Frustrated by # of boosterless first graders

(posted this on the BBC Car Safety board, apologies for the duplication)
I was a driver for my 7YO twin first-grader DDs' field trip yesterday and was dismayed to see that several kids in each of their classes were no longer using boosters and some of the booster-less boys were teasing the boys who were still using boosters

We're in CA so I'm guessing that these parents figure they're complying with the "6 years or 60 lbs. minimum" without realizing that their kids are still too small to get a good fit without a booster. I'd like to ask the teachers if I can include a handout in the weekly folder or e-newsletter that includes the 5-step test and safety reasons for keeping their kids in boosters longer and wondered if anyone has some good links/references.

Thanks!

Hi E! Glad to see you over here .

I can handle kids being w/o boosters--there will always be some. It's the teasing that bothers me because you know the attitudes of the parents at home, "Oh, I'm so glad you don't have to sit in your *baby* seat anymore."

I tried to have the nurse at my child's kindergarten school pass out fliers about boosters, yet she refused (not sure of her reason though). It really is frustrating to see so many kids not in boosters, but the laws in my state are horrible (when my kids were 3 years old, they could have been in just a regular seatbelt since they were over 36"). Until the laws actually change, I doubt I will see a change in what kids are riding in.

Try asking the school nurse if she might hand out any information. She probably won't do it, but she just might.

:happy-wavehello: Nice to see you over here! Hope you stick around.

I totally sympathize with you. When DS was in first grade last year, the law in Michigan still allowed kids to move to seatbelts on their 4th birthday (no weight requirement, even). Hardly anyone used boosters. The law changed to 8Y/4'9" last summer, but as far as I can tell not many kids who weren't in boosters before have moved into boosters now. It drives me crazy, but I've learned to just not look in other cars. And if I drive on a field trip, everyone is boostered in seats that I provide (mainly because there's like ONE combination of boosters that will work 3-across in my Focus).

I agree with Heather that to me, the teasing is worse. DS has only been teased a couple of times, in the pickup lane after school. It really makes me mad. I don't think that DS will get the idea that he doesn't want to be in a booster/harnessed seat any longer, but I do worry about it. Fortunately, both times it happened (same girl, I think) the girl said "DS has a baby seat!" and DS just said to me "Yeah, and I bet she doesn't even use a booster seat! How safe is that?"

Definitely see about getting information to other parents. It's true that at 6 or 60, kids can legally be out of boosters, but as you know, that doesn't mean it's safe.

If you're in Southern California, AAA has some great 5-Step Test cards. They'd probably be happy to give you some for free. (Try to find a main office and ask to speak to someone in public relations/public affairs if they don't know what you're talking about.) I'm not sure if AAA in other parts of CA have those cards. (They're about postcard size.)

The other thing you can do is go to www.carseat.org (like this site, but without the hyphen). There's a link about the 5-step test, and you can print that out and make copies.

It frustrates me too. I live in Nevada. I see kids who are only about 3 or 4 years old not in a car seat, and the seat belt is not properly on them. It makes me wonder why the police doesn't pull them over and ask about it, because here it is "click it or ticket" and that the kids have to be in a carseat around that age, and then turn to a booster seat. But the police just drive by them. The teasing isn't good either, it just worries me that the kid being teased will want nothing to do with their car seat. And the kids calling a booster seat a baby seat isn't right. Booster seats are not baby seats, but it is mainly the parents who call it that, kids just go with what their parents teach them.

For sites to get information I would have to go with Lismama810 about going to carseat.org.

My state requires a restraint (at least a booster) until the child is 9 years old. People then automatically assume that all 9 years olds "don't need that baby seat anymore". Some people even figure that 6, 7, or 8 is "close enough" as long as they don't get caught. In fact, I know one mom who said "it used to be 4 & 40 when my oldest was little, so I took her out of a seat. Then they made it 6 & 60, so I put her back in. When they changed it to 8 & 80 (it's now just 9 years old w/ no weight guideline), I got sick of putting them in & out of seats so I figure 6 is good enough." I agree that the whole attitude of the booster as an inconvenient "baby" thing required by law rather than a safety devise that is beneficial (& for more than safety, I know one girl who asked to go back in the booster since she could see out the window better & was more comfy) really bothers me. People say we shouldn't have laws regarding CPS, since it's the parents choice and they'll chose the right thing. If you just see CPS as something required by law (and otherwise unnecessary), then you're not going to follow best practice or even minimum practice unless it's a law w/ consequences.

When I worked in daycare and the law changed the center was actually slightly annoyed that they would have to purchase seats. As it was the parents who wanted their children in seats had to bring their own!
I was 15 or 16 at the time so I had no clue really I just remember being in the office when they were complaining about the added expenses. Looking back I'm shocked at how they acted!!

Now the law in Oregon is 8 OR 80 lbs... how is that in comparison to other states, it sounds like one of the higher standards from what I've gathered which makes me happy for all the "law abiding" citizens... I'm hoping DS1 makes it to adulthood in his Frontier! hahaha

I know how you feel.

I see the same thing at DD's school.

I even contacted the school's "safety officer" who works on "safe routs to school", and asked him to print a blurb about booster use and the laws. He agreed, and I worked pretty hard on it. making it short enough to be included in the newsletter, but still contain enough info, and proper use links.

Well, the guy has put out 2 "safe routs to school" newsletters, and still hasn't included it.:thumbsdown:

I give up.

When DD was in preschool, they had a field trip toward the end of the year for the 3 and 4 year olds to go to the movie theater. They took 3 vans and in the permission slip told parents that if they wanted their kids to ride in boosters they had to provide them, and that they would only be able to accommodate the backless boosters as high back boosters or harnessed seats would be too much of an inconvenience to take in and out of the vans. I refused to allow DD to go on the field trip.

LISmama810 said:

Definitely see about getting information to other parents. It's true that at 6 or 60, kids can legally be out of boosters, but as you know, that doesn't mean it's safe.

If you're in Southern California, AAA has some great 5-Step Test cards. They'd probably be happy to give you some for free. (Try to find a main office and ask to speak to someone in public relations/public affairs if they don't know what you're talking about.) I'm not sure if AAA in other parts of CA have those cards. (They're about postcard size.)

The other thing you can do is go to www.carseat.org (like this site, but without the hyphen). There's a link about the 5-step test, and you can print that out and make copies.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the carseat.org link - I'm going to email their 5 step handout to DDs' teachers and ask if I can distribute it to the class by email or in the weekly parent communication folders.