Your baby is in SERIOUS DANGER if you continue to use the carseat facing forward. The manufacturer doesn't allow it! The law doesn't allow it! And the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests kids rear face as long as possible! If you need help figuring out a safer way, email: xxxx@gmail.com online see: car_seat.org.
My response:
Dear concerned citizen:
"YOUR BABY IS IN SERIOUS DANGER..." Really????? If I "need help figuring it out" Really????
At first I was shocked and upset by the note which questioned my judgment and my ability to protect and keep my baby safe, but then I calmed down a bit realizing that your note was not written with ill intent, but rather IGNORANCE!
Ignorance to the fact that (1) in the normal vehicle I drive day-to-day my child's infant seat is securely fastened and rear facing just as the fire department installed it (as it had been for my previous two infants) and (2) that the seat was NOT AFFIXED PERMANENTLY AS YOU SAW IT, BUT WAS JUST THROWN THERE AFTER I DROPPED OFF MY NORMAL SUV AND PICKED UP THAT RENTAL VAN! The fact that it was facing the front was by mere happenstance and not intent as it was not meant to permanently fastened that way!
[edited to add: The baby was at the Babysitters all day and I fixed the seat before picking her up ]
You see, I was running late to my lunch meeting there in your town and I did not have time to properly reattach the car seats as yes, the manufacture requires and as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, as you so aptly pointed out in your note. However, NEVER did I intend to put my child in an unfastened car seat facing the wrong way!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow! someone did tell me that Takoma Park housed the most self-righteous people. Now I am witness to that. If you are going to take the "it takes a village" approach to protecting infant children all around the world, perhaps next time, you should try to do so with a little softer, less presumptuous, non-condescending, less heavy handed, and judgmental tone!!
Thanks for your note, though.
----
i know she meant well and was just looking out, but my word!!
1 comment:
Oh JJ, I didn't find her note to be condescending or judgmental. I found it to be expressing worry.
I don't know how should would have known that it was a rental car or that you had just thrown it in there. There are more parents than I care to think about who do ride around with their infant seats facing forward or sitting in the front seat. Why? Because it is easier to comfort them when they cry! Yes, ignore safety for ease of comforting the child. I don't think so.
She meant well, but the education just wasn't necessary. That's all this amounts to, it seems.
Post a Comment