Day 2

TXDani

Senior Community Member
Well today I finally learned what a belt shortening clip is and how to use one...whew those can be tough. Other then that it was another day full of what I have already learned from everyone on this board.
We went over seating positions for different sized children and types of restraints. And one of them was driver/adult #2 up front and in the back there was 2 outboard l/s and a lap only in the center. There was a 8 year old that was 85 lbs, a 3 year old that was 30 lbs, and a 2 month old that was 11 lbs. So I did what I know from here and put the 3 yr. 30 lb rear-facing outboard, the 2 month old rf in the center, and the 7 year old in a booster in the other outboard seating position. The instructor disappointed me then when she told me she had never heard of a rear facing child being safer or more protected then a forward facing child and that it was the parents choice to put the 3 year old rf. I told her I was doing the scenario as if they were my own kids and I would have him rf. She then went on in front of the whole class to say "what 3 year old realistically would want to be rf?" which made some class members say "how could a 3 year old rf?". I just mentioned the rf gallery and that older kids like to swing their legs over the side of the seat and let it go.
Anyway that was today...we did do a lot of hands on installing which was fun and it was interesting to watch how other people put in seats too. Ohhh and I found out LifeSavers is going to be here in Portland in 2008!!!
Jenny (Scatterbunny) get your certification so we can go together!!
 
ADS

scatterbunny

New member
PM me and let me know who your instructors were! ;)

I was also treated the same way at my 1-day/8-hour class and the first day of my week-long class (that I didn't finish) about rear-facing. I said I would put a 32-pound, 3yo special needs child rear-facing and I was questioned about it.

I think you should print out the info at CPSafety and also the MSNBC article on rear-facing and give them to the instructor(s), not in front of the whole class, but privately.

I will definitely have my certification before 2008, and WILL be at Lifesavers!
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
My class was very much like this as well.... But, I did learn some things -- mostly how to handle disappointment, LOL -- kidding, but it did help prepare me more to deal with parents who think the same way :eek:

If I could've had one piece of advice for my class I'd have liked to hear someone tell me not to worry about reminding the instructors to follow the course curriculum & manuals, saving their oppinions for later :(

But, I could just be moody right now *SIGH*

Best of luck & keep up the great work -- you'll do very well, I'm sure! :)
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Sigh, I would have done the same thing you would have. Provided the seats fit, of course. I hope my instructors are better informed. Would it seem too arrogant of me to print out the entire CPSsafety site beforehand and just pass off info to the instructors if and when necessary? LOL

I can't wait to see how a belt shortening clip works. And a locking clip. I know in theory how they work, but I've never done it, and I look forward to someone showing me in 4D how to work it.

Can't wait to hear about tomorrow! 18 days for me.

Wendy
 

rachel3612

Senior Community Member
Wendy you have never used a locking clip? That is just odd. LOL I know its because you have only ever had Britax though. They are the only seats that don't come with one.

Do you have any friends that might have one laying around unused? (they come on each non britax seat) That way you can try it before you get to the class. LOL Just so you can know pretty much everything. I think you can use a locking clip LIKE a BSC just for practice NOT to install a seat. LOL Just do it on your lap only belt, make it as long as it will go and put it on. If I had a lap belt I would go practice it once in awhile. Its one of those things I did at my class 4 years ago then did again a few months ago in a refresher course but never on an actual install.

Its nice that all classes pretty much go the same, so you are now finding out what you will be learning each day.

Congratulations to all soon to be techs!

Rachel
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The Radian has one. Maybe on Saturday (day off!) I'll go out to my car and play with it. Email me directions? I just don't get how it goes on to lock the belt. I think I remember my mom using one way back when when my brother was in a seat and I was in a booster (my mom was progressive back then, I was actually in a booster until I was six, two years past the legal age, because I wasn't 40 pounds until I was six). But that was the last time I saw one used.

Wendy
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
As a carseat junkie who hopes to become a tech some day too, I appreciate hearing about the details of your CPS training course. I have a question for you or for the other techs - do they have dummies of some sort to use at the class to practice positioning and adjusting the carseat harnesses properly? It occurs to me they probably have to use something along the lines of the dummies used in first aid and CPR training classes, short of bringing in actual children to the class. Bringing in your kid(s) would be the most realistic teaching tool, lol.
 

griffinmom

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Jeanum said:
As a carseat junkie who hopes to become a tech some day too, I appreciate hearing about the details of your CPS training course. I have a question for you or for the other techs - do they have dummies of some sort to use at the class to practice positioning and adjusting the carseat harnesses properly? It occurs to me they probably have to use something along the lines of the dummies used in first aid and CPR training classes, short of bringing in actual children to the class. Bringing in your kid(s) would be the most realistic teaching tool, lol.


We use dolls and stuffed animals too. LOL
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
FWIW, at Christmas I bought Joyjoy a HUGE doll at Wal-Mart, for only $10! It's 23" long and wears her 3-6 mos clothing. lol It's great for showing new parents how to fit an infant seat. lol
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Too funny. The other day when we got our first Regent at a toy and baby furnishings store, DD#1 begged us to buy her a huge $75 "Groovy Girl" doll that was about her height. DD "helpfully" suggested we could get her the doll and buckle it into the Regent for the trip home, lol. We compromised and let her get a new doll, but it was the smaller $15 version. :)
 

Longhorn Lady

New member
The instructor disappointed me then when she told me she had never heard of a rear facing child being safer or more protected then a forward facing child
Isn't this just basic knowledge? That a RF kid is always safer than a FF kid? Were you instructors assuming that at 1 yr/20 lbs, there is no difference?

Glad you're enjoying yourself :)
 

TXDani

Senior Community Member
Wendy~ I also can't believe you haven't used a locking clip before...you are just so knowledable I figured you had done it all!

Jenny~ Yeah! I am sure you'll have your certification by LifeSavers!

We also used dolls for the carseats...we have a giant Superman and a big Dora!
What the instructor said was something along the lines off...
how can a rf child be more protected if the shell of the seat is the same no matter which way it is facing...
I already know they think I am a "know it all" so I just let it go but a fellow classmate who was a cop said he agreed and that it made sense which made me feel better.
Alright I'll go post an update for day 3!!
 

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