Dun dun dun... (creepy music chimes in)

Mae

Well-known member
I just arrived to babysit.
.
.
.
I see on the counter top, the WORST aftermarket product yet (that I've seen in person, with my little eye).

Can anybody guess?
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.






A MIGHTY-TITE!
(is stealing REALLY all that bad?)
;)
Just kidding. Kind of...
 
ADS

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
I am pretty sure that stealing to protect a child is allowed. Would educating work? Just in case I am wrong about the stealing.
 

Mae

Well-known member
I normally just have S at this house, but I also have her cousin, J. So I'm a little afraid to say how "unrecommended" it is, just in case it belongs to J because this is the first time I've ever met the parents. I know mom and dad to S just brushed ERF off their shoulders, so i'm afraid to bring this up as well.


Any ideas on how to bring it up?I figured that when they got home i'd say something like this...

"i saw you have the mighty-tite! You know, a friend of mine had that and it ripped her seatbelt right in half! She called the company and they didn't even care, either. So I started to look it up online (show them the webpage on why it's not rec'd that I ever so smartly left up) and this is what it said!......)

Any other ideas?
I'm a little nervous....
 

Maedze

New member
I don't know, it might just be me, but I can't stand it when someone talks to me like that. I see it recommended here a lot, but I find it offensive and irritating.....so I can't imagine doing it to someone else.

Then again, I'm pretty weird.
 

Mae

Well-known member
I don't know, it might just be me, but I can't stand it when someone talks to me like that. I see it recommended here a lot, but I find it offensive and irritating.....so I can't imagine doing it to someone else.

Then again, I'm pretty weird.

How would you like to be approached?
Maybe they'll be like you.
I just don't want to offend them..at least try not to.
 

Maedze

New member
*i'm weird*


I don't like stuff that feels like beating around the bush. I waste a bunch of energy trying to interpret the actual meaning. If someone said to me, "Oh, did you know these are dangerous? Here's why." it's much easier for me.

but then again

*i'm weird*
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
I have to agree with Maedze. And mostly because it's kind of like you're brushing it off as a casual offense, or like you yourself are not actually educated on it which means you're telling them hear say--who is gonna believe that when they've got this product; they sell it so "it must be safe" is going to top hear say. Plus, is that story true about your friends seat belt getting ripped in half? I would definitely not lie to these people, not a good start. I understand you could be in an awkward situation as they employ you but if they give you a hard time about something like this, is it really someone you want to work for?
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
The "Did you know those aren't recommended and here's why" approach is workable with some folks and it doesn't hurt to try. If you want a link to show about the "why nots" of the Mighty-Tite, this is an excellent one: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/SeatBeltTite.aspx Don't steal it or hide it because they might just go out and buy another Mighty-Tite if they don't learn about why not to use one. :twocents:
 

Mae

Well-known member
For those who are interested... I suppose it went well. Some background info to help aid in confusion: K and J are from a far away state. They are family...visiting for a couple days or so.

Here's the "key" for the following conversation.
T= S's mom. S is the normal child I watch.
K= J's mom. J is the "normal/main" child's cousin. Tonight was the first night watching J.
(I had both S and J.)


They got home and J's mom saw the mighty-tite on the counter and picked it up and said,
(J) "Wow, what's this?"
(T) "Oh thats the car seat thing! It's the thing that's holding it down in the car. You just crank the little handle and it tightens it"
(I've checked their cars before and it was perfect-o. Rock solid install, no add-ons, ect.).
(Me) "You know T, those things can ruin your seatbelt."
(T) "Really?"
(Me) "Yeah, I saw once that it had actually torn a seatbelt in half. It stretches them out so far... And the company doesn't even care. They say it's your own fault.
(T) "Oh, well it's just for the minivan. (They usually drive an explorer) We just traded my mom for the minivan for the weekend. It's easier to haul this many people around this way, rather than in the explorer. And the car seat just wouldn't install. The seatbelt doesn't lock!
(Me) Does it maybe lock at the latchplate? I know some lock where you buckle it, and you don't have to pull the seatbelt out that way.
(T) Nope, tried it.
(Me) And you tried pulling the seatbelt out all the way?
(T) Yeah, we tried everything! Thats why I just went out and bought this. The only way that the seat belt would lock is if we slammed on the brakes and I don't trust that.
(Me) (Arguing with myself if I should suggest the locking clip, figured I better just drop it now and act stupid.) Oh, well that's weird. Hm... How old is the minivan?
(T) Oh gosh, I have no idea. At least 10 years old or so. We usually just use the bars to clip the car seat in (LATCH).
(Me) Ohhh, gotcha.


I could tell she was getting kind of ... aggitated. Not really frustrated, just didn't feel like discussing it. I don't blame her. To her knowledge, she really did try everything. And the way that the mighty-tite is advertised, it's completely safe and if it's on the market then "it has to be safe". And to be completely honest, I have never used a locking clip. I'd probably look like an idiot trying to figure it out. I have no idea what to even do with one. I guess I'd better figure that out for situations like this. Anyway, I suppose it's best that the mighty-tite belongs to S. This way I know it's only getting used for these couple days that the family is in town.:shrug-shoulders: (Sigh).
 

InternationalMama

New member
I was confused about locking clips too. Here's some great info with videos that someone pointed me too. It really helped:

http://www.carseatsite.com/lockingclips.htm

You can buy them on Amazon very cheaply. (If her car seat doesn't have lock offs it probably came with a locking clip, but if she didn't know what it was for she may not still have it.)

Good luck!
 

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