Didn't Like Car Seat Policy

[Homebody]

Isn’t that the reason for a snap in base though?

That's what I always thought.

It's not a good idea to constantly be removing carseats.
Even infant seats.

Each time it's taken out, there's a greater likelihood it won't be reinstalled properly or as tightly.
Plus, car seats are largely made of plastics. Cracks and warps can happen with force and the elements. Think of how many parents bring in their carseat to the grocery store and plop them in carts. I've seen so much damage on the bottom of infant seats from shopping carts! One little piece of broken or wedged plastic can prevent that carseat from latching properly to it's base.

This has never occurred to me. Is there documentation on this online that can be printed out to show parents?

[Country Kids]

Homebody, if you have quite a few in car seats maybe hold a car seat class in your home. The local fire dept may be willing to come out and have one for you.

If you don't have a lot, you could also open up to other providers and their clients. Would be a good way to educate from the professionals.

[Snowmom]

That's what I always thought.



This has never occurred to me. Is there documentation on this online that can be printed out to show parents?

It's discussed every time I take C.A.R.S. training.
I don't know if any of their brochures have stats.

[Country Kids]

My current daycare center doesn't have a problem keeping carseats. EVERY DAY there are like 10 seats left in the lobby waiting to be switched to another car: boosters (with no covers even), convertibles, combination seats and bucket seats. Some I know to be expired.

I personally don't understand it, when I can buy a second seat for $10-40 and not have to deal with the mess of uninstalling and carrying a seat into the daycare each day.

BUT the daycare won't give "parenting advice" -- so unless the parents figure it out on their own, they will continue to have a "car seat parking" area in the daycare, .

A friend of mine that works at a center told me the same thing-lots of car seats brought in and out each day. They have a special room for them to go into or something but not out of the norm for them to be left there.

[Blackcat31]

This topic is raising a lot more questions for me. One of those is if there's a small chance I can be held liable for the carseat not being installed properly, then there would be the chance I could be held liable for them not being restrained properly (if done in the car) either.

It wouldn't surprise me if they passed regulations requiring dc providers to start checking if children are restrained and car seats properly installed. Just another class we would have to take.

Here is Tom Copeland's advice about that:

Q: “I cannot see cars when parents/caregivers pick-up, so unless they state they don’t have a car seat, how am I supposed to be responsible if there is no car seat (if they don’t say anything)?”

A: You want to have a transportation policy that says parents are supposed to have appropriate car seats. If you don’t see them picking up without a car seat, you are not liable.

http://tomcopelandblog.com/transportation-issues-how-to-protect-children-and-your-business

Basically, the BEST way to protect yourself according to Tom Copeland is to have a written transportation policy.

[Blackcat31]

That's what I always thought.



This has never occurred to me. Is there documentation on this online that can be printed out to show parents?

Here is some great info about car seats (some have printable resources)

https://www.parenting.com/gallery/car-seat-laws-requirements-installation?page=0

http://thecarseatlady.com/

According to a certified car seat technician and pediatrician; over 95% of parents install the car seat incorrectly.
If that is the case, imagine how much worse it is when the parent takes it out an puts it back in on a daily basis.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2015/12/18/putting-your-newborn-in-a-car-seat-95-of-people-do-it-wrong/#f210e9546d34

[daycarediva]

It's not a good idea to constantly be removing carseats.
Even infant seats.

Each time it's taken out, there's a greater likelihood it won't be reinstalled properly or as tightly.
Plus, car seats are largely made of plastics. Cracks and warps can happen with force and the elements. Think of how many parents bring in their carseat to the grocery store and plop them in carts. I've seen so much damage on the bottom of infant seats from shopping carts! One little piece of broken or wedged plastic can prevent that carseat from latching properly to it's base.

Yes. I didn't even have infant seats for my youngest we went straight to a convertible 5 point harness rear facing at birth. I baby wore, or brought a moses basket everywhere I couldn't wear him (like dc or grandma's to drop off).

Easy peasy.

[Homebody]

Here is Tom Copeland's advice about that:

Q: “I cannot see cars when parents/caregivers pick-up, so unless they state they don’t have a car seat, how am I supposed to be responsible if there is no car seat (if they don’t say anything)?”

A: You want to have a transportation policy that says parents are supposed to have appropriate car seats. If you don’t see them picking up without a car seat, you are not liable.

http://tomcopelandblog.com/transportation-issues-how-to-protect-children-and-your-business

Basically, the BEST way to protect yourself according to Tom Copeland is to have a written transportation policy.

Here is some great info about car seats (some have printable resources)

https://www.parenting.com/gallery/car-seat-laws-requirements-installation?page=0

http://thecarseatlady.com/

According to a certified car seat technician and pediatrician; over 95% of parents install the car seat incorrectly.
If that is the case, imagine how much worse it is when the parent takes it out an puts it back in on a daily basis.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahae.../#f210e9546d34

Thanks for the info. I will definitely check them out. Just when I thought I had everything covered in my policies

[Alwaysgreener]

I don't let them leave car seats but I never have said that they couldn't bring them in. Parents have tried to leave them here, but when I say no, they always seem to work something out.
However when the most recent DCM asked my response was, I don't all them because car seats can transfer bed bugs. She was shocked and admitted she never thought of that and said they'd work it out.

Really reason is they're in my way and I kept having to move them or step of them all the time. Plus my first family I had kept acussing me of messing with the straps.

OP - I would take Tom's advice and tell her your lawyer has advised you to not allow the seats in your home. Or use the bed bug reason, it worked for me.

[Play Care]

I don't let them leave car seats but I never have said that they couldn't bring them in. Parents have tried to leave them here, but when I say no, they always seem to work something out.
However when the most recent DCM asked my response was, I don't all them because car seats can transfer bed bugs. She was shocked and admitted she never thought of that and said they'd work it out.

Really reason is they're in my way and I kept having to move them or step of them all the time. Plus my first family I had kept acussing me of messing with the straps.

OP - I would take Tom's advice and tell her your lawyer has advised you to not allow the seats in your home. Or use the bed bug reason, it worked for me.

The space issue was mine also. I usually only take one under one, but the past year I juggled three under 1 Every one wanted to have their bucket seat here and I was constantly tripping over them. Now they have the toddler convertible seats and those ****ers are HUGE. I reached my limit.

[Homebody]

I don't let them leave car seats but I never have said that they couldn't bring them in. Parents have tried to leave them here, but when I say no, they always seem to work something out.
However when the most recent DCM asked my response was, I don't all them because car seats can transfer bed bugs. She was shocked and admitted she never thought of that and said they'd work it out.

Really reason is they're in my way and I kept having to move them or step of them all the time. Plus my first family I had kept acussing me of messing with the straps.

OP - I would take Tom's advice and tell her your lawyer has advised you to not allow the seats in your home. Or use the bed bug reason, it worked for me.

The space issue was mine also. I usually only take one under one, but the past year I juggled three under 1 Every one wanted to have their bucket seat here and I was constantly tripping over them. Now they have the toddler convertible seats and those ****ers are HUGE. I reached my limit.

This is why I recently changed my policy. I had one infant a year ago and no place to store his carseat, so I left by front door. We have an open area and no way to block off. It was a constant battle to keep the kids off of it. My husband and I have a group daycare and can have up to 4 infants (not sure if we will ever have that many at once). Even if we ever have 3 infants I couldn't imagine having 3 car seats sitting there and constantly keeping guard on them. So, we decided no more car seats in the house, it's not worth the headache.