thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 14:55:55 GMT -5
I knew being short was a disability!
|
|
formerroomate99
Junior Associate
Joined: Sept 12, 2011 13:33:12 GMT -5
Posts: 7,381
|
Post by formerroomate99 on Aug 2, 2012 15:04:32 GMT -5
It sucks that they have found a way to reduce the number of deaths by the #1 killer of children? Having ajustable height seatbelts in the back seats of cars would do the same thing, along with keeping short adults safe. But I agree with you that the backless booster seats can be found for under $15, and won't take up that much space in your trunk.
|
|
|
Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Aug 2, 2012 15:06:59 GMT -5
...the year I entered college was the last year they took my tier SAT scores... whew...
|
|
|
Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Aug 2, 2012 15:10:00 GMT -5
...and fwiw, put me in the "height/weight" category on car seats... age is less relevant...
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 15:12:28 GMT -5
My question about the new regulations is the statistics. I see people with no car seats all the time around here. Usually they are 'English as second language' types. But, it isn't 7 year olds that are my concern - it is the babies, in Mom's arms (you know, like us old foggies were raised.) I wonder where the most damage is done. It probably is the 5-7 year olds, because they probably get more car-time/miles than babies. (Maybe.)
|
|
cronewitch
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 21:44:20 GMT -5
Posts: 5,974
|
Post by cronewitch on Aug 2, 2012 16:18:29 GMT -5
The booster seats are used to get the kid high enough so that the shoulder belt isn't going across their necks. But you can get a backless booster seat for under $15 and many cars allow you to adjust the height of a shoulder belt. Then why stop at an age? The seat belt hit most women in my family across the neck. Grandma was about 4" 6' and weighted 82lbs. Mom is about 4" 11' and her sister about 4" 10' leaving me the only woman over 5 feet in my family and it hits mom and I both across the neck. Mom used to have her car seats welded in a high position so she could drive without a pillow but now doesn't drive so gets the seat belt cutting her neck like I do. I use a large binder clip to clip the belt away from my neck because it hurts and seems if you were in an accident will cut your head off.
|
|
Sam_2.0
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 15:42:45 GMT -5
Posts: 12,350
|
Post by Sam_2.0 on Aug 2, 2012 16:22:49 GMT -5
- that's the exact reason for it. It really should be height (not sure why weight would be an issue). But I guess they can't mandate that adults sit in a booster, although they can mandate that we wear the safety belts....
|
|
Sum Dum Gai
Senior Associate
Joined: Aug 15, 2011 15:39:24 GMT -5
Posts: 19,892
|
Post by Sum Dum Gai on Aug 2, 2012 16:25:24 GMT -5
My 10 year old just recently hit 80+ lbs. We let her stop using the booster at 7 or 8.
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 16:29:26 GMT -5
My 10 year old isn't anywhere near 80 pounds. She is also in the 55 lb range. I believe she is lighter than my 8 year old, but still a half inch taller.
|
|
Sum Dum Gai
Senior Associate
Joined: Aug 15, 2011 15:39:24 GMT -5
Posts: 19,892
|
Post by Sum Dum Gai on Aug 2, 2012 16:32:56 GMT -5
55? How tall is she?
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 16:46:12 GMT -5
I think she is short for her age - but not ridiculously short. She is taller than a tall 8 year old . I'll measure her later. She is ridiculously skinny. I call my family "The stick people" because that's what our family portraits look like. (This is my Dad, Mom and sisters.) My husband graduated high school at 6'1" and 145 pounds - so my kids have a lot of potential to be thin. Even in her gymnastics leo, she has extra fabric hanging off her butt. My son has 6-pack abs, and has since he was a pre-schooler.
