I have a babysitter (a young mom) who comes over to help my husband with my LO until I get home from work (my DH has health/sleep issues). Sometimes she brings her 5-6 mo old baby, which I am ok with. I have several sitters, so this was only her 3rd or 4th time sitting for us. Anyway, I watched her pack up her daughter to go home. She put her in the infant carseat, buckled the chest clip and pulled it all the way down to meet the bottom clips - nowhere near the armpits. She then carefully tucked a blanket around her (so less likely she planned to readjust in the car). I was conflicted about whether to say something and I didn't. But now I feel really guilty. 
Maybe I will have her sit again tomorrow and say something if I see that again? Or do I mind my own business???
You might also enjoy...
-
i think since you have a personal relationship with her you could just mention the proper way, in a friendly way. if it were me, i think i would.
-
I have not come across this yet but if I knew the person I would make myself say something just for the safety of the child. I would probably not say somthing if it was a complete stranger. I thin it is all how you go about it though. I have tried to tell SIL that a carseat needs to be replaced after an accident and my advice fell on deaf ears
-
I saw a mom put a baby (I swear no older than 7 months old) in a FORWARD facing carseat yesterday while I was loading my groceries. The baby was seriously so so tiny. I just stared with my jaw on the ground.
It is not my place to say anything, even though I am a social worker and we are mandated reporters, I can not say anything and I feel it is rude and inappropriate to do so.
If she were my friend or I knew her, I would absolutely say something.@78h2o: To the sitter, I would absolutely say something. But, remember, approach is everything.
-
I would say something in the nicest possible way since you know her and will have an ongoing relationship.
-
Definitely say something, this is the child's safety. Just do it in a nice way and not in a I'm telling you what to do way. She just may not know.
-
I would say something.
I did to a find today. She posted a picture of her 3 week old in the car seat. The chest clip was too low. I texted her and said I don't want to sound like a know it all but safety first. Told her how it should be. She wrote back they were in a store so she had if looser but she does moves it when in the car. I wrote ok, just wanted to check since no one told us and we did wrong for a couple weeks.
-
I had a lady from our bible study "help me" put the baby in the car seat. It was the nicest way for her to show me the right way (: Maybe you could arrange it to where you're holding the baby when it's time for her to leave and ask her to put her in her car seat. Maybe if she sees the right way it will remind her to always do it that way? (: I know I didn't mind at all and it was a lot nicer than her telling me I was taking care of my daughter the "wrong" way (:
-
I would probably would try. Approach is definitely key.
My rule of thumb is how would I feel if I turned on the news & heard that car was in an accident & that child died, all the while knowing they had been put in their seat in a dangerous fashion. I'd much rather someone take the chance of offending me than just let my endanger my children.
-
I would mention it and agree it's all in the approach. Like, "oh, I noticed you buckled your daughter the way my husband did at first. He didn't realize it's supposed to be up to the chest." Or you can use yourself as an example! Kind of smiley and light-hearted?
Also, another good example was when my GF saw me buckling K once. She said "Girl! That is WAY too loose!" And I told her I know, I'm tightening it. I wasn't offended or anything. And in the end, she told me it never occurred to her to loosen & tighten every time, and she just bent her baby's legs to fit through the straps! I mean, we all learn from each other as mamas!
-
I would say something. Some people just don't know. I seriously had no idea what I was doing car-seat wise when we LO was first born. I had read up and evvvverything and was totally prepped for this and that and...I hadn't prepared for carseats. Like, seriously, one of the most important things. I just thought it would be OBVIOUS. So when we went to leave the hospital I just looked at the nurse in despair and told her I had no idea how I was even suppose to put this little baby in this contraption.
I had no idea I couldn't put him in a carseat with a coat. Do you know how many snowsuits I had bought for car rides? SIX.. Six snowsuits. Thank goodness someone was like "Ooooh nooo" and enlightened me.
@shopaholic: It seriously took me 4 weeks before I realized I could just loosen and retighten. I ran into the living room so excited to tell DH this "baby hack" I had INVENTED. He was just like "o.O Uh, yeah...that's how *everyone* does it...Welcome to the party." I shuffled away in shame.
-
@hellocupcake: This is what I was going to suggest. Fuss over how sweet her little one is, and then buckle her in correctly, maybe with a little lighthearted comment to the baby, "Oh, now you're in nice and tight!" I'm not sure if that's passive aggressive, but that indirect approach is probably what I'd go for.
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
11 comments