sunnymw
New member
How do you handle it?
I thought I was making progress... MIL drives DS short distances occasionally, and he was riding FF in an old car seat with OHS that I just KNEW had to be expired and I finally asked her if it was... indeed it was, so it's out of the car. :thumbsup:
So, next she got my nephew's car seat for my DS to use... it's a Cosco HBB that harnesses 22-40lbs and, according to the Dorel site, is for 34" and up (although oddly enough DS's shoulders are slightly above the bottom strap slots... he's tall torsoed and cloth diapered... but still technically 3 inches too short...? not that it matters, he's only 21lbs). He rode in it yesterday a good distance, which I was uncomfortable with but didn't say anything b/c I'm a wimp like that, and b/c I didn't know about the 22lbs/34in thing yet (went home and looked it up).
I sent her an email last night asking that she have him rear facing (a really nice respecful kind email), saying I'd be happy to install his seat or even buy them a Scenera... unfortunately she won't get that email until TOMORROW. And DH and I are having a(n unplanned) date today and she's keeping him. So I sent her a text asking her to ask DH to put DS's car seat in her car before he left b/c DS isn't big enough for the seat in her car yet... and she texts back saying to tell her what kind of seat she needs to buy and she'll buy it... she just goes by what it says on the seat mad: WHY do car seat companies DO this to us?). I texted back that I'd be happy to get one for him, that he just isn't big enough for that car seat yet... she texted back explaining to me that it was a 5pt harness and the shoulder straps where right where his shoulders were, and that it wasn't a booster, just converted to one after your child is big enough. I really didn't want to argue since she IS babysitting for us today so I told her not to worry about it today (I doubt they are going anywhere) but it's just frustrating. My problem wasn't that it was a booster seat... it's that it was forward facing, period, AND my DS doesn't meet the minimums! (He's 3rd percentile in weight). I know she's trying to do the right thing and her heart is in the right place, but it seems like an uphill battle, especially when no one understands WHY I want to ERF (DH kind of does... but mostly in that "You install the seats, honey, however you want them" way).
HOW HARD would it be to change the labels on ALL car seats to say "Forward facing use from 1 year AND 33lbs"
So what do you DO with family members who just don't quite understand it yet? I'd like to say that I could install a Scenera in her van and it stay RF, but I honestly don't know if it would (and unfortunately, if it got turned FF, the straps might stay threaded the same and be below his shoulders still... making me want to spend $$ we don't have on the EFTA).
Aaaaaahhhh!!!!!! I just want to get a tattoo on my forehead that says "LEGAL does not mean SAFE"!!
Sorry, just venting. I finally have one hour of alone time at home and I'm sitting here stressing myself. I need to go take a hot bath or something, lol. Thanks for listening.
I thought I was making progress... MIL drives DS short distances occasionally, and he was riding FF in an old car seat with OHS that I just KNEW had to be expired and I finally asked her if it was... indeed it was, so it's out of the car. :thumbsup:
So, next she got my nephew's car seat for my DS to use... it's a Cosco HBB that harnesses 22-40lbs and, according to the Dorel site, is for 34" and up (although oddly enough DS's shoulders are slightly above the bottom strap slots... he's tall torsoed and cloth diapered... but still technically 3 inches too short...? not that it matters, he's only 21lbs). He rode in it yesterday a good distance, which I was uncomfortable with but didn't say anything b/c I'm a wimp like that, and b/c I didn't know about the 22lbs/34in thing yet (went home and looked it up).
I sent her an email last night asking that she have him rear facing (a really nice respecful kind email), saying I'd be happy to install his seat or even buy them a Scenera... unfortunately she won't get that email until TOMORROW. And DH and I are having a(n unplanned) date today and she's keeping him. So I sent her a text asking her to ask DH to put DS's car seat in her car before he left b/c DS isn't big enough for the seat in her car yet... and she texts back saying to tell her what kind of seat she needs to buy and she'll buy it... she just goes by what it says on the seat mad: WHY do car seat companies DO this to us?). I texted back that I'd be happy to get one for him, that he just isn't big enough for that car seat yet... she texted back explaining to me that it was a 5pt harness and the shoulder straps where right where his shoulders were, and that it wasn't a booster, just converted to one after your child is big enough. I really didn't want to argue since she IS babysitting for us today so I told her not to worry about it today (I doubt they are going anywhere) but it's just frustrating. My problem wasn't that it was a booster seat... it's that it was forward facing, period, AND my DS doesn't meet the minimums! (He's 3rd percentile in weight). I know she's trying to do the right thing and her heart is in the right place, but it seems like an uphill battle, especially when no one understands WHY I want to ERF (DH kind of does... but mostly in that "You install the seats, honey, however you want them" way).
HOW HARD would it be to change the labels on ALL car seats to say "Forward facing use from 1 year AND 33lbs"
So what do you DO with family members who just don't quite understand it yet? I'd like to say that I could install a Scenera in her van and it stay RF, but I honestly don't know if it would (and unfortunately, if it got turned FF, the straps might stay threaded the same and be below his shoulders still... making me want to spend $$ we don't have on the EFTA).
Aaaaaahhhh!!!!!! I just want to get a tattoo on my forehead that says "LEGAL does not mean SAFE"!!
Sorry, just venting. I finally have one hour of alone time at home and I'm sitting here stressing myself. I need to go take a hot bath or something, lol. Thanks for listening.