Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Shocked at dh's cousin

11 replies

hercules · 07/08/2004 21:27

Dh's cousin, her dh and their 6 month ds just visited. As they were leaving cousin got in the front car seat with their ds and no car seat.
I asked where seat was and she laughed and said they have 2 but he doesnt like it and prefers to bob up and down in the front with them.
I gave a little speech about what would happen to him if they had an accident ie through the windscreen and that by putting the seat belt around them both was the equivalent of her landing on him from a great height.
Dh said they should at least sit with him in the back to avoid being done by the police. That concerned them so she did move.
We offered dds car seat to borrow but they said no as it would mean aving to return it a whole 5 mins drive!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Lisa78 · 07/08/2004 21:40

I don't know how you managed to be so tactful Hercules, it disgusts me when I see things like that - well done for trying to persuade them otherwise

Yorkiegirl · 07/08/2004 21:45

Message withdrawn

edam · 07/08/2004 21:46

Oh Hercules, that's astonishing . How can they be so ignorant? Would it do any good if you had a word with MIL or Dh's aunt?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

Original poster

hercules · 07/08/2004 21:48

They live in srilanka and tbh dh says that there car seats are rarely used so probably explains their attitude.

OP posts:

Freckle · 07/08/2004 23:07

They'd still be done by the police if they were caught with the child not properly restrained - front or back seat. It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that, if a car is fitted with them, all children are properly restrained by seatbelts. The only exception would be if it were an old car which didn't have fitted seatbelts - and I'm not sure now if perhaps they haven't changed the law requiring people to have them fitted.

How amazing that they would do something when faced with the possibility of attracting the attention of the police but not when faced with the possibility of severely injuring or killing their child.

KangaMummy · 07/08/2004 23:23

That makes me so angry when I see children on laps or bouncing around on back seats of new cars with no seat belt.

Or standing between the front seats or kneeling on back seat looking out back window.

Even some parents at DS school arrive without them strapped in. Even children in Juniors that will be able to do it themself. This is in UK.

They just say the children don't like them. Well who is the adult!!!!

The Royal family never put babies in car seats when taken home after being born and then in all papers and on TV news. They give to mum to hold on back seat.

BadHair · 08/08/2004 00:08

This makes me soooo mad, I see it all the time. Sadly the police would be unlikely to do anything about it as its not actually illegal, seeing as they don't have seats fitted (only illegal if the seats are fitted and the children aren't in them - link to RoSPA site \link{http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/#under3\here).
And I can't believe that it was the threat of the police that concerned her more than the best interests of her child.
I know I don't know her, and no offence to you or your dh, but she sounds like a selfish, stupid person to me, and I think you showed remarkable restraint by not thumping her one!

MeanBean · 08/08/2004 07:33

The difference with the royal family though, is that they are 100% guaranteed not to be in an accident. When they leave hospital, they have an escort of about 12 other cars around them and no-one else is allowed on the road! So they don't need car-seats the way us lesser mortals do. Strange the way your DH's cousin just hasn't considered the possibility of being in an accident. But I meet lots of people who are under the impression that they're immortal, I guess this is just another variation.

Ghosty · 08/08/2004 07:36

Herc ...
Your cousins need to know this ...
Earlier this year in NZ a 6 month old baby was killed in an accident while sitting on his father's lap in the front seat. The father had his seatbelt on and the baby went straight through the windscreen ...
I just can't believe the selfishness of people who don't restrain their children in cars. They can't possible love their child.

kbaby · 08/08/2004 15:33

it really winds me up to see kids jumping around or unrestrained in a car. good on you for saying something to them

motherinferior · 08/08/2004 18:47

Neighbours of mine said the same thing - "she doesn't like it". Well, I indulge my daughters in things that don't matter, far too often...but car seats are non-negotiable.

Flip