What Would You Do If You Knew A Parent Was Not Using A Car Seat? - Page 4

[elus0814]

Originally Posted by starling&diesel 

Me:  "I realize that, but as a daycare provider, I have to be sure that my kids are going to get home safe.  Are you able to get another carseat, or do you want one of mine?"

If my kids were ever in a daycare situation I would never tolerate anyone speaking of my children that way.

"I have to be sure that MY kids are going to get home safe". Even if car seats had magical powers that would be sure to get kids in them home safe the kids are not your children. Let me repeat. They are NOT your children. Making a statement where you refer to someone else's children as "my kids" would be an indication to me that as a child care provider you are overstepping your bounds and have crossed into the realm of creepy. Ever see the movie "The hand that rocks the cradle"? I would not bring my children back and would also tell the other parents about it. Even if my kid's grandparents said something like that my kids would no longer be allowed alone with them. 

Parents talk. If the OP is serious about her daycare business and needs the income saying things like this or calling the police could ruin all that. She would be blackballed. As a parent I know I would not take my kids to a child care provider if I had heard about that provider calling the police on parents. I think mentioning it to parents, giving out pamphlets or papers, having a safety day, offering to buy carseats for the kids, or telling a white lie about it being a new requirement for you to check or something like that is what should be done.

[starling&diesel]

Alright, elus, so insert "daycare" and have it read, "I have to be sure the my DAYCARE kids get home safe,"  even though every single daycare provider I know refers to their daycare kids as "my kids."

As for the reference to "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle," please.  Seriously?  That is so far fetched, it's laughable. 

If anyone had that conversation with me, I'd go red and feel defensive and maybe spout off at the mouth with excuses, then I would go home and think about it and calm down and be glad that my daycare provider was concerned about the children in her care, and that she felt a sense of responsibility for their safety, and was comfortable enough with our working relationship to be honest and forthright and say what was on her mind rather than call 911 behind my back.

[FbksMama]

I like that - "car seat nerd."  That's how I feel!  I think people don't realize that keeping kids rear-facing could save their lives.  Most people don't realize that you should keep them rear-facing for as long as physically possible and not just turn them around at one year.  I am a psycho when it comes to double-checking my hubby's work on putting our son in the car.  There's no reason we shouldn't all be car-seat nerds!  There's some serious crazies on the road!  And IMO those kids should just walk.  

[elus0814]

Originally Posted by starling&diesel 

Alright, elus, so insert "daycare" and have it read, "I have to be sure the my DAYCARE kids get home safe,"  even though every single daycare provider I know refers to their daycare kids as "my kids."

As for the reference to "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle," please.  Seriously?  That is so far fetched, it's laughable. 

If anyone had that conversation with me, I'd go red and feel defensive and maybe spout off at the mouth with excuses, then I would go home and think about it and calm down and be glad that my daycare provider was concerned about the children in her care, and that she felt a sense of responsibility for their safety, and was comfortable enough with our working relationship to be honest and forthright and say what was on her mind rather than call 911 behind my back.

I mean this is the most polite way possible. 

You have only one child. Just one. I've spent time as a mother of one child before I had my other kids. It was easy. It was also easy to see things simply and to think all other parents have it easy too. I remember thinking things like "how could any parent ever do anything that wasn't the absolute very safest and best way to do things in regards to their children". Then I had more kids and I realized how easy I had it and how those who have more than one child are not always able to take such a simplistic view and need to do what they have to do to take care of everyone even if it's not the safest way to go about things.

BTW, to me it IS super creepy for anyone other than a parent or guardian to say 'my kids'. That would be a major red flag to me that the child care provider was thinking of my children as their own. It's not the exact same situation as the movie but it's eerily similar to me. When my oldest was in preschool - not a daycare that calls itself a preschool but an actual preschool in a school for 4 and 5 year olds - the teachers NEVER called any child 'my child' and I spent hours and hours there volunteering. 

[starling&diesel]

elus ...

The number of children I have does not and will not have any bearing whatsoever on my commitment and ability to increase their basic safety by ensuring that they are all properly secured in quality car seats at all times while driving in a personal vehicle, which is both the law and common sense.  Any insinuation to the contrary is simply asinine and insulting.