Here I was, all naive, thinking that there is enough car seat education out there. Apparently NOT! Parents are STILL turning their kids around forward facing super early. I am tired of seeing the pictures on Instagram, Facebook, etc. I'm also tired of parents get so MAD when they are told about car seat safety. I see they feel their parenting is being attacked but really, they are trying to educate you so you can protect your babies.
Recently a Facebook friend of mine posted this:
(Note: my print screen button doesn't seem to be working so this is being copied and pasted. Also, I am not correcting anyone else's punctuation, so bear with me. Names have been changed.)
Stacey's status: I am so tired of other mothers on my Facebook going beyond voicing there opinion about what is right and wrong for ALL children,it's absolutely fine to voice your opinion on topics such as what is better organic or non organic baby food,cloth or disposable diapers,rear or front facing car seats,or what kind of tooth paste is better to use,but when you actually start to debate the use of car seats and say some one else's way is wrong is wrong of you,you are not a better mother than anyone else we all raise our kids differently,and have different beliefs,my oldest son has been in a front facing car seat since he was 18 months old and he is happy and healthy,my youngest is in a front facing right now at 14 months and he is happy and healthy as well,my oldest is the size of a 5 year old at age 3 and my youngest is advanced for his age they both were crawling at 5 months and walking at 9,so don't assume YOUR way is the only right way,this isn't directed to any one person because there are quite a few of you on my Facebook,but if all of you can be ugly about your beliefs then I can be ugly about mine.before anyone assumes I'm a bad mother because I allow my kids to ride front facing take a look at your parenting because I'm sure I could point out a lot of things I don't agree with.
Yes, I felt the need to say something. Why you ask? Her oldest is JUST a little older than Brayden (3 1/2). Her youngest is the SAME age as Lincoln (14 months).
I said: Not to be rude, but you should research it and want them the safest way possible. They are happy and healthy because you haven't been in a bad crash with them. That's the only thing I care about. Kids don't die from broken necks eating non organic baby food.
Karen: Hey i allow my kid to be in a booster seat instead of a car seat and shes a month younger than brandon and ill be damned if i let someone put me down for my parenting. Just like you they are our kids and we can raise them however we want as long as they are alive and healthy. That should be the only thing that matters
I said: Their safety should matter. To ignore what they should be in is an awful use of power as a parent.
Sara: I just love it when someone believes they r a better mother or the BEST mother out there. Every single mother has faults somewhere that another mother excelles in. Nobody and tht means NOBODY is a perfect parent but how we raise our children is our business so its really not up to anyone else what or how we do things. If the babies are healthy and happy than butt out. I don't beat or abuse mistreat starve etc etc my kids so don't worry bout how they ride in a car or so on as long as they r safe..... am i correct
ORIGINAL POSTER: I'm not debating this you have your opinion and we have ours.(I love that she calls it an opinion. Safety should not be an opinion.)
Mary: Good job on the wording.....n who gives a fk as long as the kids r n a carseat....it goes by weight anyways ppl so get over it....everyone parents differently.... (Yeah! Who gives a "fk" as long as they r n a car seat. Oh my... Ugh.....)
Ashley: My baby rides in rear facing and will cont to until he reaches the right height and weight my almost 3 is in a front facing and my 6 yr old is still in a booster. There r several qualifications tht allow ur child to move from one position to another. Her kids r larger and more advanced than other children their age.... they meet qualifications to fave the way they do. And as u said, Stacey they r healthy abd safe. Where's the problems My six yr old is tall enough and technically old enough to b out of a carseat/booster but not yet heavy enough. Ur child should also be comfortable and at the size of kyle and brandon tht would not be. To put those babies in rear facing carseats and to be in an accident would be more life threatening than a front facing being as the length of them babies would cause their legs to be folded up on the seat already. As long as there is a five point harness they r fine. But again opinions opinions. They r like a$$h0l3$ everyone has one. (This is absolutely crap. There is NO way her 14 month old is 40 pounds and over 3 feet tall. He would be perfectly comfortable.)
Me: They are perfectly comfortable with folded legs. A broken leg is a lot better than death.. (BROKEN LEG: CAST IT. BROKEN NECK: CASKET.)
