OT: Am I the only one who makes my kids sit in the back seat of the car??

[Bamagal]

My daughter will be in a five point harness booster seat until she is 4'9" tall. She knows the car doesn't move unless she is in her seat buckled.

 

[SweetMissy]

I thought it's a law that kids under 12 have to sit in the back seat? Don't feel bad....my oldest is almost 9 and still sits in a 5 point harness. Safety is #1, screw what everyone else is doing or what everyone else thinks!

 

[davedmaine]

I just wanted to point out that when you post a question like this all of those who are super vigilant will flock to it to say they agree with you. You are really not going to get a true picture of what most parents are actually doing with their kids. I have a 9 & 10 year old. The 10 year old rides in front all the time. The 9 year old will ride in front only when the 10 year old has a friend along and she and her friend sit together in the back. When it's just me and the 9 year old he is in the back. At our house we have made 10 the age for riding up front. This seems pretty normal. DD has MANY friends and none ride in the back unless they have older sibs that claim the front Next year when the kids are 10 & 11 I guess we'll have to work out some sort of turn taking system! The only place I know where kids are in 5 point harnesses past 5 or boosters past 7 is here on the Dis, I have NEVER seen it in real life

Haha. Yeah, it's like one of the mouse keeping tipping threads. Talk about one-percenters

 

[nchulka]

My daughter will be in a five point harness booster seat until she is 4'9" tall. She knows the car doesn't move unless she is in her seat buckled.

You are planning to keep your child in a 5 point harness until she is almost 5 foot tall?? Yikes, my 10 1/2 year old is only 4'6". You may not realize it now, but I would imagine you would have some difficulty convincing your child to get buckled into her 5 point harness to take her to middle school

 

[nchulka]

I thought it's a law that kids under 12 have to sit in the back seat? Don't feel bad....my oldest is almost 9 and still sits in a 5 point harness. Safety is #1, screw what everyone else is doing or what everyone else thinks!

 

[theworldneedscolor]

what about school buses? Disney transport?

Also, in a bus, seat belts are more dangerous than not wearing them. That's why they don't have them. Imagine cutting through 50 seatbelts if there was an emergency? So I would say same thing applies to booster seats and what not.

 

[badblackpug]

Maybe my kid is huge but she is 4 and 48" tall.

I believe the guidelines for front seat travel are 100 lbs due to the impact of the air bag.

My grandmother was 4'8" at her full height and she drove. She never sat in a booster. She did sit on a pillow, though, but that was to see over the wheel.

 

[momof3ds]

My 10 year old stopped riding in a booster when it became uncomfortable for her legs earlier this year.

We just got a new car and she rides in the front a lot of the time. The air bag sensor stays off when she is in the front.

8 year old weighs about 45 pounds and now rides in a booster seat without the back portion.

6 year old rides in a harness or a high back booster depending on the car.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Maybe my kid is huge but she is 4 and 48" tall.

I believe the guidelines for front seat travel are 100 lbs due to the impact of the air bag.

My grandmother was 4'8" at her full height and she drove. She never sat in a booster. She did sit on a pillow, though, but that was to see over the wheel.

Your daughter is probably about average but 4'9 is is 57 inches. My 8 year old is not 57 inches yet, he is 52 inches and he is in the 95th percentile.

My aunt was really short and she also sat on a pillow to raise her height.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[kt_mom]

I think my 9 year old would refuse to get in the car if I tried to make her get strapped into a 5 point harness. The idea is just absurd to me. I can't imagine stopping in the pickup/dropoff line at school to get out and run around and unfasten her. And I haven't seen anyone else do it either.

We let DD ride up front all the time.

 

[lucifie]

I think my 9 year old would refuse to get in the car if I tried to make her get strapped into a 5 point harness. The idea is just absurd to me. I can't imagine stopping in the pickup/dropoff line at school to get out and run around and unfasten her. And I haven't seen anyone else do it either.

We let DD ride up front all the time.

My 4 year old is in a 5-point harness and can unstrap himself. You wouldn't have to get out to unfasten a 9 year old in the dropoff line. If I had a small enough 9 year old I wouldn't rule out a 5-point harness just because of their age. My 7 year old would still fit in a 5-point harness and would still be in one if her old seat wasn't expiring. She wasn't complaining about it, but I figured at almost 7 she would be OK in a booster.

