Okay, So I am probably being a bit dramatic, but I did get your attention didn't I? The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) came out with some new recommendations for Rear-Facing kids in Car Seats and all I have to say is its about darn time! While I am passionate about things, this ranks up there as one of my top things! Besides Breast Cancer awareness, Car Seat Safety is up there. In fact I keep thinking about maybe seeing what it would take to be certified in Car Seat inspection..Might have to talk to my friend Berta about that. It's because of her that I am have become so passionate about this.
Rear-Facing has so many benefits that I am really surprised that people want to turn their kids around sooner.As my friend Berta would say "Broken Legs = Cast, Broken Neck = Casket" and while that's blunt, to the point and a bit morbid it's totally true. I have read too many stories about young kids (over 1 year, which was the old recommendation) breaking their necks, or have internal decapitation because of 30 mph crashes. We aren't talking 60mph crashes on the highway. We are talking to and from the house to daycare, to the grocery store. Being hit at only 30mph is 600lbs of force.
If you think about it when a child is rear facing and you are in a car accident all that force is put into the car seat..not onto the harness. When a child is forward facing it all goes into that harness. You are expecting a 5 point harness to take the entire force of that accident. Why wouldn't you keep your child rear-facing as long as possible.
I have heard it all, their legs are all scrunched up (See my statement above). They want to see what's going on. They get cranky in the back. I understand how hard it is to have a screaming child in the car and not be able to do something about it. But really I would rather have my child be cranky for 20 minutes or even an hour (depending on the car ride) and save their life if something were to happen.
We don't let our child play with Glass or a Knife because they want to because that would be unsafe, why is this any different?? Lets stand up as parents and stand up for our kids. If you are on a long car ride and they need to be entertained then one of you can sit in the back with them? or give them toys to play with? or a mirror or some food to eat. Lets keep these kids safe as possible for as long as possible!
Here is the link to the cnn article on the new standards...You can return to your regularly scheduled programming I am now off my soap box.
Look forward to an upcoming post about the Bundle Me's and car seats...I should have posted it before winter was over, but will post it anyway coming soon.
Rear-Facing has so many benefits that I am really surprised that people want to turn their kids around sooner.As my friend Berta would say "Broken Legs = Cast, Broken Neck = Casket" and while that's blunt, to the point and a bit morbid it's totally true. I have read too many stories about young kids (over 1 year, which was the old recommendation) breaking their necks, or have internal decapitation because of 30 mph crashes. We aren't talking 60mph crashes on the highway. We are talking to and from the house to daycare, to the grocery store. Being hit at only 30mph is 600lbs of force.
If you think about it when a child is rear facing and you are in a car accident all that force is put into the car seat..not onto the harness. When a child is forward facing it all goes into that harness. You are expecting a 5 point harness to take the entire force of that accident. Why wouldn't you keep your child rear-facing as long as possible.
I have heard it all, their legs are all scrunched up (See my statement above). They want to see what's going on. They get cranky in the back. I understand how hard it is to have a screaming child in the car and not be able to do something about it. But really I would rather have my child be cranky for 20 minutes or even an hour (depending on the car ride) and save their life if something were to happen.
We don't let our child play with Glass or a Knife because they want to because that would be unsafe, why is this any different?? Lets stand up as parents and stand up for our kids. If you are on a long car ride and they need to be entertained then one of you can sit in the back with them? or give them toys to play with? or a mirror or some food to eat. Lets keep these kids safe as possible for as long as possible!
Here is the link to the cnn article on the new standards...You can return to your regularly scheduled programming I am now off my soap box.
Look forward to an upcoming post about the Bundle Me's and car seats...I should have posted it before winter was over, but will post it anyway coming soon.
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1 comments:
I totally agree. And your blog looks so pretty!
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