Do you let your child sit up front in the car?

[Kellyscrapbooks]

DD and I have recently noticed a lot of children her age sitting in the front. I would not let my kids do this until they are older. We also have airbags in the front, and there is a warning label on the visor about this.. Even if you don't have airbags, it is still unsafe for children under 12 or 13 to sit in the front, especially if they are small for their age.

Absolutely not. Technically at under 5' I shouldn't even be sitting in the front with an airbag (Hard to drive from the back seat though!)
My kids have known the rules since day 1, no kids in the front seat and my daughter at 9 still sits in a booster, and I'm sure she'll chose to do that for a while, she likes to be able to see out the windows, but for now she's only 59 pounds so no way.

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

My 10 year old and my 12 year old are both over 5'5"! They sit up front. DS7 is only 4'11". Not yet for him!

My SIL, however is 4'8"...we allow her to sit up front if she promises to behave!

Oh my gosh, your 7 year old is as tall as me.

 

[MomofKatie]

No front seat for DD8 until she is over 5' tall and 100 lbs (she'll probably be at least 14 when it finally happens). She is still in a booster seat- she is small and light for her age- 49" and 50 lbs. DH and I joke that she will be the only girl in the limo going to the prom in a booster seat . In NC, the law is "8 or 80" for booster seats, but DD won't be 80 lbs until she's at least 12 if she continues to grow at her current rate.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

No way!

A couple of months ago Dh and I would not even give MIL and nephew (4 yo) a ride because she had no carseat for the boy. She was mad, lol. Of course my SIL and MIL let the kid ride wherever and however (kneeling, standing, etc.) he wants and won´t make him use a seatbelt. Definetly my DD does not need to see that (she is 4 yo too and still riding in her Marathon).

 

[larkles]

No way! DS 9,7 and 4 are in the back seat only.

I was in the drive thru at Starbucks and saw a Volvo SUV pull up with a 3-4 yr old jumping around the front seat- true irony! Someone who would choose the safety features of a volvo and then allow their kid to be in the front seat with NO SEATBELT!

 

[momto2girls]

No way!! It isn't anything I've ever considered and my kids have never even thought to ask.

 

[girlsx4]

My oldest is 11 and does sit in the front seat, however, she is taller than I am. She is 5'5" and weighs 120 lbs so I figure she is fine
I can't believe it when I see small kids in the front seat. I want to scream at their parents!!!

 

[aprild873]

My DD is just sh of 5 feet and over 100 lbs, but I still make her sit in the back. On occaision she may sit in front, but usually that only jappens when I have all 3 of my nieces with me. Also, I keep so much stuff in my front seat,there is usually no room anyway

 

[mrsbert]

Nope, not yet. DS8 almost 90 lbs and is 4'5 still sits in the back. They don't even know to ask about the front. Actually I think if my DS sat in the front the airbags would actually turn on.

 

[CarolynK]

My kids are big for their age, my 11-year-old daughter is 115 pounds and about 5'5". She is bigger than many adults, so, YES, she sits in the front and has for about 2 years. What does age have to do with it??
My 9-year-old son weighs at least as much as his sister, but is about 2 inches shorter. He sits in the front when his sister isn't in the car.

 

[disykat]

It says right on the visor that my kids would be staring at if they sat in front "children 12 and under are safest in the back seat of the vehicle". They get to move up front on their 13th birthday in our family.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Oh my gosh, your 7 year old is as tall as me.

No kidding! I'm 5'6" and one is taller, one will be before he turns 11, and the last, well, who knows? Their dad is only 6'4"! They have big feet like puppies, too!

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

No kidding! I'm 5'6" and one is taller, one will be before he turns 11, and the last, well, who knows? Their dad is only 6'4"! They have big feet like puppies, too!

I married a guy who is over 6 feet. I figured it gave my kids a chance to grow to "normal height"
I barely clear 4'11"
I couldn't ride the "big coasters" anywhere until I was in my teens!

 

[Keara'sMom]

My dd10 sits in the back seat and is still using a backless booster, as she is not yet tall enough for correct seatbelt placement without the booster. She does not complain at all about this--she's petite (read: short and skinny) and knows that it's the safest for her. We joke that she'll still be in the booster seat when she's in middle school. (I think by then she'll complain a bit about that!) Even then, she still won't be riding in the front--not 'til she's taller and puts on some pounds (over 5' at least...).

 

[Ariel8676]

NO way!! In NJ the law is 8 or 80 pounds in a child safety seat. There is no reason for a young child to ride in the fron tseat of a car, it is just WAY to risky.

 

[Barb D]

DS15 and DD13 both outgrew me at 11, and that's about when they started riding in front. (They're 6'4" and 5'11" now.) DD7 is 4'5" and 60ish pounds, and still rides in her booster in the back. BUT she can't open the back sliding door on my minivan, so she climbs up to the front seat and opens the front passenger door to climb out when I drop her off at school. I'm sure to the casual observer it looks like I let her ride in the front.

 

[meandtheguys2]

DS15 and DD13 both outgrew me at 11, and that's about when they started riding in front. (They're 6'4" and 5'11" now.) DD7 is 4'5" and 60ish pounds, and still rides in her booster in the back. [BBUT she can't open the back sliding door on my minivan, so she climbs up to the front seat and opens the front passenger door ][/B]to climb out when I drop her off at school. I'm sure to the casual observer it looks like I let her ride in the front.

I have the same problem with my in-laws van doors. I can't imagine my boys being as tall as their dad by 15! Yikes!

 

[Robmom]

My DD is 14 and we still don't let her up front. She's about 5' and 90 lbs. To my DH, she will always be his baby, so I don't know when he'll ever let her up front.

 

[Eeyore Mum]

Absolutely not.
I am an intensive care nurse who has nursed a mommy post road accident where her 6year old daugther was killed instantly. She was riding upfront with restraint belt but head-on collision deemd fault of mommy caused her death. She now wishes she hadnt survived rather than live with her guilt.

I am the proud mum of 2 beautiful kids and there is NO NO NO way they will be in the front until they are 15/16.

 

[Rachie0507]

I've noticed a few of DD6's friends (first graders) riding in the front seat of their mom's vans recently. I was shocked! DD still rides in the back in a backless booster. She is just shy of 4 feet tall and 50 pounds so she'll be there for awhile!

One day while waiting outside of the school, DS4 was sitting in the front seat with me (after we had parked). He asked what the words on the visor said. I decided not to sugar-coat it and told him it said kids under 12 could die if they sat in the front seat. I've never seen him move so fast as he jumped into the backseat I explained to him what it meant and why. I don't think he'll be asking to come up front anytime soon.