[BSandDsMommy]

Today I got on facebook and seen a picture a girl I went to school with had uploaded of her 8 or 9month old baby FORWARD facing in the car!!! I see this stuff and it ticks me off for parents to NOT even read the instructions b/c you'd clearly find an age/weight to forward face and here in AR they made it that they have to rear face until age two or the carseat rf'ing weigh limit, well I commented that I was ready for September so B could forward face (LIE I won't until the weight limit, but I didn't want to sound rude, but for her to wonder why my 1.5yr old is still rf'ing and her 8/9month old isn't) well she commented asking why he isn't already and I explained it that they had it on the news awhile back that they had to be rf'ing until 2 or the weight limit that is on the carseat, I hope I didn't sound rude, but wanted to inform and not sound like I was attacking her b/c that wasn't my intentions, but the safety of the baby...not long ago I ran into a girl I went to school with and she had a 2month old in an infant seat and was forward facing I about died how do they not know?!

[Irish_Wristwatch]

I think you did the right thing. Lots of people are really uninformed about carseat safety, so she may not have even realized it wasnt safe to turn her baby

[Luvgreen19]

I agree with Bree....

[inyourhonor]

She may not have known it wasn't safe to turn him yet, she may have the excuse of she was tired of putting him in that way, or that he screamed the whole time backwards.

I make tons of carseat posts on my FB. About safety, winter coats, how they should face, where the chest clip should be. I'm sure I annoy my childless friends but hopefully when they plan on having kids and install that new carseat they'll think back to my post and go "Ohhh, so thats why!"

A friend of mine recently saw a 10mo little girl in an accident. She flew out of the car. She either was 1. improperly strapped in or 2. not even in her carseat. Her life could have been saved had she been in her seat. So I have gotten to a point that I don't care if I come off as rude, carseat safety is so important and so is their childs life :/

Sorry to write a novel haha. I recently had to deal with this with someone else.

eta - i realized i may have come across rude here but that wasn't my intention! I have become so passionate about this. I used to not want to offend anyone but it has just become a point in me that I'd rather offend them and possibly help them realize that they are risking their childs life.

[mshah]

It's amazing the differences regarding car seat safety. In Pakistan, they don't even have carseats...and they CUT OUT the seat belts as they view them as neusences (cant spell that word off the top of my head, sorry). So for 2 months we rode around while I had to hold my 4 month old in my lap while I wasn't even wearing a seat belt!!!

[Calendula]

I think you handled it well. You made sure she got the information in a way that didn't make her defensive, now it is up to her.

[BSandDsMommy]

The craziest part is her husband is a cop and she has posted about all the things he's seen with babies/kids, she never commented back after I said it was on the news I hope I didn't offend but instead let her see how he should ride and maybe read up on how rf'ing is safer

[inyourhonor]

Miranda, that is crazy! I couldn't imagine. I hate even pulling into the driveway without it from getting the mail.

[mshah]

Yep, you can only imagine the horror scenes that played on repeat through my mind each time we would get in the car. I always had a girl "nanny" with me, and it's usually their job to hold the baby, even in the car, but I refused. If I couldn't have a car seat, or a seat belt, I sure as hell wasn't gonna let some 12 year old "nanny" hold him while we drove!

[Juliebird18]

Geesh Miranda. I would have been a nervous wreck.

It doesn't sound like you were rude at all. It is amazing to me that some new parents ::cough::mybrother::cough:: don't read anything and are not informed on what I would consider basic info. Then again...who knows what is out there that I don't know. That's part of why I love this board so much. I learn a lot.

[crystaljean81]

What's the advice on winter coats and car seats?

[Irish_Wristwatch]

Crystal they shouldnt wear fluffy/bulky winter coats in the car because to get them to fit you will need to loosen the straps making them too loose

here is a good thread to check out

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=151522

[mshah]

I dont think you were rude because you didnt directly tell them they were doing it incorrectly. Plus, you weren't responding to those particular photos so she may not even know you've even seen them. I think you handled it in a respectful manner.