Ashley: It doesn't matter how they are seated.... now to hve a baby under the age of one in a front facing carseat unless said baby is a giant is just crazy. Thts to a degree bad parenting. But god forbid if its babies time to go rear facing or front facing carseat gods gonna take his child. So now just drop it. Ur opinion once again is ur opinion i hve read rules and regulations on seating of a child in a car and theres nothing wrong with the way they r seated. I'm done thank u for the fun debate. Nothing more to say. My kids r safe and following the law and so is theirs if u feel to keep ur children in a rear facing carseat until whenever that's ur right as a parent. I do not kno u nor pass judgement but don't criticize someone else for how they do things for their child.
Brittany: Well, although I don't have biological children, I have more god children, nieces and nephews, than I can begin to count. And while yes, Jessica, their safety is the top priority, to ALL of us, each child's safety is based purely on the height and weight restrictions of each child safety seat. If your child is 2 1/2, and 60 lbs, your child is NOT going to be safe in what the other toddlers ride in, because now their weight or height have infringed on the safety of that seat. It is not their age that is a guideline. It's their stats. So as long as the child is in the correct seat for their stats, they are safe. It does not matter what type of seat, rear or forward facing, if there is a bad car accident. Either way, the child will be injured.
Ashley: Thank u brittany stats
Me: You are correct. She doesn't have a 40 pound 14 month old though.
Brittany: Fair Enough. But she is also his mother.
Stacey: What I find funny is that my kids nor anyone else's kids are any of your concern,and bringing up possible death of a child.....I've already been there,done that and earned the t-shirt for survival,and yes it is an opinion as to which is safer,so again i say you have your opinion and we have ours and as for Brittany's comment I can't see the whole thing since I'm reading it from texts but they all know how abnormally big my kids are especially being that she is their cousin if your kids are on the smaller side then by all mean keep them rear facing but all of ours are on the larger as well unusually advanced side.
I just quit after that. Ignorance is bliss to some people.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended since 2002 that after age 1 and 20 lbs., children should ride in a rear-facing convertible seat until reaching the weight limit of that car seat. They changed that policy (3/2011) to recommend rear-facing to age 2 or until they reach the “highest weight or height allowed” by that convertible car seat. A convertible car seat normally has a weight limit of 40 pound. Seriously, that is almost 3 years ago! Come on, parents. Stop fighting this and please, protect your children.
The MAIN reason to rear face: Infants and young toddlers have spines made of soft bone and cartilage that doesn't begin to harden until around age 3. As a result, the spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches; however, the spinal cord will rupture after being stretched after only ¼ inch. This damage cannot be repaired.
Forward-facing children under the age of 2 are 75% more likely to be injured. Toddlers up to the age of 2 are more than 5 times safer riding rear-facing. Child passenger safety is very much based on statistics. It’s much more likely that a frontal or side impact will occur than a rear impact. Rear-facing car seats provide the best protection against those types of impacts. A tightly installed rear-facing car seat allows the vehicle and car seat to absorb crash forces and increases “ride down,” the amount of time it takes a body to come to a stop in a crash. The longer the ride down time, the less chance of injury.
CARSEAT GUIDELINES BY STAGE:
Newborn to at least age 2
Seat: Rear-facing or a convertible seat
Place the seat in the reclined position. Keep the belt snug, at or below your baby’s shoulders.
Ages 2 – 4
Seat: Forward-facing with harness
Place this seat facing forward and upright. Move the straps to the slots. Keep the belt snug at or above your child’s shoulders.
Ages 4 – 8 and shorter than 4’ 9”
Seat: Fastened into child safety seat or booster seat
Keep kids in a booster seat based on their height, not age
When your child outgrows a combination seat, go to a booster seat, used wit the lap and shoulder seat belt. If your vehicle only has lap belts, use a tethered harness or install shoulder seat belts.
Age 8+ or 4’ 9” or taller (whichever comes first)
Seat belt only
Kids are ready for seat belts only when they can sit with their back against the seat, knees bent (not slouching) and feet on the floor.
Medically-fragile kids
Some children may need harness adjusters, padding or other adaptation to properly fit in their car seat, booster or seat belt. Ask your PHS caregiver about options to fit your passengers.
COMMON EXCUSES AND MISCONCEPTIONS:
My parents didn't follow those guidelines when we were younger and we didn't die.
