To be shocked people are actually rear-facing their primary age kids

I’m shocked you’re shocked, do you actually understand why kids should be rear facing for as long as possible? Ask any person that’s been involved with traffic collisions and young children in car seats and you’ll want your kids rear facing until their 20!!

My son is almost 4 and still rearward facing. We are the only ones at his preschool still doing it

Adults have different proportions to a child.

You can buy crash tested foot rest but they are not super cheap.

What do you think forward facing children are facing 😆 (unless you're putting them in the passenger seat and then you're definitely an unfit parent!)

At 4yr old, my child wasn't heavy enough to move to the next stage carseat. Why would I buy a carsest to use for a year for the sole reason of having them forward facing?

I'd get this comment from someone who hasn't rear faced OP but the fact you've done it until now means you know the benefits.

It's not exactly shocking, is it. Just a (sensible) choice parents make. My son's forward facing now as he's 6, but he was definitely more comfortable rear-facing and since we got the new seat he often complains about pins and needles in his feet when we're on long drives.

I was shocked to see friends forward-facing tiny toddlers, but I guess not everyone is aware of how much safer rear-facing is.

My son starts school tomorrow, he still rear-faces. Evidence suggests it’s safer and why am I going to pay ££ on a new car seat before I actually need to. He doesn’t care that he’s rear facing and he’s comfortable. He will likely change to forward facing at the beginning of next year as his younger brother will grow out of his car seat so we’ll move him to 4 year olds car seat and get 4 year old a new car seat.

i’m more concerned by parents forward facing their 1 year olds or putting 2 year olds in a high back booster with a seat belt to be honest rather than people still rear-facing their 4 year olds. At least I know my child is as safe as he can be if we had an accident.

How does this work? Is the size of the car a factor here? I can see it would work in a 4x4 but would BF a tall 5 year old in a small car like a Ayo work? Is this why there are so many 4x4 on the school run?

Disclaimer - mine are grown up and it definitely wasn’t the done thing then but I am intrigued how it works.

Where do their legs go?

This ? Poor kids facing a seat

Also all of my car seats were fitted and checked by mothercare staff- not once was I told that rear facing is safer

Wow mine are now in their 20s but they were facing forward much earlier, I’d say around 1. When did that all change?

Great, thanks ☺️

If rear facing is so much safer - perhaps we should get car manufacturers to make all seats rear facing lol

all my kids switched to front facing after 18ths due to car sickness in rear facing seats.

Loads of stuff was different in the late 90s. The Sun had Page 3 girls, you connected to the internet by dialling up on your home phone line, you rented physical movies from video stores, there was no minimum wage until 97.

Surely it’s not incomprehensible to think that technology and safety has moved on in almost 3 decades.

Well not too long ago, it would have been unimaginable to put babies in car seats.
How is this a problem?

I did it until mine outgrew their extended seats, which was only recently. I’d still have them rear facing now if I could but they are tall.

My child is 5.5 years old and has never complained about being rear facing and probably has a few years left as only 110cm tall.
Also isn't heavy enough for a high back booster seat yet as not 15kg or only very close to that weight so wouldn't feel safe.

What a ridiculous thread. You’re shocked that another family put the safety of their children first, whereas you don’t and brag about it. How old. I’m planning to rear face for as long as possible.

Axkid Minikid 3 or 4, Britax Max Safe Pro, BeSafe Stretch.

They max out at 125cm & 36kg though.

Ive not seen many older children, or even older toddlers in this position so Im not sure its that common

But me too with the sickness, I cant look down or go backwards or sideways on transport, trains or buses or cars. Cant read or look at my phone while travelling.

I'm shocked you used the word "shocked" in a context "parents choose the safest option for their child that has absolutely no downsides for the said child".

"I am shocked parents give their children broccoli rather than fries"
"I am shocked that people teach their children to cross the road safely".

What exactly are you shocked about?
Disclaimer: I put my child into FF seat at 4 for convenience reasons, but I am fully aware there are seats that accommodate rear facing till the age of 6.
We don't drive much, but if I were to make the choice again I'd have bought the car seats that allow RF the longest.

Agree it’s weird. But I get quite bad motion sickness feel sick facing the wrong way on a train must be awful in a car.