S/o sideways Doona

amother

SandyBrown

Today at 5:02 pm

amother Bellflower wrote:

If I am going around the corner or a few blocks away within the neighborhood ie. not crossing intersections with traffic lights, then I will let them be unstrapped while I drive super slow. No, I don’t think this is the best or smartest thing to do and I know it’s risky. But I’m 9 months pregnant and they’re not at the age yet where they can strap themselves in and I’m going 2 blocks away in a very quiet out of town neighborhood, so some times I choose not to overexert myself and juts slowly drive where we need to go. I pretend like I’m pulling a wagon with unstrapped kids inside, and then I remind myself to go slow.

The danger is someone crashing into you. A relative of mine died in a cash on his own block.

For me I try my absolute hardest but it’s more behavioral- my 4 year old knows to unbuckle and I can’t just stop driving endlessly. I try charts and routines etc and hope it gets better (it’s pretty rare bh but if u see it that’s what’s happening)

amother

Dahlia

Today at 5:28 pm

My kids sometimes unbuckle themselves. When that happensI pull over as soon as I can and rebuckle, but it can really a minute until I find a safe place to stop.

I have a hard time taking home my 7/8 year olds friends because their mothers don’t enforce seat belt buckling and think I’m the meanest for making sure they are buckled in. It’s a fight every time with them. And I promise you their moms are regular nice ladies if a bit chilled or overwhelmed.

My daughter told me dh wasn’t buckling her in, you can bet I gave it to him.

amother

Pistachio ↓

Today at 5:41 pm

I am pretty strict about seatbelts in general.

But 5yo dc is sometimes not in a booster, just a regular belt, because it is so hard to get it in the back seat with 2 other car seats. I have put an 8yo in the front seat because all the back seats are taken (seat pushed back as far as possible, airbag off).

And I have thought I buckled in a child or buckled in a car seat and then discovered to my horror that I hadn't.

I don't minimize the dangers, I try my best to be careful, but I am not perfect.

amother

Chambray ↓

Today at 6:16 pm

amother Bellflower wrote:

Forgot to add in that I would never not strap in a baby, these are older toddlers/little kids.

What’s the difference????

amother

↑ Chambray ↓

Today at 6:20 pm

I don’t pull out of my driveway or parking spot until every single person in the car is buckled. Even if it takes a few extra minutes.

And for the reference, it doesn’t help for a child to be buckled if they aren’t buckled properly (the chest buckle doesn’t belong at the legs, twisted straps) or in a seat that’s not for their age, height…

amother

↑ Bronze ↓

Today at 6:33 pm

amother Pistachio wrote:

A 5 year old not in a booster just using a seatbelt was killed near me in a car accident. Don’t do it ever. I can’t stress this enough. You need a better plan. Your kids lives matter. You cannot have an 8 year old in a front seat.

amother

↑ Chambray

Today at 6:41 pm

A child can not sit on a regular seat until they r tall enough that their knees naturally bend at the end of the seat. The seatbelt will not fit them properly.
My 9 year old is begging me to sit on a regular seat but she isn’t tall enough so she’s still in a booster

amother

↑ Pistachio ↓

Today at 9:47 pm

amother Bronze wrote:

My better plan is a bigger vehicle. Hashem doesn't agree.

My hishtadlus is not to double buckle and to make sure all kids are restrained, that's the best I can do.

amother

↑ Bronze

Today at 9:53 pm

amother Pistachio wrote:

My better plan is a bigger vehicle. Hashem doesn't agree.

My hishtadlus is not to double buckle and to make sure all kids are restrained, that's the best I can do.

You have to go in shifts. And I know many people who had to do that. And chose to either not take all kids or to go back and forth with multiple drop offs, or ask for safe rides. It’s not always easy but we can’t take short cuts with our kids lives. So much so that it’s best to hold off having another kid if you can’t upgrade to fit them all safely.

amother

↑ Pistachio

Today at 10:03 pm

amother Bronze wrote:

I'm already going in shifts. I have to leave an adult or older child with one of the shifts or I have a different safety issue, so I can't do more shifts.

Believe it or not, your kids are also not living risk-free. Seat pushed back and airbag off is a reasonable choice when there isn't a better option, although it is less than ideal.

cookier

Today at 10:10 pm

amother Lavender wrote:

Not me but DH often only does the chest straps in the car seat. It makes me so nervous but I can’t control it if I’m not there

Please let him know that the chest straps most often break in an accident! They’re only for positioning, not restraint. I realize the crotch buckle is more of a patchke but if he’s only going to do one buckle it should be that one!