For real? Yeah, WE didn't. How many children died until these guidelines were made and enforced?? I don't EVER remember being in a car seat. Pretty sure I was flat on the seat at 5 or younger. I'm lucky to be alive. Seriously though, that's why so much research as been done. WE know and can protect our children.
My kid is uncomfortable and his/her legs are cramped.
UHM. No. It's perfectly safe and comfortable for your kid to bend their legs. The child's legs really shouldn't be a concern though and I'll tell you why: as far as comfort goes - most of the time it's actually more comfortable for a child's legs in a rear-facing seat because they have someplace to rest them rather than dangling them from a forward facing seat. Also, just think for a second of all the weird positions kids sit in at home on the couch. They are way more flexible than us!
My kid's legs will break because of them being bent.
Forward-facing children are more likely to sustain leg injuries in crashes than rear-facing children.
My kid cries/hates rear facing.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that infants around ages 10 mos.-18 mos. enter a fussy stage that makes it difficult to put them into any car s =eat, rear- or forward-facing. Many parents prematurely switch the rear-facing car seat forward-facing thinking that the child is objecting to riding rear-facing, when the child is objecting to being restrained at all. Wait it out!
Rear facing just doesn't work for our family.
Oh, that's nice. Does burying your child work for your family?
This is a good blog post too. She answers a lot of questions and is certified!
These are all EXCUSES. Please make the right decision. There are MANY MANY more videos on YouTube. Many stories. Please, stop with the damn excuses and protect your children. Don't think it won't happen to you. It might not. You may not ever get in a bad crash while your kid is young but why would you risk that on purpose? Don't RISK it happening to you or your kids.
Sources:
http://kellymom.com/blog-post/car-seat-safety/
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/jun11_2/b1994
http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#rearfacFF
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/02/common-car-seat-errors.html
http://www.pediatrichomeservice.com/blog/tag/car-seat-safety
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
Recently a Facebook friend of mine posted this:
(Note: my print screen button doesn't seem to be working so this is being copied and pasted. Also, I am not correcting anyone else's punctuation, so bear with me. Names have been changed.)
Stacey's status: I am so tired of other mothers on my Facebook going beyond voicing there opinion about what is right and wrong for ALL children,it's absolutely fine to voice your opinion on topics such as what is better organic or non organic baby food,cloth or disposable diapers,rear or front facing car seats,or what kind of tooth paste is better to use,but when you actually start to debate the use of car seats and say some one else's way is wrong is wrong of you,you are not a better mother than anyone else we all raise our kids differently,and have different beliefs,my oldest son has been in a front facing car seat since he was 18 months old and he is happy and healthy,my youngest is in a front facing right now at 14 months and he is happy and healthy as well,my oldest is the size of a 5 year old at age 3 and my youngest is advanced for his age they both were crawling at 5 months and walking at 9,so don't assume YOUR way is the only right way,this isn't directed to any one person because there are quite a few of you on my Facebook,but if all of you can be ugly about your beliefs then I can be ugly about mine.before anyone assumes I'm a bad mother because I allow my kids to ride front facing take a look at your parenting because I'm sure I could point out a lot of things I don't agree with.
Yes, I felt the need to say something. Why you ask? Her oldest is JUST a little older than Brayden (3 1/2). Her youngest is the SAME age as Lincoln (14 months).
I said: Not to be rude, but you should research it and want them the safest way possible. They are happy and healthy because you haven't been in a bad crash with them. That's the only thing I care about. Kids don't die from broken necks eating non organic baby food.
Karen: Hey i allow my kid to be in a booster seat instead of a car seat and shes a month younger than brandon and ill be damned if i let someone put me down for my parenting. Just like you they are our kids and we can raise them however we want as long as they are alive and healthy. That should be the only thing that matters
I said: Their safety should matter. To ignore what they should be in is an awful use of power as a parent.
Sara: I just love it when someone believes they r a better mother or the BEST mother out there. Every single mother has faults somewhere that another mother excelles in. Nobody and tht means NOBODY is a perfect parent but how we raise our children is our business so its really not up to anyone else what or how we do things. If the babies are healthy and happy than butt out. I don't beat or abuse mistreat starve etc etc my kids so don't worry bout how they ride in a car or so on as long as they r safe..... am i correct
ORIGINAL POSTER: I'm not debating this you have your opinion and we have ours.(I love that she calls it an opinion. Safety should not be an opinion.)
