son - he's 3 1/2 - that has the allergy here. He is allergic (anaphylacsis) to dairy, and also is allergic to eggs.

He just weaned about 2 weeks ago. He nursed for 3 years, 5 months and 15 days. It's been a bittersweet journey, but almost 18 months of tandem nursing was wearing on me.

Michi · Feb 20, 2006

Good for you!
I 'only' made it two years with my son.
Then, I got pregnant & miscarried. When I got pregnant again, my OB "made" me quit.
I had planned on nursing my DD (my last baby) for 2-3 years, but when she was 7 months old I started having heart problems and had to start taking medication that was contraindicated for nursing. I was devastated....(still am!)
She is 15 months now - thriving and happy - but oh how I wish I could still nurse her.

thepeach80 · Feb 20, 2006

No ana reactions here so far, and hopefully never! Good for you for nursing so long! I'm determined to make it to 2 w/one of them eventually.

I mean, I can't have 2 Evan's that can't have everything right? He had a reaction diaper tonight and I'm not sure from what. He sucked on a hotdog today (he loves to try and steal food), but didn't really eat any!

Victorious4 · Feb 21, 2006

Aw, that's sweet you know the exact number of days

Leila self-weaned somewhere between 3.75 & 4 years old

I started out thinkinf 6 months was the most I could handle, then I was hell-bent on 12 & by that time since all was going well (considering, I mean I have breast cysts & I dehydrate so easily so Mastitis came often, ugh, which made things real rough in the beginning) ... anyway, by 12 months I just figured why make her stop when I didn't really have to

I always felt very fortunate to have lasted so long & I'm sad it's over -- I hope it goes at least as well with my next baby!

Lea_Ontario · Feb 21, 2006

I started out hell-bent on 12 months. There were days that I was amazed I could endure another 12 seconds I admit, but we stuck it out.

Good thing too - since a drink of formula would likely have killed my son. It was worth EVERY moment, even the not so enjoyable ones.

Now, with Bug, I have no idea how long we'll go. We're almost at 18 months now and going strong with no end in sight.

Tracy · Feb 27, 2006

back on topic

Yes, you can legally check the seats of friends, etc. Just be sure you document, document, document (which they will teach you in class). That way if someone makes a change to the seat after you have seen it and their child is injured in a wreck, you have the documentation to prove it was installed a certain way. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I would also recommend that you work with a senior tech for a little while before you strike out on your own. The 4 day class is just the beginning of a long learning process. You will encounter many situations in the 'field' that will stump you when you are new. Don't be afraid to say, 'I don't know, but I'll find out and get back with you...' That is a great place to start when you get stumped.

I'm glad you are excited about taking the certification class... you sound very passionate about your children!

Tracy
CPST/I

Lea_Ontario · Feb 28, 2006

Tracy said:
I'm glad you are excited about taking the certification class... you sound very passionate about your children!

Tracy
CPST/I

Yes, yes - I am very much !

skaterbabs · Feb 28, 2006

I have to say, I loved my class and had a LOT of fun. You will too!

LuvBug · Feb 28, 2006

Its official Ill be taking the classes april 26&27 and may 3&4! YAY! Unless they end up being held 100 miles away :\ Im the only person who has signed up but its still 2 months away, so plenty of time for people to sign up. They will hold it in the city closest to the largest number of people, which means if Im the only person from my city and there are 4 from another city I have to drive there. I wont be able to if its more than a 30minute drive, so cross fingers it is held close enough!!! There are only 10 spots in the class.

Unregistered · Mar 1, 2006

Once certified there are so many things you can do. I actually get paid for doing Safe Kids events, not enough to cover my childcare but it helps! I also work with the instructors when they have a new class as an aid and have taught a class to childcare providers (with an instructor) it was so much fun.

You could also do community events or work with preschools. I agree it's very important to stay in close contact with a senior checker and do lots of events with them. The class does give you the credentials to back yourself up but I can guarentee even though you think you know alot now you will learn things in class you didn't know.

Have fun in your class, it is so much fun! It's like fuel for the car seat bug in you

Jodi, CPST (mom2acrew but I forgot to log in again)

skaterbabs · Mar 1, 2006

you get paid to do SK events?! I'm jealous.

~ We get lunch, usually cheap pizza.

jen_nah · Mar 2, 2006

skaterbabscpst said:
you get paid to do SK events?! I'm jealous. ~ We get lunch, usually cheap pizza.

Our local SK is just starting to pay techs to help work SK events. Not sure what the rate is going to be just yet as we are just a new SK chapter as of Jan. We have had a hard time in the past getting techs to volunteer on weekend events.

Smiles365 · Mar 2, 2006

I guess I'm lucky, I have a paid position with our local SafeKids chapter. I return all the calls we get for appointments and questions. We have a fixed fitting station on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, so we don't have big events very often anymore. We don't have enough techs available to do big events all the time, plus with the fixed station we don't get a big turn out at events anymore. I average 15 to 20 hours a month, not bad for part time from home to return calls and my days at the fitting station. I make enough to cover Frank going to day care one day a week and a bit of spending money for myself. I think one of the biggest perks is the fact that our local chapter is send me and 2 other people to Lifesavers! Airfare, hotel, registration, and money for food is all paid for by them. Airfare from Juneau AK to Austin TX is way more than I could afford on my own, so it works out great for me, plus they don't mind that I have a few day layover in Seattle to see my family.
I will be so sad when we move in 3 years and I have to give up this position. I hope where ever the Coast Guard sends us have an active SafeKids chapter. Hopefully in the next year I'm going to become an instructor, that way when we hold classes we don't have to fly another instructor in from out of town.

skaterbabs · Mar 3, 2006

That's great. From what I can tell, our local SK chapter isn't very active.

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