To not sit in the back so kids can sit in the front?

[Threedoa]

Disagreement with DH tonight. So would you sit in the back so your kids (say under 18, as I can maybe see the argument for over 18) can sit in the front of the car?

YABU - Yes, it’s normal to take turns for who sits in the front passenger seat
YANBU - No, adults in the front, children in the back.

If your DH wants to take a turn in the back while you drive and a DC is in front that's ok for a short low-speed journey. He doesn't get to dictate that you should do the same though. For any higher-risk journey, any smaller child who is in the front with a full grown adult behind them is at significantly more risk of being injured. Even with seatbelts. It's always safest to have the lightest bodies in the back - so in a family where mum is size 8 and 5 foot nothing, and her 14 year old son is 5 foot 8 and a stone or two heavier, then it might well be safest to put the teenager in front and mum behind.

Haha!

Both kids have been my height or taller since they were about 8😂

It depends - my mum used to sit in the back sometimes when I was little as I got horrifically car-sick.

But otherwise I think it should be adults in the front.

Surely that’s part of the fun of a car journey.

I sometimes let DS1 sit in the front - he’s 16 and 6ft2 with very long legs … but it’s my choice not his

Unless they get carsick then kids sit in the back. adults work, parent and are generally knackered and deserve a slightly more comfortable seat.

Your DH can sit in the back if he likes. But I’m betting a precious man sitting in the back is different to. Woman..,,

YABU - Yes, it’s normal to take turns for who sits in the front passenger seat

Does your husband take any turns sitting in the back?

My DC are very tall-seats move though to make room in the back if needed. I’d only move for a car sick child-though i feel sick in the back so a bit of a mute point

I normally sit in the back in my husbands car so my 11 year old daughter doesn't get wound up by her brother. My husband would prefer me in the front

I’d have been in the back since the children hit puberty. I’m too selfish, my car, I want to sit in the front so I’m going to even if I’m 5’7” and DS is 6’4”.

Yeah, my DC never sat in the front when me and DH were in the car - they were always in the back. Never occurred to us to have the kids in the front whilst I went in the back. Never known this. Even when I was a kid I went in the back!

YANBU @Threedoa

You're not remotely selfish. It IS your car and you are the most senior person. How is any of this even a question FFS.

I only sit in the back to break up fights. (3 kids)

I used to see a couple do this. The I suspect very controlling arsehole used to always drive and put the young child in the front while his partner squeezed into the back. Always thought it was odd but like I said, he was a controlling arsehole.

Adults in front unless it’s a special occasion such as birthday.

Which is pretty much is (although haven’t been 8 stone in a long while) DS 12 is 5ft 10 and rugby player built. He sits in the front because his legs are longer and it is safer for everyone.

Also it works for long journeys and DD and I like to sleep and DS doesn’t do he talks to DH

But this was discussed and agreed as a family. Sometimes DS does go in the back (normally one car rather than the other)

This! Adults getting pressed over this is so stupid. Grow up. Let the kid have a turn in the front if it’s a novelty to them. I grew up with my dad as the only driver in the family and my mum and I would take turns in the front

How unique, I've never met someone who likes to spend time with their kids before.

Not teenagers, all under 11 and all are shared kids not step kids, no travel sickness.
One DC (actually the smallest) asked if he could sit in the front as his friend does on his car, was a 3 hour drive. I said no, I wanted to sit there and I was the adult etc. DH responded ‘mummy isn’t as kind as other peoples mum’ I said it was quite normal that an adult sits in the front, he said most people let their kids take turns in the front and I should too. He said I was unkind by saying no. He likes to drive, I hate driving.
Our parenting styles are quite different. I just wanted some validation (for myself) that I’m not evil by saying no and it’s a normal thing. His sister is the most gentle parent you can ever meet, her DC are always in the front, but they also totally rule the roost and I think sometimes he thinks that’s the norm and I’m not nice enough so we have these sorts of conversations alot.

Not just so dc could 'have a go', no.

But I'm 5ft 5. Ds1 is 6ft 4.

On our last few trips where we've driven for a few hours he's sat in the front.

Just to add this is only when we’ve reached the end of our tether and it’s unsafe to drive with them hitting each other behind. So very rarely.

Adults up front kids in the back (unless there’s a reason like car sickness). If over 18, unless unrelated (a bunch of friends) then the oldest/parent in front.

My brother and sil seem to often put sil in the back while spoilt nephew rides up front. He's a sweet boy but v full of self importance (like his dad).

Our rule is that the oldest person sits in the front passenger seat. And of discussion.

Occasionally I'm in the back if the girls are bickering too much. But otherwise there's not a choice.