Mary: Good job on the wording.....n who gives a fk as long as the kids r n a carseat....it goes by weight anyways ppl so get over it....everyone parents differently.... (Yeah! Who gives a "fk" as long as they r n a car seat. Oh my... Ugh.....)
Ashley: My baby rides in rear facing and will cont to until he reaches the right height and weight my almost 3 is in a front facing and my 6 yr old is still in a booster. There r several qualifications tht allow ur child to move from one position to another. Her kids r larger and more advanced than other children their age.... they meet qualifications to fave the way they do. And as u said, Stacey they r healthy abd safe. Where's the problems My six yr old is tall enough and technically old enough to b out of a carseat/booster but not yet heavy enough. Ur child should also be comfortable and at the size of kyle and brandon tht would not be. To put those babies in rear facing carseats and to be in an accident would be more life threatening than a front facing being as the length of them babies would cause their legs to be folded up on the seat already. As long as there is a five point harness they r fine. But again opinions opinions. They r like a$$h0l3$ everyone has one. (This is absolutely crap. There is NO way her 14 month old is 40 pounds and over 3 feet tall. He would be perfectly comfortable.)
Me: They are perfectly comfortable with folded legs. A broken leg is a lot better than death.. (BROKEN LEG: CAST IT. BROKEN NECK: CASKET.)
Ashley: It doesn't matter how they are seated.... now to hve a baby under the age of one in a front facing carseat unless said baby is a giant is just crazy. Thts to a degree bad parenting. But god forbid if its babies time to go rear facing or front facing carseat gods gonna take his child. So now just drop it. Ur opinion once again is ur opinion i hve read rules and regulations on seating of a child in a car and theres nothing wrong with the way they r seated. I'm done thank u for the fun debate. Nothing more to say. My kids r safe and following the law and so is theirs if u feel to keep ur children in a rear facing carseat until whenever that's ur right as a parent. I do not kno u nor pass judgement but don't criticize someone else for how they do things for their child.
Brittany: Well, although I don't have biological children, I have more god children, nieces and nephews, than I can begin to count. And while yes, Jessica, their safety is the top priority, to ALL of us, each child's safety is based purely on the height and weight restrictions of each child safety seat. If your child is 2 1/2, and 60 lbs, your child is NOT going to be safe in what the other toddlers ride in, because now their weight or height have infringed on the safety of that seat. It is not their age that is a guideline. It's their stats. So as long as the child is in the correct seat for their stats, they are safe. It does not matter what type of seat, rear or forward facing, if there is a bad car accident. Either way, the child will be injured.
Ashley: Thank u brittany stats
Me: You are correct. She doesn't have a 40 pound 14 month old though.
Brittany: Fair Enough. But she is also his mother.
Stacey: What I find funny is that my kids nor anyone else's kids are any of your concern,and bringing up possible death of a child.....I've already been there,done that and earned the t-shirt for survival,and yes it is an opinion as to which is safer,so again i say you have your opinion and we have ours and as for Brittany's comment I can't see the whole thing since I'm reading it from texts but they all know how abnormally big my kids are especially being that she is their cousin if your kids are on the smaller side then by all mean keep them rear facing but all of ours are on the larger as well unusually advanced side.
I just quit after that. Ignorance is bliss to some people.
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My biggest problem is people who downright refuse to be wrong. Quit arguing that switching your child forward is a parenting style. It's NOT. It's a stupid freaking decision that is going to get your child killed. It IS bad parenting to know the safest way possible and down right refuse to do it. I love when people say "rear facing doesn't work for us". That's like saying "I just don't mind my kid dying because I would rather him face forward". Honestly, I believe that if YOU know EVERYTHING about car seat safety and still choose to frontward face your baby/young toddler then, you clearly don't care about their safety. JUST having them in a seat is not safe enough.The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended since 2002 that after age 1 and 20 lbs., children should ride in a rear-facing convertible seat until reaching the weight limit of that car seat. They changed that policy (3/2011) to recommend rear-facing to age 2 or until they reach the “highest weight or height allowed” by that convertible car seat. A convertible car seat normally has a weight limit of 40 pound. Seriously, that is almost 3 years ago! Come on, parents. Stop fighting this and please, protect your children.
