Driving for preschool field trip

niccig · Jul 4, 2009

I volunteered to drive for DS's preschool field trip, most kids are 4 years old. I've never taken kids in boosters and I KNOW, I'm going to get some boostered kids. Anything I can do or say to keep the kids in better position?

I'm going to ask DS's preschool teacher to remind all the parents that by CA law, there must be in a child restraint until age 6.

What do I do if I get a child who's car seat no longer fits them - probably by height as I won't be able to weigh the children. Do I still take the child in the seat the parent provided or do I bring some of my extra seats to help out? If I take 3 kids, I'll probably have DS in the RSTV in the center to make it easier to get 2 kids in the outboard positions. I have a Safeguard Go that any of these children should fit. I could keep it in the trunk, but I do worry about going against another parent's wishes and changing car seats. I know I would be POed if I sent DS with a seat and it didn't get used or swapped out for a different seat.

Judi · Jul 4, 2009

Sorry, my car, my rules. I use car seats right, period. I know, that I know what I am doing. I would take an extra seat, or 2.

ketchupqueen · Jul 4, 2009

I would try to use their seats but if they don't fit the car or the kid or they are inappropriate because the kid can't sit right or whatever, I'd swap for an "extra." Or you could see if all the kids actually bring seats-- if not, request the kids who don't have seats, have seats installed they can use.

BookMama · Jul 4, 2009

I don't know how many (or what) extra seats you have, but personally I prefer to just use my own seats so that I can install them ahead of time and I know they're not expired, etc. The last time I drove for a field trip, DS was in first grade (so a little older than the kids you'll have) and since the car seat law in MI at the time was only until age 4, I knew that the kids would all be in boosters, if anything. So I just installed my own boosters and the kids used those. (And, if I remember correctly, the other two kids were out of boosters, but not in my car.)

In your situation, I'd go ahead and install the GO, use the RSTV for your DS, and if you don't have another HWH seat to accomodate a potentially big kid, just hope that one of the two that rides with you brings an appropriate seat. :twocents:

emandbri · Jul 4, 2009

When I drove for a preschool trip I installed all the harnessed seats I had and all the kids used a harness in my van. The teacher knew I was a car seat nut and I asked her about using my own seats and she said it was a good idea and put all the ADD kids in my van so they wouldn't have to worry about them in boosters! The preschool contracted with the school districts and 1/3 of the kids were there for services and 2/3 were normal students.

I think I had two huskys, a roundabout, and a fisher price futura.

ZephyrBlue · Jul 4, 2009

After learning the hard way (having no spares and being faced with installing expired seats or seats that were totally inappropriate for the height/weight of the kids), I've started bringing as many spare seats as kids that I volunteer to take. My kids have all gone to the same preschool and I told the director several years ago that if I was going to transport children, I was going to do it safely and legally. I will NOT install expired or inappropriate seats, period. (And I didn't consider backless boosters for 3-4yos to be appropriate, or AO seats w/harnesses for kids whose shoulders were several inches above the top usable slots)

If they want me to drive, I use my own seats unless the parent provides a safe one. If not, I drive my own kids and that's that

mamabear · Jul 4, 2009

My car my rules.
I took DD's kindy class on a few field trips. I even brought an extra booster in case I got a 6yo that's parent's didn't send one. I did. She wasn't happy about it, but I explained to her that while she's in my car, she's in my care and I feel safer using a booster. I told her I would feel terrible if she got hurt on my watch.
it was fine after that. I even had my DD's Marathon with me and installed it in another parent's car for another kid who showed up with no booster (she was a tiny kid too, still below the top slots on the MA)

NannyMom · Jul 4, 2009

ITA with using your own seats to avoid expired or outgrown seats. What if it was a 3 year old class. Would you RF kids even if they are FF in their parents cars? This is something I'm sure will come up for me as Sofi starts preschool.

I've thiinking about this alot lately since we've already become friends with one of her new classmates (2yrs 33lbs FF).

ZephyrBlue · Jul 4, 2009

I tend to intall the seats before the field trip (it's waaay to crazy to do it while we're all packing up and trying to leave) and I install them all FF. To me, FF a 3yo is not a big deal at all :twocents:

tanyaandallie · Jul 4, 2009

I always take my spares and have them installed in the car. Last year I drove the 3's to their field trip and one of them showed up with no seat at all. I will not drive a child that is not properly restrained.

I would not put a 3 year old rf in my car unless it was my own or they rode that way in their own car.

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom · Jul 4, 2009

ITA with the PP's - I bring extras and have them installed - that way you know the seats fit and you don't have to worry about having to lug a few other seats and kids to your car at loading time. At my DDs' school and preschool, the parents didn't mind that I used my own seats (At preschool I'd let the school teachers know that I was bringing enough seats so they'd let the parents know - overall the other parents were glad b/c it saved them the hassle of having to take the seats out of their cars to put into mine. For K & 1st grade the seat assingnments often got rearranged so I just made sure I had all my spare boosters along with my dd's boosters). Although I can understand your feelings about if you sent your child with a seat that didn't get used - I think we can all relate b/c we know that there are parents who aren't as detail-oriented as we are about making sure our seats are not expired and are properly installed and appropriate for the child using it - I think any parent who would be upset by that would be ok when they found out that the driver is a car safety nut and has properly installed seats

Driving for preschool field trip

niccig

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Judi

CPST/Firefighter

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

BookMama

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emandbri

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ZephyrBlue

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mamabear

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NannyMom

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ZephyrBlue

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tanyaandallie

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Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom

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