Grrrrr, my mom

[Sarabela]

She babysits my 15 month old neice and when she was just 1 year, maybe she was even just under a year, I noticed the car seat in my mom's car was turned forward so I gave her the talk, RF is best blah blah. I sent her and my SIL crash test videos and the carseatlady rf info etc. My SIL thanked me and said she was going to turn her back around. Today my mom shows up and asks if she can take my boys, I just have to put one of my BV's in her odyssey because she has my neice's evenflo (I think it's a titan). So I go out to her van and my neice's seat is FF. I tell her she can't take one of my boys FF, I thought she had Ellen RF. She got all mad at me. Said she doesn't want to hear it, we grew up with no seat belts, nevermind car seats. I said but we were never in an accident! Why would you not do the best thing when there is all this research out there that say it's what's best. Info that wasn't out there when we were kids. She said my brother told her FF was fine because Ellen is more comfortable that way. What? I said oh so you would rather have her comfortable and dead than uncomfortable and alive? And how is she uncomfortable anyway? She said her legs are scrunched. OMG I am so mad. I know I should have approached it in a less agressive manner but I was just so ticked. I told her I don't want her to be left feeling horrible one day if she is in an accident and something happens to Ellen that could have been prevented. She again said she doesn't want to hear it. Ohhhh I am so frustrated. What more can I do? I didn't let her take the boys in the end. I told her I didn't have time to install 2 seats before I have to take my oldest to his Dr. appt.

 

[Loves2sing]

((((hugs!))))
It is always harder having these conversations with family, because we feel more comfortable to tell them what we really think, and we get more uptight about it because it is out younger family members at risk! I've been there, and I want to encourage you that you are doing your best, and at least your SIL is listening, and maybe she will enforce it, because after all, it is her dc. I hope things improve!

 

[Sarabela]

Thanks Amanda. I think I overreacted a little but what got me so steamed was partly that I now know she took my twins FF when I was unexpectedly in the hospital overnight a few weeks ago, knowing how I feel about it. She only had the 1 car seat so she had my SIL come to my house and she took them back to her house one at a time. I assumed the seat was RF. I guess all I can do is pray that none of them are in an accident with my neice FF.

 

[Victorious4]

My mom is horrible about vehicle safety, but she responded well to the crash test comparison videos (click my name below to visit my MySpace page & scroll down for the videos) -- I also just told her that she could choose to keep a seat in her car & I installed it: she's too lazy to uninstall/reinstall.... This did turn out to work against me once Leila was capable of using boosters because even though boosters can move so easily, my mom now insists on having her own still *SIGH*