re: Car safety and your elementary student

Quoting bbbt:" 1. Does your kindergartner-2nd grader ride in a booster seat? 2. Does your child under twelve ride in ... [snip!] ... about seeing if I could send home a school wide newsletter about car safety and carseat laws, because clearly nobody knows."

Lily is in third grade and is still in a booster... high back booster at that. She NEVER rides in the front. Ever. I seriously can not ever count a time she didn't ride in the back. However, a few times lately she will go without a booster, in like my sisters car or Tonys. But that is like, oh 1 time out of 200 times in a car. And for short distances. Otherwise, my monkey is still in a booster!

Quoting bbbt:" 1. Does your kindergartner-2nd grader ride in a booster seat? 2. Does your child under twelve ride in ... [snip!] ... about seeing if I could send home a school wide newsletter about car safety and carseat laws, because clearly nobody knows."

We homeschool so I can't say what is typical here - but maybe we'll take a walk by the school one of these mornings so I can see. You got me curious. Anyway my near 6 yr old rides MOST of the time in a 5 pt still - it's the Graco Nautilus. If I have to switch cars he gets to use it as a full back booster if I don't have time to actually put it in as a carseat. He also has a regular booster to use for gramma & such.

I was floored though - a friend's mom was taking him to her house one day to play. He came back in the house & said she was trying to put him in the car without a carseat (I gave her his booster). I went out to talk to her (very pleasantly) and she said she told the kids they could all ride in the back. it is only a few blocks...but still. My child wasn't comfortable & didn't want a confrontation so he just told her he forgot to tell me something & would be right back. She acted like she thought it was really mature & sweet - but who knows if she really thought that? He totally ratted her out & then he said he wanted me to give him a ride to her house so I did. LOL

Quoting bbbt:" Maybe there are more stupid people than I think and I'm just trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.  "

I think so - I am not a big car seat expert & I've seen cousins putting 2 yr olds in backless boosters that act like I'm an a-hole if I suggest they wait on it. They don't want to wait on it - they have another baby that needs that carseat & a booster is cheap.

Quoting FroggysMommy:" Lily is in third grade and is still in a booster... high back booster at that. She NEVER rides in the ... [snip!] ... But that is like, oh 1 time out of 200 times in a car. And for short distances. Otherwise, my monkey is still in a booster!"

For me the only time my kindergartner rides without a seat, is if we get stuck somewhere and need to take a taxi home or to the kids sports games and the seat is in the van, but I usally carry a backless booster with me, if I know we may need to take a taxi.

I know she is not big enough for it weight wise, but I think its safer then no seat, if we need to take a taxi. kwim?

Quoting justanothamotha:" We homeschool so I can't say what is typical here - but maybe we'll take a walk by the school one of ... [snip!] ... really thought that? He totally ratted her out & then he said he wanted me to give him a ride to her house so I did. LOL"

Try to see if you can sneak a peak at your neighborhood elementary school. I'm interested to know if this is pretty common.

Quoting bbbt:" Try to see if you can sneak a peak at your neighborhood elementary school. I'm interested to know if this is pretty common. "

I actually plan to on Monday, it's only 2 blocks away. I'm such a snoop.  

No car seats, but they do have to ride in the back.

I dont look in other peoples cars at school drop off. In my hometown it was common to see young kids ride on mopeds, the speed limit was very low though, would not do that on the mainland

My 4 y/o is in a booster with a back. When we bring her friends with us they are in the same set-up.
I havent taken notice of what's going on in backseats, but i dont see many kids in the front seats.
I'm OK with an occassional ride in a booster without a back.

I thought kids now had to ride in a booster seat till age 8? I will have my son in one. He's always been on the "thin" side.. and I plan on following the law with him. I was pretty sure this was law?

Honestly I never did as a kid. I remember being 5 just sitting in the back.
Also I sometimes find it ridiculous. In highschool I was like 92 pounds only and my husbands lil bro was 6 and obese and over 100 pounds.. and he was in a booster seat... it seemed odd to me when I rode in the car with them both lol.

Quoting DisneyMommyTTC#3:" No car seats, but they do have to ride in the back. I dont look in other peoples cars at school drop ... [snip!] ... hometown it was common to see young kids ride on mopeds, the speed limit was very low though, would not do that on the mainland"

I probably wouldn't have taken notice either, but at my school during pickup, we actually walk the K/1's to their car and open the car door for them to keep the pickup line running smoothly without any backups.

My 7 year old step-daughter is still in a booster (one with a harness even but almost out of that) , my oldest was in a booster until she was 11-12 years old and did not sit in the front seat until very recently (she's almost 14). We always use car seats of all sorts at all times, safety is a 10 top important thing to do.

Also my kids are not embarrassed by their car seats, mostly because I let them pick the pattern (at least with my older ones, the youngest still has no real way to pick yet but she likes purple so it's perfect that she has a purple radian) and I make sure they're super comfortable in the seat in all ways. I basically let them pick it out and make sure they like it. I've never had them even get upset to use a booster or car seat.

Quoting EnnaBennaBanana:" I thought kids now had to ride in a booster seat till age 8? I will have my son in one. He's always been ... [snip!] ... and obese and over 100 pounds.. and he was in a booster seat... it seemed odd to me when I rode in the car with them both lol

when I was a kid we didn't ride in car seats. the mommy just held the baby if it was too little to sit up in the seat, seat belts were not part of the law. We also rode in the back of the truck.

Quoting I'm me:" when I was a kid we didn't ride in car seats. the mommy just held the baby if it was too little to sit up in the seat, seat belts were not part of the law. We also rode in the back of the truck."

Me too! My friend's mom used to take out the back seats of her van so we could all pile in. I have to say I *do* feel like it kind of stinks that our kids wont' get to do it because I really did think it was a blast. She'd take the seats out & we'd all bring stuff for a sleepover, she'd picks us up, take us out of town to the late late drive in movie & then we'd all giggle & listen to cassettes in the boom box in the back on the ride there & back. I am really dating myself. LOL

Quoting justanothamotha:" Me too! My friend's mom used to take out the back seats of her van so we could all pile in. I have to ... [snip!] ... all giggle & listen to cassettes in the boom box in the back on the ride there & back. I am really dating myself. LOL"

I did that too!

I am dating myself as well.....my earliest memories are being tossed in the back of the station wagon in the grocery area, or laying in the back part of the min-van......Dad playing his 8-track.

my (almost) 5 year old is still in a 5 point harness, and will be until she outgrows her seat. My 15 month old is still rear facing.

Ive been in 4 accidents which 3 of them were totals and someone got hurt, none of them were my fault. I know how fast it can happen, and i am responsible to keep my children safe