The MAIN reason to rear face: Infants and young toddlers have spines made of soft bone and cartilage that doesn't begin to harden until around age 3. As a result, the spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches; however, the spinal cord will rupture after being stretched after only ¼ inch. This damage cannot be repaired.
Forward-facing children under the age of 2 are 75% more likely to be injured. Toddlers up to the age of 2 are more than 5 times safer riding rear-facing. Child passenger safety is very much based on statistics. It’s much more likely that a frontal or side impact will occur than a rear impact. Rear-facing car seats provide the best protection against those types of impacts. A tightly installed rear-facing car seat allows the vehicle and car seat to absorb crash forces and increases “ride down,” the amount of time it takes a body to come to a stop in a crash. The longer the ride down time, the less chance of injury.
CARSEAT GUIDELINES BY STAGE:
Newborn to at least age 2
Seat: Rear-facing or a convertible seat
Place the seat in the reclined position. Keep the belt snug, at or below your baby’s shoulders.
Ages 2 – 4
Seat: Forward-facing with harness
Place this seat facing forward and upright. Move the straps to the slots. Keep the belt snug at or above your child’s shoulders.
Ages 4 – 8 and shorter than 4’ 9”
Seat: Fastened into child safety seat or booster seat
Keep kids in a booster seat based on their height, not age
When your child outgrows a combination seat, go to a booster seat, used wit the lap and shoulder seat belt. If your vehicle only has lap belts, use a tethered harness or install shoulder seat belts.
Age 8+ or 4’ 9” or taller (whichever comes first)
Seat belt only
Kids are ready for seat belts only when they can sit with their back against the seat, knees bent (not slouching) and feet on the floor.
Medically-fragile kids
Some children may need harness adjusters, padding or other adaptation to properly fit in their car seat, booster or seat belt. Ask your PHS caregiver about options to fit your passengers.
COMMON EXCUSES AND MISCONCEPTIONS:
My parents didn't follow those guidelines when we were younger and we didn't die.
For real? Yeah, WE didn't. How many children died until these guidelines were made and enforced?? I don't EVER remember being in a car seat. Pretty sure I was flat on the seat at 5 or younger. I'm lucky to be alive. Seriously though, that's why so much research as been done. WE know and can protect our children.
My kid is uncomfortable and his/her legs are cramped.
UHM. No. It's perfectly safe and comfortable for your kid to bend their legs. The child's legs really shouldn't be a concern though and I'll tell you why: as far as comfort goes - most of the time it's actually more comfortable for a child's legs in a rear-facing seat because they have someplace to rest them rather than dangling them from a forward facing seat. Also, just think for a second of all the weird positions kids sit in at home on the couch. They are way more flexible than us!
My kid's legs will break because of them being bent.
Forward-facing children are more likely to sustain leg injuries in crashes than rear-facing children.
My kid cries/hates rear facing.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that infants around ages 10 mos.-18 mos. enter a fussy stage that makes it difficult to put them into any car s =eat, rear- or forward-facing. Many parents prematurely switch the rear-facing car seat forward-facing thinking that the child is objecting to riding rear-facing, when the child is objecting to being restrained at all. Wait it out!
Rear facing just doesn't work for our family.
Oh, that's nice. Does burying your child work for your family?
This is a good blog post too. She answers a lot of questions and is certified!
These are all EXCUSES. Please make the right decision. There are MANY MANY more videos on YouTube. Many stories. Please, stop with the damn excuses and protect your children. Don't think it won't happen to you. It might not. You may not ever get in a bad crash while your kid is young but why would you risk that on purpose? Don't RISK it happening to you or your kids.
Sources:
http://kellymom.com/blog-post/car-seat-safety/
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/jun11_2/b1994
http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#rearfacFF
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/02/common-car-seat-errors.html
http://www.pediatrichomeservice.com/blog/tag/car-seat-safety
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
Personal safety is up to us. So is our welfare and security. This entails watching out for trespasses and infraction. It is well within our rights to stress these and with that to emphasize that accidents aren't merely phenomenological, for a start.
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