Stupid things people say about car seat safety...

[cake...]

When we mentioned our decision to ERF, my mother in law said that it was a bad idea because "He won't like rear-facing and he'll throw tantrums, and then you'll give in. Just you wait and see." Heaven forbid I actually parent my child if he decided to throw a tantrum.

My mom thinks that putting babies in the back seat is "stupid" (her word) because if they cry and you're driving, you don't have any way to soothe them.

When some friends asked why DS was RFing at just over a year, we briefly explained why. They rolled their eyes and said "That's what the government wants you to think."

What are the worst things you've heard people say about car seat safety?

 

[momtotwogirls]

I hate when people say " My 10 month old WANTED for face forward"
Um my my 10 month old doesnt even know its an option so how does yours?

"I dont believe in ERF"
You dont believe in cold hard facts? We arent talking about god....

"My kids would NEVER sit like that"
Well my kids dont have a choice, they sit in the car seat or we dont go. i am the parent, not them.

 

[creideamh]

LOL, my mom says the EXACT same thing as your MIL all the time about EVERYTHING... "oh you won't do so and so, you'll give in, you'll see!" umm, ok. She said the same thing about ERF too at first, before I shoved it down her throat, became a tech, and the AAP changed their stance (she's a ped.)

Beyond that, though, everyone's too afraid of me to say anything negative about ERF... at least to my face

 

[skylinphoto]

Yeah. I have a family member who had the straps on her 4 month olds seat too high. I told her they should be at or below his shoulder when rfing. Her reply was "but he likes them up higher." Huh? Really?

 

[safeinthecar]

I just say, "I'm a beatch, my kids might as well figure that out sooner, rather than later"

Ok, so I don't SAY that. I do type that however.

 

[lourdes]

My DD is 4 y/o and RF in a Radian RXT. The most common one is "you are a child abuser" and it comes from my family members.....

 

[Crys22B]

I've been told that I "baby" my 3yr old by having him RF! That it's "not good for him to be treated like a baby." OK...

 

[littleangelfire]

"No matter what they'll get hurt in an accident."

"It's not likely to happen."

"She doesn't want to sit in that."

"I'm a good driver." - this one is pretty high on the list of hearing it all the time

And the #1 thing i hear - "We didn't use them when i was a kid."

Well, no, but there were also less cars on the road, and depending upon the generation of the person saying it, they might have been going slower for shorter distances, and hey, you know what? Everyone used to smoke, too, shall we go back to that?

I really hate the 'he/she doesn't want to/throws a fit/wants to do this" argument and depending upon my mood my repsonse will be, "Well, if he didn't want to sit in a seat/belt at all, would that be OK, too? If he never wanted to shower? If he wanted to put his hand on the hot burner on the stove? What if he wanted to run down to the lion's cage at the circus? What if he threw a fit every time he brushed his teeth?" I mean, really, the 'my kid throws a fit when...' argument kind of stinks. Yes, I do realize that for some things there are very real problems for a fit, and I believe in trying to fix those, and I'm an even bigger believer in picking your battles.

But to not pick a battle that could literally cost a child his life is ridiculous.

 

[BuckleBiters]

All of the ones mentioned, plus - "But he can't see out of the window if he's rear facing..." Child's view of passing cars vs. child arriving safely and in one piece? I know which one I would pick. Besides, our views out the window here are boring anyway.

 

[ketchupqueen]

"No matter what they'll get hurt in an accident."

I have an answer for that one...

 

[joolsplus3]

And the #1 thing i hear - "We didn't use them when i was a kid."

Well, no, but there were also less cars on the road, and depending upon the generation of the person saying it, they might have been going slower for shorter distances, and hey, you know what? Everyone used to smoke, too, shall we go back to that?

The death rate is lower than it was back then, despite way more people in way faster cars.
"According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell three percent between 2009 and 2010, from 33,808 to 32,788. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent, from a total of 43,510 fatalities in 2005. The same estimates also project that the fatality rate will be the lowest recorded since 1949, with 1.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the 1.13 fatality rate for 2009. The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled."

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/NHTSA-05-11




Anywhoooo... yeah, I think the funniest one I heard was when someone helpfully pointed out that my Marathon COULD be used forward facing for my 3 year old. She honestly thought I didn't know that (and she had her kids in combos with the harness in, LATCHED in, and the seatbelt over the whole kid and seat )

 

[krystin_21a]

One I got not too long ago
" I didn't realize that those big seats fit backwards like that. I thought only the bucket things did".

Thankfully that person was my bil and my sil and after a few answered questions they have decided to keep their two year old rf!

The other one that I hate hearing is " my kids were way too tall at a year, their feet touched and looked uncomfortable".

 

[agave]

I know he's too big for his seat but I don't want to spend $70 on a new one.

 

[Brianna]

"My 2 year old is fine in a seat belt, she'll sit still" <---- Sorry charlie, she's riding harnessed in my car.

 

[twinsmom]

"They'll have speech delays since they can't talk to you"

Huh?

 

[momtoo3]

The best one I have heard this year goes to the dad of the kids I watch: "I don't need a seat because I'm not gonna get in an ACCIDENT." I said "Oh you mean you are not going to crash on purpose." He said "I'm a good driver, I don't crash." Me: "You may be a good driver but that doesn't mean other drivers are." Him: "I'm also a defensive driver." He goes to leave and backs into my garbage toter :doh:.

 

[J'sMamaCC]

:yeahthatlove: to pretty much all of the comments already listed...

1. "He will get carsick facing backwards"
2. "He will break his legs" (better than a broken neck I say!)
3. "We never even had carseats!"
4. " I transported you in a pack-n-play filled with stuffed animals & pillows, and you survived" (my own mom, WTH!??!)
5. "Cars are safer now, they don't need a carseat past 4"

I am trying to think of what else I've heard, but those are the top five, lol.

 

[tarynsmum]

The best one I have heard this year goes to the dad of the kids I watch: "I don't need a seat because I'm not gonna get in an ACCIDENT." I said "Oh you mean you are not going to crash on purpose." He said "I'm a good driver, I don't crash." Me: "You may be a good driver but that doesn't mean other drivers are." Him: "I'm also a defensive driver." He goes to leave and backs into my garbage toter :doh:.

:ROTFLMAO::ROTFLMAO::ROTFLMAO: Priceless!

 

[littleangelfire]

I have an answer for that one...

???

The death rate is lower than it was back then, despite way more people in way faster cars.
"According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell three percent between 2009 and 2010, from 33,808 to 32,788. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent, from a total of 43,510 fatalities in 2005. The same estimates also project that the fatality rate will be the lowest recorded since 1949, with 1.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the 1.13 fatality rate for 2009. The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled."

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/NHTSA-05-11

So you're saying I can't use that as an excuse anymore?

 

[caritas]

One I got not too long ago
" I didn't realize that those big seats fit backwards like that. I thought only the bucket things did".

Thankfully that person was my bil and my sil and after a few answered questions they have decided to keep their two year old rf!

The other one that I hate hearing is " my kids were way too tall at a year, their feet touched and looked uncomfortable".

I totally had that happen at a parking garage! I was getting my then 6 month old out of a Diplomat, and my 20 month old out of a Tribute, both RF, obviously....

He said "These seats go backwards?" I was like "yep, they're convertible seats, so they go both directions. You have a Britax Marathon, and it goes RFing too."
I should have talked to him more, but he was trying to wrangle his 3 kids in the car and they were pretty loud. He didn't ask anything else, so I didn't press it. I can hope he went home and read his manual!