Safety

We all want what is best for our kids right?? Or so we try but for some they only do what is best if it is convenient for them. What do I mean? I mean when we gave birth to our child we do what "we" think is best. The biggest concern I have is car seats. Yes I am going there. Now back to what is safe or conveniot. What do you think is most of parents more worried about? I hear it all. I can't see them, I can't talk to then as easy, their legs touch the seat, dirt, harder to strap in when they are so big, can't afford it, legs will break, their knees will be to their chest...... Now lets see how much of that is truth, convenient or myth. 

These are only out of convenience not what is best for the child.

I have a mirror to see my child while they are rear facing. If I am driving I don't need to be looking back to see them any way. 
I can talk just fine to my toddler while rear facing.
Dirt on the seat is an easy fix. Take the shoes off or put a towel on the back of the seat. It may take a few extra mins to take on and off  shoes but hey your seat will be clean. The towel can be removed and washed. 
Ya my toddler is a lil harder t strap in rear facing because I have to lift him in but really no bad. 
Cost yes a convertible car seat is not cheap, but what is! If you are pregnant, have a small baby or plan to get pregnant then budget each month to save for a converable that has a high weight and high limit for rear facing. Just like you pay for car insurance you should be in a way insuring your child's safety. Walmart carries low price convertible car seats that rear face to 35-40lbs. Now we use Diono Radians they are on the higher end price but rear face til 45lbs. You can save money if you just buy one seat, a convertible will go from 5lbs-30/45lbs rear facing. Then forward face later. 

Now on to the leg issues most parents say.

I have not seen one toddler that is rear facing past 1year old have issues with their legs in their face or to their chest. My son has long legs but has no issues rear facing. We take 2000mile trips multiple times a year and he never complains. He crisscrosses his legs, props them up or hangs them off the side. The aap says there has not been any broken legs of children rear facing. There is a saying broken leg cast it, broken neck casket. It's true. I would rather have my child casted in a leg cast then the cost it would be to lose a child. 

The AAP recommends that you rear face til 2 years old now! Maxing out the limit on your car seat is best. My son is 25m now and is still rear facing, he still has 17lbs and lil less then 10in to go before he maxes out the rear facing max. 

 Basically, the longer a child can ride rear-facing, the better protected his or her spinal cord is in the event of a collision.

- Joe Colella, Former Child Passenger Safety Training Manager for the National SAFE KIDS Campaign

Next safety in a car seat is the harness straps! Really this is an issue for some parents. 

When a child is rear facing the straps need to be AT OR BELOW the child's shoulder. 

When a child is forward facing the straps need to be AT OR ABOVE the child's shoulders.

And for both rear facing and forward facing the straps need to be TIGHT(you should not be able to pinch the straps at the shoulders) and the clip is called a chest clip...... So chest clip is at armpit level on the CHEST!!! 

So now that you read this where do you fall? Myth, convenient, or truly safe.

I will let you know where I was am am now. I was one of the parents that, had her godson in a 

booster at 18m, forward faced her goddaughter at 9m. Ya I was not educated til one day a baby who was not strapped in her car seat properly died just a few homes from where I lived. Her parents pulled out into the road and was hit. I then began reading about car seats. I moved my godson from the booster to a 5point harness. At 5 he was still in a 5point because it was and is safer. Now I know the difference. I now rear face past 2years of age and will harness past 5years of age. I was wrong but now know what is safe. It may take an extra 2-5mins to place my kids in the car but I know that if in a crash they are much safer rear facing then forward facing. Only if I had known back then what I know now. I am glad that I learned from my wrongs. I hope to help others learn as well. I plan to finish my certification in car seat safety soon. 

Steege