How serious is car seat safety to you?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering how serious proper car seat usage is to nannies and how you handle employers with different views? To the employers if you are not using your seat properly would you want your nanny to let you know?

[Anonymous]

Umm, really? How difficult is it to use a car seat properly? Are you just asking hypothetically or is there an actual issue you are dealing with? Either way, it's pretty ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

V.E.R.Y
I'm the nanny and I have, to several MBs, showed them the right way to install a seat. I have a certification in installs and if it's wrong, I point it out.

[Anonymous]

As far as I'm concerned, there's only one view here: safety. If the carseat isn't properly installed, we're not going anywhere in that car. The employer's view on that is irrelevant. If we need to part ways over that, we will.

No "nanny" would would tolerate anything less.

[Anonymous]

Umm it seems to be really difficult since 80% of car seats are installed incorrectly or not used properly.
Ff too early booster seats way too early. Not positioning the harness correctly, chest clip too low, straps too loose, wearing jackets and snow suits (which nobody in the car should wear including adults) seats installed to loosely, or not at the right angle.

[Anonymous]

This has been an issue with me in the past. I've worked for parents who don't make their children sit in car seats even 2 year olds. Or the child will sit in the seat but not buckle it. My rule is with me we do it the right way. The children thankfully don't protest even though with their parents they don't buckle. I've worked for 2 families over the years like this so it has to be somewhat normal I would say.

[Anonymous]

This is an issue with almost every family I have worked for. In my car I rear-face until at least 2 and booster till at least 8. If the parents don't provide seats that fit to these standards I mention it and request that they provide seats. Sometimes they think I'm weird but I mention how safety is very important to me and I need to feel like the kids are as safe as possible while in my car.

I babysit about once weekly for a family with 3 kids, I use their van. Their 18 month old is forward facing and every time I go to put him in the seat I find the seat so loose, like can move more than 2 inches to each side and the back can be pulled away from the seat more than 3 inches. Every time I have to install the seat properly (I keep it forward facing since it is legal), attach the top tether, and always have to move the harness up to the correct spot.

In general I try to slip in little comments about car safety to the kids that are old enough. Just reminding them that they need to have the belt on all the time and positioned correctly, even in other cars.

[Anonymous]

also, I do occasionally mention things to the parents, especially if it's an ongoing nanny position. I do my best to say it in a way that is very non accusatory.

[Anonymous]

I couldn't live with the guilt if an accident would occur. Honestly if it was ever an issue with the parents that I rf longer than them and they want me to ff I will quit. Especially since I usually use my car. So far I haven't parents having a problem with me rf even though they ff

[Anonymous]

If a family has a car seat installed incorrectly I will immediately point it out as its a huge safety issue. I do so politely but also with the expectation that it will be corrected (especially if I'm driving their children in the vehicle).

In my own car I have the parents install the car seat and then before I ever transport children I have the car seat checked by our local fire department to ensure its properly installed. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I was driving and something happened to a child in my care, especially if it was a car seat that was not properly installed.

[Anonymous]

Fire departments usually don't have car seat techs. You need to find a cpst through safe kids

[Anonymous]

To find a CPST (child passenger safety technician) in your area follow the link below. A CPST will teach you how to install the seat and then make sure the seat is installed properly before you leave, instead of a person at a firehouse who will just might not know as much and just check to make sure it's nice and tight. Also, CPSTs know all the little details about LATCH and top tether limits, angle adjusting, can the seat touch the seat in front?, and other random little things one might not think of.

http://cert.safekids.org/get-car-seat-checked