http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/21/car.seat.guidelines.parenting/index.html?hpt=T2
I'm all about the child safety but this is extreme if you ask me. When Nick hit the age of one he was so freakin' tall that his legs were squished together and bent. It was a blessing for him to actually be comfortable when we turned his seat around. He was so happy. And he was already in a convertible seat. I think these recommendations are setting parents up to break the rules so that their kids will stop crying and hating the car and the stressed parents will feel terribly guilty about breaking the rules. Just what we all need - more guilt.
I think most people who have young kids will look at this and be highly skeptical. It isn't about hitting a milestone, it is about having a somewhat tolerable car ride with a screeching child. What is safer? A balanced mother who is having a nice car ride? Or a Mother on the brink of sanity who is a distracted driver trying to calm and comfort a pissed off 2 year old in a rear facing car seat?
6 days ago
I've seen this, too. Totally impractical. Same deal with Zoe as with Nick. Big convertible car seat, but Z's legs were too long for comfort well before she hit twenty pounds.
ReplyDeleteMy kids would probably be fine physically (Rafael is 16 months and still rear-facing because he's not 20# yet), but my kids are uber midgets! Also, when Michaela finally hit 20# at 18 months, she was MORE than ready to turn around and be able to actually see things!
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm a car seat Nazi and actually have a lot of trouble with Blake being out of a 5-point harness. The twins will be in 5-point harnesses until they max out the seat like Blake did. But, then again, I have a Safety Officer for a husband who tells me all the grizzly stories.
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