|
|
whoisjohngalt
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 14:12:07 GMT -5
Posts: 9,140
|
Post by whoisjohngalt on Aug 2, 2012 16:52:15 GMT -5
my youngest was 27 lbs at his 9 mo check up. I can't wait to find out his weight at his 1 yr check up next week..... I don't know how I can still be fat when I drag him around up and down the stairs 5 times a day Lena
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 16:57:51 GMT -5
|
|
Sum Dum Gai
Senior Associate
Joined: Aug 15, 2011 15:39:24 GMT -5
Posts: 19,892
|
Post by Sum Dum Gai on Aug 2, 2012 17:00:54 GMT -5
Treadmill? Please. That kid has star running back written all over him. Get him a football and helmet and start playing in the living room.
|
|
|
Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Aug 2, 2012 17:04:47 GMT -5
Treadmill? Please. That kid has star running back written all over him. Get him a football and helmet and start playing in the living room.
|
|
Sum Dum Gai
Senior Associate
Joined: Aug 15, 2011 15:39:24 GMT -5
Posts: 19,892
|
Post by Sum Dum Gai on Aug 2, 2012 17:07:34 GMT -5
They had a track coach on NPR yesterday talking about the Olympics. Apparently the prototype male discus thrower is 6'7"-6'9", and at least 300 pounds. So if he's as tall for his age as he is heavy you could teach him to throw heavy frisbees really far.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,861
|
Post by zibazinski on Aug 2, 2012 17:20:56 GMT -5
Isn't it amazing how we all survived dangerous cribs and no car seats? Isn't it amazing that those of us who have children in their twenties managed to raise them without car seats until they were in middle school?
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 17:29:15 GMT -5
Well 'we' all survived but "WE" didn't all survive. Car accidents kill children. The reason I never was killed while not in a car seat is because we were just lucky enough to not be in a car accident. I'm sure if you go back 20 or 30 or 40 years, you will find stories of children being killed in car accidents, and some of those deaths wouldn't have been changed by a car seat (car hurdling off a cliff), but some of those deaths might have been minor injuries with better restraints.
|
|
Sum Dum Gai
Senior Associate
Joined: Aug 15, 2011 15:39:24 GMT -5
Posts: 19,892
|
Post by Sum Dum Gai on Aug 2, 2012 17:33:13 GMT -5
And if you're talking to a group of people that have never been shot in the head they've all survived that too. Doesn't mean shooting yourself in the head is a good idea.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,861
|
Post by zibazinski on Aug 2, 2012 17:34:02 GMT -5
Hey, I'm all for laws that make sense. No one should be riding in the bed of a truck out on public streets and everyone should wear a seat belt. But let's take the nanny state a bit further, shall we?
|
|
formerroomate99
Junior Associate
Joined: Sept 12, 2011 13:33:12 GMT -5
Posts: 7,381
|
Post by formerroomate99 on Aug 2, 2012 18:35:30 GMT -5
You've also got the issue that by forcing families to drive huge cars and increaseing our dependence on gasoline, you're giving money to people who want to kill us and making us more likely to get involved in 'wars for oil', both of which result in plenty of Americans being killed or maimed.
|
|
Sum Dum Gai
Senior Associate
Joined: Aug 15, 2011 15:39:24 GMT -5
Posts: 19,892
|
Post by Sum Dum Gai on Aug 2, 2012 18:47:19 GMT -5
I don't drive huge cars now, and haven't at any point while I've had kids. Their car seats and boosters fit just fine in our sedans.
Besides if we were that worried about oil money funding terrorists we wouldn't be driving at all. We'd put way more money into trains and busses and be stuck with those like dirty Europeans. I'd rather be an ignorant American in my giant SUV, even if that means some religious whackadoodles in a cave halfway around the world hates my guts, then have to become a dirty European.
