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

[EmsandPens]

My DD is 4, 5 in December and we swapped her from rear facing to forward facing in January this year. She started primary school recently and I noticed one of her classmates is still rear facing. I know the family from around town but had never seen them putting their kids in the car before and I know this child is already 5 and has pretty long legs for her age.

I know on Mumsnet it’s quite common to hear people saying rear facing until 6/7 is best but I had never actually seen anyone around here doing it.

AIBU to be shocked people actually rear face their primary age children?
Did you rear face your child past 4?

It’s safer due to the fact that their head doesn’t get thrown forward in rear facing. Child deaths in accidents are significantly lower in countries that routinely rear face.

I switched my DC to forward facing at about 18 months old. Not a chance I'd be squishing a 5/6/7 year old up to rear face.

Other parents are keeping their children safer for longer than you did. Are you shocked with them or yourself?

DS was rear facing until nearly 7 when he outgrew his extended rear facing car seat. The research is clear that, ideally you should be rear facing until 7. And it is quite common in other European countries.

They are far less likely to die or be seriously injured rear facing, I don't stop caring about my children's safety just because they go to school! Seems very arbitrary to take a child out of a safe car seat into a less safe car seat because they are starting school, rather than because they've outgrown it?! Lots of extended rear facing seats last until 25kg or even 36kg, have plenty of leg room and are very comfortable even for tall children, and their legs are less likely to be injured in an accident rear facing than forward facing. Why do you think children should be forward facing by the time they start school?

What you should be shocked about is that the majority of people forward face their children ridiculously and dangerously young, and that’s because there’s a severe lack of information on the dangers of forward facing in a 5 point harness. Yes this. People are weirdly resistant to science at times, even when they do have access to the info that RF is much safer they rush to FF.

I am shocked more parents don’t have their young primary school age children rear-facing. Rear-facing protects young children because their neck and spine are still developing. In a head-on crash, a child’s heavy head can pull on their underdeveloped neck risking internal decapitation. A head-on crash is almost always higher impact than being hit from behind, hence it being safer to rear-face until their necks are more fully developed around age 6.

I’ve not, so far, noticed any older kids (other than babies) rear facing. I wonder if it’s information that’s not widely out there. Strange there’s not been any tv ad campaigns, do we not do them anymore?

I think it will become increasingly common. When my 14yo was a baby, there was pretty much no choice than a FF seat when they outgrew the carrier, except seats bought for ££££ at a handful of specilist shops. Parents of kids not a lot older thought rear facing your 9mo was strange!
When my 12yo was a baby, there was the first high street ERF seat... Joie.
Since then, more choice has become available for toddlers. And now up 25kg and 36kg.

I know it’s recommended but I can say I’ve never seen a child probably over the age of 3 around here in one.

Having said that can anyone recommend one of the extended ones for a very tall, long legged just turned 4 year old? (115cm, 23kg) or would he be too big for one?

I know it’s recommended but I can say I’ve never seen a child probably over the age of 3 around here in one.

Having said that can anyone recommend one of the extended ones for a very tall, long legged just turned 4 year old? (115cm, 23kg) or would he be too big for one?

Judging by the school run traffic around here I'm more shocked by the numbers without seats or ensuring kids are even strapped in, at all, kids just sat climbing around on seats.

Why are you shocked? They’re just following the guidelines. I think it’s really irresponsible forward facing before they’re physically ready for it. Mine also preferred rear facing and did so until they were 7.

Same. Every car journey was miserable as it involved kids being sick. I’m the same, can’t sit backwards in a black cab, feel nauseous backwards in a train.

I can’t figure out how so many people on MN say they backward face their primary aged children yet IRL I never see kids that age rear facing.

My children are in their late 20s and then no one was rear facing apart from newborn babies in carry car seats.
I'm not saying that current thinking is wrong, obviously it isn't but it would have been unimaginable for me to have them aged 5 rear facing!

Sorry I didn't mean to quote you!

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.

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.

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.

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

They max out at 125cm & 36kg though.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.