 

[kt_mom]

My 4 year old is in a 5-point harness and can unstrap himself. You wouldn't have to get out to unfasten a 9 year old in the dropoff line. If I had a small enough 9 year old I wouldn't rule out a 5-point harness just because of their age. My 7 year old would still fit in a 5-point harness and would still be in one if her old seat wasn't expiring. She wasn't complaining about it, but I figured at almost 7 she would be OK in a booster.

I get that, my two year old can almost unstrap himself. But I would probably have to help my 9 year old get out because I'm sure I would have to stuff her in there. I'm laughing just picturing her in a 5 point harness car seat. I just might ask her to try when I pick the kids up today.

I know we all want to protect our kids, but the idea of a 9 year old 4th grader in a car seat is ridiculous to me. I would not have even put my 7 year old second grader in one. None of the children I know that are DD's age are even in boosters, much less 5 point harness car seats and haven't been for quite awhile. I can just see me now having to walk her into school and drop off her car seat so she can go home with a friend after school.

 

[denisecolby]

I fight about this will my adult kids all the time. Children under 12 by law must sit in the back seat in my state (Massachusetts).Everyone, adults too, must wear safty harness devices for their age/size/wieght. Under 20 lbs this means a rear facing car seat. Under 80 lbs in a 5 point harnessed forward facing car seat. After 80 lbs and under 12, in a regular adult car seat belt.

2 of my daughter in laws swear the kids just won't wear their belts or stay in their car seats.I fight with them all the time over it. The funny thing is the kids automatically climb in their seats or put their belts on in Nana's car. They were told at an early age my car just does not go until everyone is buckled up safe. I've only had to stop twice in 11 years of grandkids to rebuckle someone and return the car back to my driveway instead of going somewhere fun because of someone not following the safety rules. Hopefully this taught them I am serious about my car rules and don't allow loose passengers.

Heck, my 2 kids still living at home are 15 and 18 and they still ride in the back when I'm driving.I don't even start the car till I hear the click of their seatbelts. I'm sure for them it's partly out of habit and partly for me to keep them from touching my radio.

 

[momof3ds]

I was curious so I googled, nothing about it being law in the state of Massachutess
http://www.mass.gov/eopss/crime-pre.../cps/enhanced-child-passenger-safety-law.html

It is recommended though.

 

[maxiesmom]

2 of my daughter in laws swear the kids just won't wear their belts or stay in their car seats.I fight with them all the time over it. The funny thing is the kids automatically climb in their seats or put their belts on in Nana's car. They were told at an early age my car just does not go until everyone is buckled up safe. I've only had to stop twice in 11 years of grandkids to rebuckle someone and return the car back to my driveway instead of going somewhere fun because of someone not following the safety rules. Hopefully this taught them I am serious about my car rules and don't allow loose passengers.

You mean when you set rules, and showed there were consequences for not following those rules, the kids then learned to follow the rules??? What sort of new-fangled parenting is this? I've never read about such a thing on the Dis before.

 

[A&M's Mommy]

I get that, my two year old can almost unstrap himself. But I would probably have to help my 9 year old get out because I'm sure I would have to stuff her in there. I'm laughing just picturing her in a 5 point harness car seat. I just might ask her to try when I pick the kids up today.

I know we all want to protect our kids, but the idea of a 9 year old 4th grader in a car seat is ridiculous to me. I would not have even put my 7 year old second grader in one. None of the children I know that are DD's age are even in boosters, much less 5 point harness car seats and haven't been for quite awhile. I can just see me now having to walk her into school and drop off her car seat so she can go home with a friend after school.

I totally agree. My kids are the same age as yours and the thought of putting them in car seats is ludicrous. This thread has been good for a lot of laughs, for sure.

I fight about this will my adult kids all the time. Children under 12 by law must sit in the back seat in my state (Massachusetts).Everyone, adults too, must wear safty harness devices for their age/size/wieght. Under 20 lbs this means a rear facing car seat. Under 80 lbs in a 5 point harnessed forward facing car seat. After 80 lbs and under 12, in a regular adult car seat belt.

Totally wrong. Not even close.

 

[PollyannaMom]

...Or....is it just me?

No, it's not!

(I've only read the first and last page, so I don't know how many responses you've had each way) but my DS(11) complains about the same thing. He hates to miss the bus because he says it's embarassing to get out of the back seat of my car! He's in a normal seat belt in the back, but I still think that's safer than the front.

