Wears the same clothes very often

[mom-in-alberta]

If the clothes are clean, and fit him, it's not a worry to me. I have been a parent with virtually no money to spend on anything but the essentials, so as long as the child is cared for, I have some extra empathy in that regard.
As to the car seat, I wouldn't fret too much. Provided that the carseat generally fits him when it comes to size, of course. Is his head in a safe position? Can the straps be properly tightened around him?
It's true that you would get the ticket (I've been there!!), but doubtful that they are going to weigh the child at the side of the road. So if the seat is properly secured in your vehicle, and he is properly secured IN the seat, you are okay.

[Momof4]

I agree with the ladies who feel if the clothes are clean that would suit me fine. And yes, maybe he has a couple identical pairs. I stress to my clients that they had better send their children in clothes that can be destroyed by mud and creative materials on any given day.

I have more trouble with my 4 year old fashion plate girl who wears the prettiest clothes and a different coat/shoes/boots daily so I can't keep track of them. Her Mom's a shopoholic, but still doesn't mind if her prettiest outfit is covered in paint because she has tons of clothes, so it's all fine.

You know what? I carried my children home from the hospital in the 70's and for months after that in my lap, no carseat laws were in effect yet. My little children wore regular seatbelts, as did I. Ask your parents!

[Inspired by Reggio]

The clothes would not bug me in the least.

However I could not let the inappropriate seat slide ~ having taking the carseat installation training to do inspections and installations for others the images of children in 'improper seats' haunts me! The fact that we once had 'no' regulations for seat belts and people survived is just silly ~ once upon a time there were MINIMAL cars on the road cause it was a 'luxury' to own one ~ now not only has our populations soared but not only is it the norm for every household to have ONE car but most have MULTIPLE cars that are now on the road .... we drive more, we travel faster, as a society 95% of us seem to drive distracted and the fact remains that statistically there are just MORE ACCIDENTS that require more safety precautions to help prevent death and injury .... but if we are not going to USE those precautions properly than they are useless!

The weights and heights or ages given are minimum safety standards to take into account when choosing which seat is best for your child. Before changing to a new seat you should be OVER that weight requirements for that seat before moving to it not just 'sneaking up on it' so that if you poop or something your back under it again ~ at his weight of less than 20 pounds he should still be rear facing in a seat that accommodates rear facing .... 22 pounds, over a year old and walking independently are all requirements for forward facing in Canada. I regards to accidents causing injury the rear facing is the safest position to be in and ideally they should be doing so as long as the seat allows so ~ some seats can rear face to 35 or 40 pounds...the longer you can give a child's spine and muscles to develop strength the better. It is better to break a leg because it is bent in the rear seat than snap a neck in an accident and be dead or paralyzed for life!

So if they have switched him to a forward facing seat for an over 22 pound child and he is not meeting all those requirements than yes YOU risk the fine if your pulled over but worse if you are in an accident and he is injured and medical treatment show his weight and size was not appropriate for the seat you had him in your now liable cause they will be doing the assumption that 'had he been in the proper seat he may not have sustained these injury' thing

IMO we already take a huge liability risk transporting children in our program because we cannot control other drivers on the road ~ taking a further one by not having them in the correct seat while doing so is just not worth it!

[Littledragon]

I hear you reggio! I blow my mind the amount of people who don't take the proper precautions when dealing with THEIR KIDS LIVES. Do they not realize that this a life or death thing? My son was rear facing till he was a year old AND over 22 pounds and we bought a car seat where the bottom buckle comes up to his waist and the chest buckle is SNUG against his chest - ALWAYS. There's a little crank you can turn to tighten the belt. I picked up my cousin at the airport and she put her son in the seat and I told her to crank it to tighten it and she was like - oh, it's good enough. NO!!! I tightened it TIGHT. My sister in law used to only buckle the chest one, and leave the bottom one. She was like - we're only going 2 km. WHAT?! I couldn't believe it! And then, this little boy. I HAD to put him front facing because I HAD to use the shoulder belt because his buckles were too lose. I used his buckles AND the seat belt and locked it. But still, he would be leaning over when I got there. My son can't even move an inch side to side in his seat. After that, i told them they were going to have to provide a new seat. One of our "agreements" for taking this little one early (before I offically opened my daycare) was that i be able to carry one with daily life, and that meant mommy and me, swimming, library and so on. They huffed and puffed but eventually agreed. I felt for them because I know they didn't have a lot of money, but their kid needed to be safe! There's so if and or buts about it. I don't understand how people can risk their children's well-being bc of money and/or convenience. I just don't understand it.

[kidlove]

Maybe I dont deal with it correctly, but I believe in subtle hints. (my mom says I do too much) if I notice a child only has a few pair of pants and parents arent providing as well as they should, I go to the second hand store and pik some up for them. some kids come dressed inappropriately for the weather, so i dig into my extras and dress them well, do get those back at end of day though. i have come to realize that some people are just dif from me. doesnt change how i feel though, although you should allow some leeway for these "different" people, I do think if it bothers you or is effecting the child in any way. Do something subtle. I have had a mommy not bathe her child enough, (she was a stinker of a kid) gave hermom a hard time after work, instead of giving her child pos attn and proper care, she was tired and didnt want to deal so put her to bed with out bath. I would bathe her SOMETOMES, she would tell me her bottom hurt, I couldnt let her go all day with sore butt.....but I would tell her mom at pik up too. the mother appoligized and said, "had a tough night last night. happened alot!!!!!
I think its a sign of "LAZY PARENTING" although they love their kids alot, they just dont seem to care as much as most. drives me crazy.

[Sandbox Sally]

I don't think that someone using a seat intended for a child 2 lbs heavier is "risking their child's life". I think recent changes in carseat laws are excessive and extreme. Again, just my .02.

[Littledragon]

I don't think that someone using a seat intended for a child 2 lbs heavier is "risking their child's life". I think recent changes in carseat laws are excessive and extreme. Again, just my .02.

I agree. It wasn't the weight, it was the way the child seat fit. This little boy was 18 or 19 pounds at the time but he's SUPER tall. He;'s REALLY skinny and his harnesses didn't tighten to fit him. It's not a car seat you can use from 5-30 pounds or whatever, it's a car seat where you have to be 22 pounds to start, so his harnesses didn't fit. When I drive, within minutes, he would slumped to the side. I don't think you should be able to move in a car seat. It just worried me. If i got into a car accident, he definitely would not have been safe.

[Lou]

I'm a carseat snob here, and I rear face my own AND my daycare kids until they are at LEAST 2 yrs old. And to avoid the issue of carseats I invested in a few of my own so I can have control over this issue. Glad you spoke to them about it!