I also note that the FF in the video doesn't appear to be correctly installed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compare the two in this video. There is no airbag in the front passenger seat. Pay close attention to the squished legs in the rear facing seat and the neck and legs in the forward facing seat. You just can't change physics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIeExpDLDA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I can't believe anyone would FF after watching this!

why is the RF in the front seat? Probably because it wouldn't fit in the back.

OP here, thanks for all the responses. I didn't realize it would cause such an emotional response. I thought I was just asking a really easy question.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You gotta have some faith and confidence people! Of course RF is limiting them. Who faces backward in a seat normally? They can see out the window but they can't see you. There's no interaction. We FF at 12M. He was so much happier. I cannot imagine keeping a child RF until 4 yrs old sorry. What happens if you get rear ended?

If you get rear-ended, you are most likely either stopped or traveling at low speed.

As I noted above the two rear ended accidents I know of resulted in one RF child dying and the other RF child being being permanently brain damaged. Being stopped or traveling low speed doesn't necessarily protect a RF child.

Anonymous wrote:You gotta have some faith and confidence people! Of course RF is limiting them. Who faces backward in a seat normally? They can see out the window but they can't see you. There's no interaction. We FF at 12M. He was so much happier. I cannot imagine keeping a child RF until 4 yrs old sorry. What happens if you get rear ended?

Yes they can, it's called a mirror.

Even if there wasn't, we aren't in the car to interact. That's why there are so many accidents. Pay attention to the road!

I don't care if you FF or RF but if you FF at 9 months just say it's because you want to- end of story. Stop with all this "I can't interact with them" because it makes you sound dumb.

I don't understand the argument that you can't interact with your kids if they are RF. DS is only 7 months (and still RF obviously) but I sing and talk to him. At stop lights sometime I pat/rub his head (granted we have a small car so he is not very far from me). He can also look up/back and see me....

I can't imagine turning early just because "I like it better that way" largely becuase I assume you also like your child to not be internally decapitated.

Our first we turned shortly after a year. Our second at 18 months. This was before I had heard much about the 2 year old recommendation. I distinctly remember thinking "gee they don't look ready for this" but brushed it aside. With our third we're going to wait until 2, at least. She's perfectly happy rear facing.

Legs being scrunched is not an issue. They often sit cross legged or put their legs over the side or up on the seat. As long as they are within the weight limit and haven't outgrown it by height (using the top of the carseat shell as a reference, not the legs) they can still stay in that seat rearfacing.

Anonymous wrote:Where do her legs go at 5 years old?

Not the PP, but many kids just cross them as if you're sitting on the floor.

The leg thing tends to bother parents more than kids (with some exceptions, of course).

Anonymous wrote:Let. It. Go.

Stop. Using. Periods. Between. Words. It's lame.

My neighbor is visiting with her 3 children, all under age 6. 2 older ones are in backless boosters and 8 mth old is FF in a convertible. I want to cringe every time I see them pile into the car.

We're still RF at a little past 2 yrs, and plan to until DD, who is around 80% for height, exceeds the height limit for RF in the carseat (which will from the looks of things come way before she exceeds the upper weight limit for RF).

Before everyone here attacks each other for being overprotective or careless, I would like to say that in my experience this has a lot to do both with the car you drive and the carseat you have. I used to think it was merely a matter of perception-- some moms just worried more about their kids' legs being uncomfortable than others-- and education/experience (those of us who have suffered tragic accidents, for instance, tend to seriously sweat this stuff).

Then I accepted a few rides with friends, rides that involved transferring my second convertible carseat, the one I don't usually use, into the cars they drive. Total foot-and-leg scrunch. I drive a Honda Civic and when my daughter RF in it, not only does she not look uncomfortable, but it's pretty spacious back there. She can't let her legs hang down, obviously, but she isn't jammed up against the back of the car as she seemed to be in my friends' SUVs-- which surprised me, because I would have expected these bigger cars to be much roomier. Not for RF. Not the ones I rode in.

In any case, if you have succeeded in doing extended RF, do post what kind of car you drive...this is similar to the point a PP made about cars in Europe being designed differently. But I do think some American cars also work perfectly well for ERF.

Let. It. Go.

Anonymous wrote:

I can't believe you're so passionate!

You don't find the video compelling?

Where do her legs go at 5 years old?

we are still rear facing and almost 5 but VERY little...

We will rear face until he is to big height/weight wise