So distraught...

[Twoboos]

After school, I picked up DD1 (7) and her BFF and brought them to BFF's house for a playdate. BFF's mom said she would drive DD1 home.

They get here. I peek in car. There are NO car seats, boosters (backless or otherwise) or any other child restraint. :47: Once they are gone I ask DD, were there car seats? Nope, they just ride in the car - and Mom, we should do that, too. :shake:

Her BFF is tiny, shorter than my 5 year old.

I feel like I can guess the "reasoning" behind it. They have 3 older kids (11, 14, 16) and drive a "safe" Cadillac Escalade SUV. But I will never be able to let them give her a ride anywhere again. I feel sick.

AND this explains why she never wants to pick them up at school. I'm sure she doesn't want to get caught at school with no car seats.

Did I mention I feel sick? UGH.

[sariana]

I'm so sorry. But your DD is home safe now, so it is over. You can't control what other people do. You know never to let your DD ride with her again. And to ask other parents from now on.

Isn't it a shame that we have to ask?:shake:

[bubbaray]

I'm so sorry. But your DD is home safe now, so it is over.



:yeahthat:

[justlearning]

It's surprising how many people don't use car seats with their kids. A friend of mine drives her 4-year-old everywhere without any car seat. Once, I even saw her riding in the front passenger seat for the 1/2 mile drive to school.

My 5-year-old DS recently went to a friend's house and told me that night that he didn't ride in any car seat. So I told the mom that I'd be happy to loan her a booster for him to ride in. She said that she had an extra carseat in her garage that she'd have DS use. Well, so this time DS said that he did ride in a booster but then his friend (also 5) rode without any carseat.

When older DS went on a school field trip last year as a 6-year-old, mothers drove kids on the interstate one hour to the field trip site. The kids carpooled together, and there were only two parents (myself and a friend of mine) who insisted that our kids ride in a car seat. Most of the kids in his class weren't riding in any carseats. I have been shocked to see this, especially considering that the parents are middle to upper-middle class and that it's the law here that you have to be at least 8 to ride without a car seat.

So what I've learned to do is always offer the car seat and say that I'm a safety freak and that I want my DS to ride in the car seat. Many parents look at me like I'm crazy, but they go along with it.

[MrsMcGwire]

This day and age you'd think people would be more educated. I have two teenagers, 13 and 16 and we didn't use carseats after they out grew their booster. I now have a 1 year old and 3 year old so I did have to learn it all over. I've learned it twice and these people can't even do it once, hehe.

[wellyes]

An aquaintance in GA was just saying --- with some disgust --- that her state was making a law that kids have to ride in boosters until age 8. She was surprised when I calmly replied that was already the law in my state. I don't really get the resistance.

[kbud]

My dd is 7 and she knows no one who rides in a booster, low or high anymore. It's said but true. I heard a girl about 6 in Target one day begging her mom for a booster so she could see better. The mom told her she could use a phone book as she wasn't waisting $20 on a booster. I always ask if dd is riding w/someone else and she has to be in a booster. We carry a spare in our car. We are in FL though and once a kid is 4, yes 4 no booster or carseat is required just the regular seatbelt. It's sad but people go be the law. They trust it not me or anyone else. DD school even had a carseat tech come and promote boosters at a school festival but no one really listened, as it's not the law.

[egoldber]

Sadly, this really does not surprise me at all. My older DD is the only kid I know her age who is still in a booster and most kids at her elementary school stop using a booster in K.

[Melaine]

Yeah, I never see older kids harnessed around my area. Although it is technically the law I think.

[vonfirmath]

My dd is 7 and she knows no one who rides in a booster, low or high anymore. It's said but true. I heard a girl about 6 in Target one day begging her mom for a booster so she could see better. The mom told her she could use a phone book as she wasn't waisting $20 on a booster. I always ask if dd is riding w/someone else and she has to be in a booster. We carry a spare in our car. We are in FL though and once a kid is 4, yes 4 no booster or carseat is required just the regular seatbelt. It's sad but people go be the law. They trust it not me or anyone else. DD school even had a carseat tech come and promote boosters at a school festival but no one really listened, as it's not the law.

From what I have seen since Texas changed its law -- they will use the law as a convenient excuse to do what they want to do anyway. But if the law is changed, they will still take the kids out of the booster and their rational is that they probably won't get caught so it does not matter.