OT: Am I the only one who makes my kids sit in the back seat of the car??

[A&M's Mommy]

Originally Posted by kt_mom

I get that, my two year old can almost unstrap himself. But I would probably have to help my 9 year old get out because I'm sure I would have to stuff her in there. I'm laughing just picturing her in a 5 point harness car seat. I just might ask her to try when I pick the kids up today.

I know we all want to protect our kids, but the idea of a 9 year old 4th grader in a car seat is ridiculous to me. I would not have even put my 7 year old second grader in one. None of the children I know that are DD's age are even in boosters, much less 5 point harness car seats and haven't been for quite awhile. I can just see me now having to walk her into school and drop off her car seat so she can go home with a friend after school.

I totally agree. My kids are the same age as yours and the thought of putting them in car seats is ludicrous. This thread has been good for a lot of laughs, for sure.

Originally Posted by denisecolby

I fight about this will my adult kids all the time. Children under 12 by law must sit in the back seat in my state (Massachusetts).Everyone, adults too, must wear safty harness devices for their age/size/wieght. Under 20 lbs this means a rear facing car seat. Under 80 lbs in a 5 point harnessed forward facing car seat. After 80 lbs and under 12, in a regular adult car seat belt.

Totally wrong. Not even close.

[PollyannaMom]

Originally Posted by moopdog

...Or....is it just me?

No, it's not!

(I've only read the first and last page, so I don't know how many responses you've had each way) but my DS(11) complains about the same thing. He hates to miss the bus because he says it's embarassing to get out of the back seat of my car! He's in a normal seat belt in the back, but I still think that's safer than the front.

P.S. - This is what I found for my state:

Child Passenger Restraints
Infants and small children must sit in federally approved child passenger restraints until they...
1. Are at least eight years old or
2. At least fifty-seven inches tall
Children at least eight years old or at least fifty-seven inches tall must wear safety belts.
The safety belts must be used correctly. You can be fined $25 for breaking this law.

It only talks about car seats, not when they can sit up front. I think I've read somewhere it is either 12 and up or over 12, but I'm not positive.

[Dizisfun]

THIS IS WHAT MARYLAND SAYS:

In the State of Maryland all children under the age of eight (8) must ride in an appropriate “child restraint”. This does not apply to children weighing over sixty-five (65) pounds or four (4) feet, nine (9) inches or taller in height.

A child restraint includes Car Seats, Booster Seats and other approved child restraint devices.

Children from eight (8) to sixteen (16) years of age who are not restrained in a child safety seat must be secured with a vehicle safety belt.

THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION, NOT THE LAW: Children under the age of 13 are safest in the back seat of the vehicle.

I HAVE TO ADD THAT IF MY DGD11 WERE STUFFED INTO A 5 POINT HARNESS CAR SEAT AND HER MOTHER DROPPED HER OFF AT HER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HER FRIENDS SAW HER THE POOR CHILD WOULD DIE FROM EMBARRASSMENT.

[lucifie]

Originally Posted by kt_mom

I get that, my two year old can almost unstrap himself. But I would probably have to help my 9 year old get out because I'm sure I would have to stuff her in there. I'm laughing just picturing her in a 5 point harness car seat. I just might ask her to try when I pick the kids up today.

I know we all want to protect our kids, but the idea of a 9 year old 4th grader in a car seat is ridiculous to me. I would not have even put my 7 year old second grader in one. None of the children I know that are DD's age are even in boosters, much less 5 point harness car seats and haven't been for quite awhile. I can just see me now having to walk her into school and drop off her car seat so she can go home with a friend after school.

Seriously? None of the 7 year olds in your area are even in boosters? Here the law says that all children under the age of 8, regardless of size, need to be in a car seat or booster. Most kids aren't big enough to ride safely without a booster until they're between 10 and 12. As for small adults, yes, they should probably be in some sort of booster if they're not at least 4'9". Seat belts are designed to fit the average adult male. I'm an average-sized adult female and in some cars the seat belt doesn't fit me right.

The people who keep children in car seats longer tend to be the ones who are also informed about PROPER car seat use, including proper installation, proper fit and not using a seat after it expires, which means they aren't stuffing their older kids into seats designed for smaller kids. If a 9 year old is still in a harnessed seat it's most likely a seat designed for larger kids that fits the child properly and is installed properly.