P.S. - This is what I found for my state:

Child Passenger Restraints
Infants and small children must sit in federally approved child passenger restraints until they...
1. Are at least eight years old or
2. At least fifty-seven inches tall
Children at least eight years old or at least fifty-seven inches tall must wear safety belts.
The safety belts must be used correctly. You can be fined $25 for breaking this law.

It only talks about car seats, not when they can sit up front. I think I've read somewhere it is either 12 and up or over 12, but I'm not positive.

 

[Dizisfun]

THIS IS WHAT MARYLAND SAYS:

In the State of Maryland all children under the age of eight (8) must ride in an appropriate “child restraint”. This does not apply to children weighing over sixty-five (65) pounds or four (4) feet, nine (9) inches or taller in height.

A child restraint includes Car Seats, Booster Seats and other approved child restraint devices.

Children from eight (8) to sixteen (16) years of age who are not restrained in a child safety seat must be secured with a vehicle safety belt.

THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION, NOT THE LAW: Children under the age of 13 are safest in the back seat of the vehicle.

I HAVE TO ADD THAT IF MY DGD11 WERE STUFFED INTO A 5 POINT HARNESS CAR SEAT AND HER MOTHER DROPPED HER OFF AT HER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HER FRIENDS SAW HER THE POOR CHILD WOULD DIE FROM EMBARRASSMENT.

 

[lucifie]

I get that, my two year old can almost unstrap himself. But I would probably have to help my 9 year old get out because I'm sure I would have to stuff her in there. I'm laughing just picturing her in a 5 point harness car seat. I just might ask her to try when I pick the kids up today.

I know we all want to protect our kids, but the idea of a 9 year old 4th grader in a car seat is ridiculous to me. I would not have even put my 7 year old second grader in one. None of the children I know that are DD's age are even in boosters, much less 5 point harness car seats and haven't been for quite awhile. I can just see me now having to walk her into school and drop off her car seat so she can go home with a friend after school.

Seriously? None of the 7 year olds in your area are even in boosters? Here the law says that all children under the age of 8, regardless of size, need to be in a car seat or booster. Most kids aren't big enough to ride safely without a booster until they're between 10 and 12. As for small adults, yes, they should probably be in some sort of booster if they're not at least 4'9". Seat belts are designed to fit the average adult male. I'm an average-sized adult female and in some cars the seat belt doesn't fit me right.

The people who keep children in car seats longer tend to be the ones who are also informed about PROPER car seat use, including proper installation, proper fit and not using a seat after it expires, which means they aren't stuffing their older kids into seats designed for smaller kids. If a 9 year old is still in a harnessed seat it's most likely a seat designed for larger kids that fits the child properly and is installed properly.

 

[Tiger926]

Seriously? None of the 7 year olds in your area are even in boosters? Here the law says that all children under the age of 8, regardless of size, need to be in a car seat or booster. Most kids aren't big enough to ride safely without a booster until they're between 10 and 12. As for small adults, yes, they should probably be in some sort of booster if they're not at least 4'9". Seat belts are designed to fit the average adult male. I'm an average-sized adult female and in some cars the seat belt doesn't fit me right.

The people who keep children in car seats longer tend to be the ones who are also informed about PROPER car seat use, including proper installation, proper fit and not using a seat after it expires, which means they aren't stuffing their older kids into seats designed for smaller kids. If a 9 year old is still in a harnessed seat it's most likely a seat designed for larger kids that fits the child properly and is installed properly.

Well said!

Absolutely bizarre statements on this thread, and they show a total lack of knowledge in regards to child car safety. There are car seats that some of us very petite women can fit into, so there are definitely seats available for older children.

My kids hop out of their seats, and we walk down the street to school. Drop off and pick up is very busy, so no one is paying any attention to how children are sitting in the car. So, I can't imagine who would make a comment to someone in a car? And, if kids made fun of another kid for being in a seat, then the apple probably doesn't fall far from the tree...like some of the grown adults on here who are bent on making others feel embarrassed for properly securing their children in their vehicles. What horrible parents who actually understand the risk that is involved in driving a car with children as passengers.

Most people should be aware that car seat safety laws/recommendations/rules are minimums; therefore, it is advantageous that people keep their kids secured until those requirements are met.

Just the other day, a woman was jailed here for having a 5 and 6 year old in improper car seats, while speeding down the highway.

This is one of those makes my head hurt threads...Tiger