Car Seats

[Twinkle-Toes]

Hiya,

Just after some advice/opinions on car seats.

I am fully intending to add business insurance to my car so i can get out and about if needed with the kids. So....what to do about car seats?

I have mindees ready to go from September so i haven't actually 'started' yet but the cost of buying car seats coupled with where would I store them has kinda come into the fore now.

It's not the boosters sort that i'm worried about just the 0+ ones as they are huge!

Would asking the parents to bring their car seats with their child be a total pain? I suppose it would be a faff plus if i forgot one day....hrmmm...

What do you all do?

Thanks,
Kate

[singingcactus]

For me, I wouldn't do this. I couldn't, hand on heart, say for definite that the car seat my parents used were in good and sound condition, or that the parent knew the whole history of the car seat (I've had parents buy car seats second hand). I also wouldn't know for definite if the car seat would fit my car until the parent had left it. As well as that, dragging a car seat out of parents car, putting it in mine, then taking it out of mine and putting in in the parents every day is a good way to cause micro damage to the car seat, with lots of little knocks and bumps each day.
Plus then you have the responsibility of taking care of someone elses safety equipment, ensuring it doesn't get knocked over, played with by other kids, made dirty, sat in by cats as well as storage in the morning at drop off time, and pick up time. Then you'd need to think about where all the kids were going to be whilst you fitted the car seats each and every day, and where they would be as you took the car seat out, and whilst the parent fitted it back in their car.
But that's me, its really up to you if you prefer this route.

[jadavi]

Thanks I would apprec feedback on this too. I was shocked when my CMM teacher said we should buy new which I think is ridiculous if the seats have not been in an accident. I have got perfectly good ones on ebay....

Also a local taxi driver told us today that you can't have a child in the front seat under the age of 11 which would cut down the number of mindees I can transport......eek! Is this true?

jac x

[QualityCare]

You can have children in the front seat of the car as long as you can turn the air bag off and they are in an appropriate age car seat.
As for buying second hand or new its entirely up to you but you only have some-one else's word that it has not been involved in an accident. Buy the best you can afford new if you can, most mums of babies will bring child in in its car seat so that eliminates a first stage one for a while, get one or two group 1/2/3 seats these can be used by all ages except babies and a booster seat, yes its a pain storing them, mine stay in the car all week and in the shed at weekends.

[snufflepuff]

I have a baby carrier and a stage 0-1 seat that were/ are my sons. I have bought 2 stage 1,2,3 car seats (9 months to 12 years) for minding. (I also have a booster because I used to have a schoolie, but I don't do schoolies anymore.) I'm going to need another stage 1,2,3 at some point because I care for 4 children on a Monday and the youngest will outgrow the baby carrier soon. At the moment 2 seats stay in the car, one is in the playroom, and the baby carrier is in the garage.

[Twinkle-Toes]

Thanks alot for all your help. Reading my op back I have kinda answered my own question in that I will just have to sort it myself!!

I'll wait until I have the funds and buy the best I can afford, until then i'm reliably informed most people have 2 stick like limbs poking out from their bum!!

[Caterpillar]

Thanks I would apprec feedback on this too. I was shocked when my CMM teacher said we should buy new which I think is ridiculous if the seats have not been in an accident. I have got perfectly good ones on ebay....

Also a local taxi driver told us today that you can't have a child in the front seat under the age of 11 which would cut down the number of mindees I can transport......eek! Is this true?

jac x

Check out the childcarseats.org website - it gives very clear advice about children in the front seat, you can have them in if no airbag and they are in a age appropriate restraint! http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/#lawtable

[nic t]

Thanks I would apprec feedback on this too. I was shocked when my CMM teacher said we should buy new which I think is ridiculous if the seats have not been in an accident. I have got perfectly good ones on ebay....


jac x

The thing is how do you know if you buy it on ebay if the carseat has been in an accident. It may look fine to the eye but could still be damaged internally. Have always been told that you should never buy a second hand carseat unless you are 100% sure of his history and 100% sure it has never been in an accident.

OP, It can be an expense but I buy all carseats, boosters from new and I have alot of them!

[gegele]

kiddicare has some cheap ones. i bought my 2 seat 9mths to 11yrs for £62 and i have a carry cot thingy for the 0to1 which came from my son. you can buy those new for not much either.

it's an expense but at the end of the day you will use them for ages and if you were a joiner you would buy tools!!!

it's one of those that can#t really be helped, you don't have to fill your car right now, buy as you need to.

good luck