[Tiger926]

Originally Posted by lucifie

Seriously? None of the 7 year olds in your area are even in boosters? Here the law says that all children under the age of 8, regardless of size, need to be in a car seat or booster. Most kids aren't big enough to ride safely without a booster until they're between 10 and 12. As for small adults, yes, they should probably be in some sort of booster if they're not at least 4'9". Seat belts are designed to fit the average adult male. I'm an average-sized adult female and in some cars the seat belt doesn't fit me right.

The people who keep children in car seats longer tend to be the ones who are also informed about PROPER car seat use, including proper installation, proper fit and not using a seat after it expires, which means they aren't stuffing their older kids into seats designed for smaller kids. If a 9 year old is still in a harnessed seat it's most likely a seat designed for larger kids that fits the child properly and is installed properly.

Well said!

Absolutely bizarre statements on this thread, and they show a total lack of knowledge in regards to child car safety. There are car seats that some of us very petite women can fit into, so there are definitely seats available for older children.

My kids hop out of their seats, and we walk down the street to school. Drop off and pick up is very busy, so no one is paying any attention to how children are sitting in the car. So, I can't imagine who would make a comment to someone in a car? And, if kids made fun of another kid for being in a seat, then the apple probably doesn't fall far from the tree...like some of the grown adults on here who are bent on making others feel embarrassed for properly securing their children in their vehicles. What horrible parents who actually understand the risk that is involved in driving a car with children as passengers.

Most people should be aware that car seat safety laws/recommendations/rules are minimums; therefore, it is advantageous that people keep their kids secured until those requirements are met.

Just the other day, a woman was jailed here for having a 5 and 6 year old in improper car seats, while speeding down the highway.

This is one of those makes my head hurt threads...Tiger

[nchulka]

Originally Posted by Tiger926

Well said!

Absolutely bizarre statements on this thread, and they show a total lack of ignorance in regards to child car safety. There are car seats that some of us very petite women can fit into, so there are definitely seats available for older children.

My kids hop out of their seats, and we walk down the street to school. Drop off and pick up is very busy, so no one is paying any attention to how children are sitting in the car. So, I can't imagine who would make a comment to someone in a car? And, if kids made fun of another kid for being in a seat, then the apple probably doesn't fall far from the tree...like some of the grown adults on here who are bent on making others feel embarrassed for properly securing their children in their vehicles. What horrible parents who actually understand the risk that is involved in driving a car with children as passengers.

Most people should be aware that car seat safety laws/recommendations/rules are minimums; therefore, it is advantageous that people keep their kids secured until those requirements are met.

Just the other day, a woman was jailed here for having a 5 and 6 year old in improper car seats, while speeding down the highway.

This is one of those makes my head hurt threads...Tiger

I guess that is my problem, I lack ignorance!!

[badblackpug]

There needs to be a sensible middle ground. Not taking routine precautions like seat belts being worn at all times, and helmets is one ridiculous end of the spectrum, and cramming 7-10 year olds in a 5 point harness is the other.

[Habbott]

Originally Posted by badblackpug

There needs to be a sensible middle ground. Not taking routine precautions like seat belts being worn at all times, and helmets is one ridiculous end of the spectrum, and cramming 7-10 year olds in a 5 point harness is the other.

But what if you're not "cramming" the child into a 5 point harness? Cramming implies that the seat is not the right fit, but there are quite a few seats on the market now that harness up to 80lbs. I am in the process of shopping for one of these seats.

I honestly don't care what other people do, but in my car, they follow my rules.

[CammelleandBre]

My daughter still sits in the backseat and in a booster seat. She will be 10 in January. Safety first.

[Mom2Luci]

My DD is 4, 49 lbs and 43". She is still in a 5 point harness in ALL cars she is in - even if it means leaving a carseat with family if they are keeping her for most of the day or overnight. She still has quite a bit of room to grow in her bigger seats (Radian 80 and Radian XT) which are built for kids to be harnessed until 80 lbs. Honestly, after my mom was almost killed in a single car rollover accident (hydroplaned into a storm sewer cover), car safety is no joke to me. The car does not move until every passenger is buckled in safely. I make my 11 year old niece ride in the back seat when she is with me.

