Signed up for the cpst class

kmcenery

New member
Do I need to bring anything with me. I read the thread so you want to be a cpst. Anything I can do now to prepare for the class. I do good installs that I get checked out by a local cpst and she never has to fix anything im good Graco safe seat, 3 in 1s, GN, efta and im going to play with the seats my mom has I cant remember the names. Any else I can do. I read as much on here as I can any other sites that are good to read. Any info would be great

Thank you
 
Last edited:
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Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
You could download the student manual from http://www.cpsboard.org/techmanual.htm if you want a preview of the curriculum, but you've already got a good leg up from hanging out here, and the printed manual will be provided for you at your course. :)

Wear comfy shoes and comfy clothes (no low-rise pants or lowcut shirts that will overexpose your goods when you're wrestling with seats, lol). Bring along the owner's manual for your car, and preferably clean up your car in advance because it will most likely be used for identifying types of seatbelts, airbags and LATCH locations, practice installations and installation evaluations, etc. Plenty of sunscreen and/or rain gear are also highly recommended because you're going to be working in cars outdoors a lot barring any sort of indoor garage facility. My instructors didn't want us to use our own carseats for the course exercises at all, only the seats the instructors provided for the course. You might want to double check with your lead instructor to see if you should leave your own carseats at home, and to see if there are any suggestions specific to your course or its location. Lunch and snacks were provided at my course (we were very well fed, lol), but I would double check on that with your lead instructor in advance, too.

Congrats and enjoy.
 
U

Unregistered1

Guest
Tie your hair back. There's not much more annoying than your hair getting in your face when you're trying to install a seat. :) Have fun! I wish i could take it again just for fun, lol
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Cut your fingernails and leave rings/watches/bracelets at home. Bring Purell.

Also, don't assume that you know everything already. Hanging out on sites like these will probably make you MUCH more prepared and knowledgeable than many/most of the other students, but there's still a ton to learn.

Also, be prepared for certain cars/car seats to kick your butt...but in a good way :)
 

NVMBR02

New member
How exciting :) I am hoping to be able to sign up for the next class in my area. They have one about 15 mins. from me in Jan and June. I missed the last two so now I am waiting for the Jan. class sign up.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
Good luck!! I was certified in March and had a great time in my class. If you have spent much time here or other boards you will know a ton, but not all, that they teach you. I agree on the comfy shoes, no low rise pants, hair back.

IMO you really don't need to do anything to prepare. Even the folks who knew nothing about car seats did fine in the class.
 

Starlight

Senior Community Member
The most important thing... pants (w/ appropriate undies) w/ enough of a rise to keep your rear fully covered in the event you are bending over. Nothing worse than having an overexposed crack, or worse, an overexposed crack w/ thong. :eek:
 

kmcenery

New member
Thank you all. I know I have lots to learn still. Im so happy I get to take this class besides it is a 2 hr drive but thats fine. And I will make sure to have shoes not flip flops (which is what I always have on) and I was thinking of just some pants I wear to stroller strides and a longer shirt. Thank you agian
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I'll be taking the course in Sept. I can't wait! I'll deffinetly download the book (manual) and check it out. I installed DD's Scenera in My Mom's car today and got it great, I was so excited! :D

About the shoes... when I install my carseats I prefer to wear flip flops cuz then I can take them off and makes it easier to climb around in the vehicle. I guess that's not allowed?

Also, THe CPSTI that installs my seats (and I'll aprentice with hern after the course) told me she ("we") gets the seats much tighter then in the classes, and all you're taught to do is push down on the seats (we sit, stand, and climb on them). Is that a major no-no?? Will I get in trouble for that?
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
Also, THe CPSTI that installs my seats (and I'll aprentice with hern after the course) told me she ("we") gets the seats much tighter then in the classes, and all you're taught to do is push down on the seats (we sit, stand, and climb on them). Is that a major no-no?? Will I get in trouble for that?

I don't know whether it's actually prohibited, but I don't think your instructor is going to want to see you standing on any seats. Put your knee in a seat to apply pressure if needed (I do this most of the time), sit in if it you have to (though I'd think it would be hard to tighten when you're sitting in it :confused:), but I really don't recommend standing in the seat. You only need to get a seat tight enough that it moves less than 1" in any direction, and it's usually pretty easy to get it to move less than that (i.e. not at all).

If I were a parent, I would not want to see someone standing in my car seat.

:twocents:
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
Do you wear the flip flops WHILE you install? I couldn't do that. At least...not the way I've learned to do it (from watching the CPSTI). I'm a very large woman so moving around in the cars can be tough, and I find it easier to be barefoot. I know my flip flops would trip meif I left them on when climbing around.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
The couple parents that I've heard feedback from after their installs (when this CPSTI installs their seats) was along the lines of...."she gets them so tight. SHe's good, she even stands on them to get them tight." Granted, she is a petite woman (maybe the size of a teenager?). I've never watched anyone else install, so this is all I know. I guess that's why I wouldn't have aproblem with someone standing on the seat?

And when I sit in it, if it's a FF seat, I guess it's more kneeling in it. SIt in it, backwards, on my knees (no way my big butt would fit in a carseat).
 

Starlight

Senior Community Member
I wear my flip flops most of the time, unless I am (for some wild reason) having to put my feet on a vehicle seat or carseat, and then I kick them off. I do my best work with my wrists though, and it doesn't freak the parents out - they tend to get worried when you use your knee (the "OMG, I could never get it that tight!") but when they see just the wrist, it's not so scary looking.
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I don't know whether it's actually prohibited, but I don't think your instructor is going to want to see you standing on any seats. Put your knee in a seat to apply pressure if needed (I do this most of the time), sit in if it you have to (though I'd think it would be hard to tighten when you're sitting in it :confused:), but I really don't recommend standing in the seat. You only need to get a seat tight enough that it moves less than 1" in any direction, and it's usually pretty easy to get it to move less than that (i.e. not at all).

If I were a parent, I would not want to see someone standing in my car seat.

:twocents:

*I* freak out when I see a student standing on a seat or putting an abnormally excessive amount of pressure on a seat and I teach them different techniques. My concern is that we are borrowing vehicles and I don't want them damaged. Nor do we want to damage a parent's vehicle when we're teaching him/her to install his/her car seat.

And like was said before, please cover your cracks, lol! Your instructors and other students around you *will* talk about what they see.

And *this* instructor gets grossed out when someone's fake nails pop off. Ew!
 

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