This drives me crazy!

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LuciaBella

Guest
Ok so, today I drove the mom of the kids I nanny for to work in her car. (to save on parking). I put the baby in, and she put the 2 yr old in. Before I could object to how LOOSE and WRONG the straps were, we were already off and rolling. Look at these pictures.

Straps are loose, twisted, off her shoulders and totally wrong.

DSC_4473.jpg


Chest clip is also way too low, straps are BELOW her shoulder, and jacket is too bulky.

n91900159_30072150_7558.jpg



Compare to....
n91900159_30072152_8162.jpg




Despite my anger in this, I want to talk to the parents about putting the 2 yr old RF. She's RF in my car, but not in theirs. How should I bring it up/explain to her that they will be safer rear facing?
 
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snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Is the older kiddo already using the top slots of the seat she's in? If so you may need to switch her into the EFTA and put baby in the other seat.

I'm surprised that mom could look at one child in right and look at the other child and not think anything... I'm not sure about a gentle way to raise the issue though given the more complex interpersonal relationship since she's your employer... I think there may be a few other threads around that have been started by nannies. Perhaps those would help. :)
 

MomToEliEm

Moderator
I think you will need to be very careful on how you present the information so it doesn't come across as questioning their parenting abilities.

What I would do is order some of the USAA carseat booklets and print out the rearfacing pamphlet posted about a few posts back. Tell the mom that you were at a seminar and they had this information available so you picked them up for both yourself and her. Present the information as though you just learned about it and are wanting to share this great new information you have learned.

For that USAA booklet, here it is in PDF form: http://www.usaaedfoundation.org/pdf/544.pdf
It really is good with pictures of good use and misuse. I was able to request 100 booklets with no problem and I had the booklets within 6 days of requesting them. Best of all, the booklets are free.

To get it, go to: http://www.usaaedfoundation.org/
Select the "Order Publications" link at the top of the form.
Select publication "544 - Installing Child Safety Seats"
You can order up to 100 booklets at a time.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I moved this post to car seat chat since it's not really an installation how-to kind of question. :thumbsup:

Do you have permission to post pictures of your charges online?
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
OK, thanks for moving it. I wasn't sure where it should go. Yes, I have permission to post pictures of the kids online.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
okay.... how is it that the mom's fingers don't itch to fix that stuff?? it drives me crazy to see straps that would straighten so easily, a chest clip so easily raised, and a jacket that is so easily unzipped, pulled out of the way, and then rezipped over easily tightened straps??


But before you press on rfing the 2yr old.... I'd press on switching their seats... the older one looks close to outgrowing her seat and would have more room in the baby's current ride.
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
I decided to press 2 issues that are more important: getting the 2 yr old back to RF in her moms car, and ditching the mighty tite. The mom said I should talk to the dad. So I did. Today. At first he said "absolutely not". Then after me asking him if he knew its safer for her he said "yes...but..." and I said "well whats stopping you!?". Then he gave me his permission to turn her around. Her seat only goes to 30lbs RF, so I'm gonna ditch the titan and use the spare triumph just like her sister. I also convinced him to get rid of the mighty tite.
 
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Kat_Momof3

New member
I figured that was a typing error because the first part said to ditch the mighty tite.

no need to get rid of the titan, though... just put the baby in it... then the spare can be used for either girl, though matching seats are cute.

Still, with another seat available, I agree, that you could just bypass switching the seat discussion and go straight to the rf one.

And good for you on pushing on no mighty-tite.
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
UPDATE!

That day, I turned the 2 yr old around in the extra triumph like her sister. I've been using the moms car because mine is in the shop. She was totally happy and fine. I also got rid of the mighty tites and the seat protectors because at a car seat check, someone told me that it decreases the performance of the seat in a crash.

The mom gave me a ride home at the end of the day. The kids were tired, hungry and super cranky. the 2 yr old complained that the harness was too tight and her legs were stuck...then the mom said "well we'll try you facing that way just for today".

Today her seat is turned back around, the mighty tites are back on both seats and the seat protectors are on the seats...I talked to the mom on the way to her work and she said "I know its safer, but I can't deal with the screaming and crying when she's rear facing. Also, her legs seem so squished and it can't be comfortable. When we were little, we were out of car seats by her age and we lived! I know its safer, but we are going to take a chance."
I'm so mad! I told her that although I don't respect her opinions, I have to respect her wishes...so be it.
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
Oh and yea, that was a typo! sorry! the dad gave me permission to ditch the might tite because I told him that I'm concerned for his children's safety and thats my job! I'm the nanny and their safety is my number 1 concern. Fun comes later!

He told me that usually people that are passionate about something are right, so he told me to take the mighty tite off.
 

Mama Jo

New member
Hopefully you get your car back soon so you can put them in their seats the *right* way when they're with you!! Unfortunately it seems you've done all you can do in this situation... it's frustrating, though, I know!
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
I know, and yes I want my car back now!

Since when is the 2 yr old in charge of her own safety?!
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
you know, I get not rearfacing a kid who is already 2yrs (minimum ff age for me), but the mighty tites and the liners?

UGH.

if you do nothing else, just get rid of those (burn them/smash them)
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
Yeah, I'm also confused because the dad gave me permission to take them off, then the next weekend, he put them back on... grrr
 

itzmeigh

New member
Maybe he wasn't getting a good install without them. Since he told you it was Ok to remove them I'd remove them again and install the seats like he has them just minus the mighty tight. And this time I'd *forget* to give the Mighty Tights back to him.

Personally I wouldn't fight the 2 year old on rear facing after she has already been forward facing. Some toddlers just aren't flexable and if she hasn't already been sitting that way and doesn't already know what to do with her feet and legs them I'm sure it is very uncomfortable for her. Personally I wouldn't have fought that battle (rear facing a 2 year old after she's been forward facing for, I'm guessing, close to a year) in the first place because when it doesn't work out it makes it look like maybe you DON'T know what you are talking about when it comes to other issues as well.

For me when it comes to a case of wanting to teach someone else better carseat useage I start really really simple. Fix what they are doing WRONG. And FFing a 2 year old while not safEST is still not WRONG. So I would have put focus on getting rid of the Mighty Tight first. Teaching about proper harness and chest clip position and tightness. Then moved to removing the mats (maybe) or atleast replacing them with very thin towels. (Wal-Mart sells a really nice towel that is SUPER thin for about $1.50 a towel.) and THEN I'd work on keeping the other child rear facing as long as I could. I'd totally have passed over trying to re-rear face the 2 year old.

But that's just me.
 
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LuciaBella

Guest
I understand, but they usually take my advice, so I thought I would push it. She has been FF since she was 1 yr and 20 lbs...:( but then again she's RF in my car and doesn't care AT ALL. She only put up a fuss when her mom was in the car. I've installed the seats without the mighty tites just fine, but then he put them back on. I think he has a misconception about how tight the car seat is actually supposed to be. He thinks its not supposed to move at all. No matter how hard to push, pull or punch it its not supposed to move. He asked me "isn't the car seat supposed to be one with the car". I used to think that too, but then at an inspection, they told me to grab at the beltplate and do a firm handshake. If it doesn't move more than an inch you're good.

When I install the seats without the mighty tites, they slant in to the inside of the car. How can I prevent this?
 

keri1292

Well-known member
The toddler looks pretty solid (may not have long to RF) and I think this is a losing battle anyway. I'd offer the RFing information and work on proper use. A properly harnessed FFing toddler is probably your best hope right now. :twocents:
 
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