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,327
|
Post by thyme4change on Aug 2, 2012 20:01:58 GMT -5
My son is 4 foot 4.5 inches - so my daughter (who isn't here) might be an inch taller. But, our scale just broke - so I can't weight him.
|
|
taz157
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 20:50:06 GMT -5
Posts: 12,823
|
Post by taz157 on Aug 3, 2012 20:46:04 GMT -5
For me, I have a single step stool next to DD’s crib so I can pick her up since it’s on the lowest setting. Personally, I wish they put adjustable seatbelts in the back seat. I’m 5” 1.5’ and in some cars, the seatbelts hit my neck. In my car and DH’s car, they are adjustable in the front seat, but not in the back, but are low anyway. In DH’s best friend’s truck, his front seatbelts are adjustable while his rear seatbelts aren’t. Since they hang from the top of the header, they always hit me in the neck.
|
|
tcu2003
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 31, 2010 15:24:01 GMT -5
Posts: 4,939
|
Post by tcu2003 on Aug 3, 2012 21:33:36 GMT -5
Everyone knows that it's just impossible to get a car seat in and out of anything other than a minivan or SUV. We had several friends tell us we were going to want/need to upgrade our vehicles to something larger as soon as baby was born - thanks, but no thanks. DS's infant carseat fits rear-facing just fine in my Escape and DH's A4 (a little tight in the A4, but fits nonetheless).
|
|
Malarky
Junior Associate
Truth and snark are equal opportunity here.
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 21:00:51 GMT -5
Posts: 5,313
|
Post by Malarky on Aug 3, 2012 21:42:33 GMT -5
There used to be this really cool device called a "buckle buddy." It was a clip that changed the angle that the seatbelt hit your shoulder/neck. Problem solved. I actually used to have one for each of the kids and one for me as well.
I'm not sure if it was a law at the time or just a suggestion, but I ignored the 8 yo/80 pound rule. As a short person, I can attest to the fact that life really sucks when your feet don't touch the floor and the circulation is being cut off from the back of your legs while they hang over a hard piece of plastic.
I also turned DD's carseat around before she was 20 pounds. She was almost 2 at the time and her legs were at an odd angle against the seat. Not real comfortable.
Just more proof of how much I suck as a parent.
|
|
chiver78
Administrator
Current Events Admin
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 13:04:45 GMT -5
Posts: 38,388
|
Post by chiver78 on Aug 3, 2012 22:17:13 GMT -5
Hey, I'm all for laws that make sense. No one should be riding in the bed of a truck out on public streets and everyone should wear a seat belt. But let's take the nanny state a bit further, shall we? I'd counter that it's kind of an arbitrary line in the sand. why is it okay to require a seat belt for adults, too? that's kind of "nanny" if you ask me. sure, I wear one now, but I didn't when I was a kid. I remember my mom getting into pretty heated arguments with my pediatrician when I was a kid b/c she refused to buckle us in once we were out of car seats. she had some horror story about a car accident she'd seen where the kids died b/c they couldn't be extracted from the burning car. sis and I survived.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 26,962
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Post by TheOtherMe on Aug 3, 2012 22:44:13 GMT -5
I just barely missed having to go to Vietnam. Bless those dear ones who did. My ex missed Viet Nam because his birthday came up in the 360's when the lottery was done. He figured they'd never get to him and they didn't.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 26,962
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Post by TheOtherMe on Aug 3, 2012 22:52:24 GMT -5
My state requires kids over age 6 to be in a child restraint system (booster or seat belt) until they are 4'9". Need to discuss with DN if she wants her soon to be 7 year old in a booster. That would save me from buying another booster.
Those two kids have so many sets of child restraint seats. In addition to the pair I have, mom and dad have 3 sets for their vehicles and grandparents have 2 sets for their 2 vehicles, so that is 6 sets of seats for 2 kids.
|
|
Phoenix84
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 17, 2011 21:42:35 GMT -5
Posts: 10,056
|
Post by Phoenix84 on Aug 4, 2012 21:49:49 GMT -5
Only thing that comes to mind is I didn't have to take the GRE again. It's only good for 5 years and I took it in May 2007, so I got into grad school in the nick of time. To be fair, i had gotten in before, but hopefully I'll finish this time (I ended moving for jobs before). It would have costed money (and study time) if I had had to take it again.
|
|