There will always be people who think extended rear-facing or harnessing is going overboard trying to protect your child from a slight risk of an accident. For me, I couldn't handle the "what if's" if we were in an accident and I didn't do everything I could to protect my daughter.

[Tiger926]

Originally Posted by badblackpug

There needs to be a sensible middle ground. Not taking routine precautions like seat belts being worn at all times, and helmets is one ridiculous end of the spectrum, and cramming 7-10 year olds in a 5 point harness is the other.

Originally Posted by Habbott

But what if you're not "cramming" the child into a 5 point harness? Cramming implies that the seat is not the right fit, but there are quite a few seats on the market now that harness up to 80lbs. I am in the process of shopping for one of these seats.

I honestly don't care what other people do, but in my car, they follow my rules.

Exactly! I wouldn't expect people who are adamant about not fastening their children at certain ages, to even have any knowledge of current car seats, nor the current traffic regulations. If they think it's ridiculous to use that product, I can't imagine that they would be knowledgeable about the height and weight restrictions of those products, so to them, it's cramming as they are probably not aware of new car seat technology.

As you said, it's not cramming if child is within the weight/height restrictions of the seat.

Tiger

[adventure_woman]

Originally Posted by Habbott

But what if you're not "cramming" the child into a 5 point harness? Cramming implies that the seat is not the right fit, but there are quite a few seats on the market now that harness up to 80lbs. I am in the process of shopping for one of these seats.

Since you are shopping - I have both the Graco Nautilus and Britax Frontier. I like them both - however, the Britax is a PITA to install. If you are debating on either of these seats - go to BRU and try to install them both in your car to see how they fit. I wish I had done this! (I bought the Britax first and then the Graco as the back-up)

[Habbott]

Originally Posted by adventure_woman

Since you are shopping - I have both the Graco Nautilus and Britax Frontier. I like them both - however, the Britax is a PITA to install. If you are debating on either of these seats - go to BRU and try to install them both in your car to see how they fit. I wish I had done this! (I bought the Britax first and then the Graco as the back-up)

Good suggestion. I assumed the Britax would be easy since my Marathon is. Guess not. We have a buy buy baby next to our Bru, and they both allow that. BBB just offers better options for higher weighted seats. We have a marathon and a grace Argos right now. I hate the Argos. It's going to be the seat I leave at my parents house.

[Colleen27]

Originally Posted by nchulka

I am trying to restore some common sense, people have taken "safety" to ridiculous levels. America in 2012 is so safe that people have to invent things to be afraid of, things that have such a small risk of actually happening. We live in the safest time period ever in history so now we create fear of ridiculous things like drop side cribs, unbuckling our seatbelts for a second, letting a 5 year old play in the front yard alone. I don't have my kids wear bike helmets, they're totally silly for little kids on subdivision sidewalks! If my kids were teens or adults and were serious cyclists on busy roads and at high speeds then yes wearing a helmet would be appropriate. A 6 year old biking on a sidewalk in a quiet subdivision, ridiculous! I did say (on another thread) that I will encourage my son to join the military and you are saying that that is lacking common sense and not caring for my children's safety?? WOW!!

In my family, carseats are retired when legally permissible (now that the law is 8; prior to the change DS was out of his before 8 but not at 4 as was the law at the time). I'm certainly not driving my 4'7" 11 year old to middle school in a booster seat, and she even sits up front from time to time. Likewise, my teenager, who has been taller than both grandmothers since the 6th grade, has been sitting up front for years (he's 5'8", 180# at 14).

I guess I'm just a risk taker - I didn't sign my kids up for ECGs before starting sports either though there's a group in my area pushing for that, we don't get flu shots even though it kills a handful of kids each year, and I let them learn to swim as babies/toddlers in direct contradiction to AAP recommendations. Our culture of fear has gotten absolutely ridiculous and I am beyond sick of being told all about how "good parents" take measures to protect against every minuscule risk that crosses their minds.

[4HppyCamprs]

812 fatalities due to motor vehicle accidents on one stretch of road near my home. It was 752 on October 21st. That does not seem like a minuscule risk. Super the airbag is turned off when your too small child is seated up front that means there is nothing to protect their skulls from slamming into the glass or dashboard but at least they won't bee killed from the airbag exploding into them and crashing face and chest bones.

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