Too early for a Booster?

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While the three year old does meet the manufacturer's stated minimums for most high back boosters (3 years, 30 pounds, 38"), as you have correctly observed he is too immature to sit properly. Slouching and unbuckling are signs of behavioral immaturity that one certainly would expect from a three year old, which is why we tend to recommend four years as a bare minimum for even beginning booster use.

That, coupled with the fact that you have observed that the booster simply doesn't fit him well, definitely confirms that this child would be a lot safer in a harnessed seat.

Unfortunately, it is the parent's decision. You can do your best to educate but ultimately it is up to the parent.

:yeahthat:

Have you pointed out that they do ride in harnessed seats, in your car? How much to they object to being harnessed in your car? Unfortunately, it sounds like she has made up her mind, and you aren't going to get anywhere.

As far as her commenting on your child RFing - When I was convertible shopping for DD, I was driving everyone around me nuts. They kept telling me to just get over it and make a decision already! But I did my research, learned about ERFing and EHing and best practices. My brother thought I was totally nuts, until I explained why. I told him that MVAs are the #1 killer of people aged 1-34 years, and that IF something were to happen, at least I would know that I had done everything that I could to protect her. I wouldn't have the added "if only I had ..." on top of the guilt/grief I was already feeling. That ended that conversation, and I haven't gotten flack from him about it again. In fact, last night we went somewhere together, and he stopped me from buckling DD. HE wanted to do it (have me teach him) so that he could do it himself properly.

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Honestly, I'd drop it. What more can you do? You have sent her the KDM stuff. You have talked to her about it. She is not listening. We simply cannot save the world. I know it's most upsetting when it's your own relatives that are not listening to you, but you cannot force her to listen to you no matter how frustrating it is.

OK, thanks for the info though. I'm still trying!

It seems to me that it might help if you really tried to understand her point of view.

I don't think the problem is that she doesn't understand, as you suggest, but that she has different priorities than you do. Safety is your top concern- hers is probably something else, and she's ok with an approach to child passenger safety that only meets the bare minimum legal standard. Trying to understand her value system and accept that you and she can disagree about this issue without either of you being wrong will at the very least help you feel better- and may well increase her acceptance of your ideas once she sees that you have accepted the legitimacy of hers.

It might also help to remember that it doesn't matter how children are restrained unless the car they are riding in is actually involved in an accident. The vast majority of children never put their restraint system to the test because they're never in an accident.

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Does your state have a proper use clause?

It sounds to me like she's not going to harness them. So I think your first priority should be to help her understand that if they sit in boosters, they must use them PROPERLY. She MUST use the belt guide to adjust the fit and she MUST enforce staying buckled and properly seated.

A proper use clause in your law would back you up on this. Pull out the manufacturers' instructions and show her the section on how it should fit and how they have to use it.

Haleycrabtree, I hear you....!!! I have a *somewhat* close "friend" who absolutely-completely-totally refuses to even consider advice on properly restraining her kids. I've posted about her before in various places. She has 6 kids (8 total + a 2 year old grand child & other kids from time-to-time) who are at such a HUGE risk when they drive in their Chevy Express. Oh my gosh, the things I witnessed makes my skin crawl....! And I've personally seen them cram 4 or 5 kids in a tiny Honda Accord. Yes, I've called 9-1-1, as well as made a couple of different reports to the police. I understand your frustration! They just don't "get it", do they? Things go in one ear & out the other! :doh: With my friend, I know they believe they are in "God's perfect will" & "under the perfect protection of God"..... Yeah, that's all fine (except the "perfect will" part! ugh!) but we have a God-given responsiblity to protect our kids. It's one thing (sad enough) when we "truly don't have the information".... but in my case and with your sister, they've been given the information, facts, videos, flyers, ect.... and they choose to ignore it. Nothing else you can do, I guess. In my case, I keep praying: for continued safety and that "friend" would WAKE
THE HECK UP>>>!!!!!