Being bullied for using a car seat

Little Miss regularly comes home telling us that the other kids are saying that she is a baby for still sitting in a car seat. They see it when we drop her off or fetch from school. It bothers her! (Of course!)

I have to ask if the parents don't care?

I even heard it two weeks back when I picked up two of her friends at school. When they saw the car seat they asked her in condescending tones why she is still sitting in one! I had to chip in and tell them that they should also still be sitting in booster seats, and that it is the safest way to commute in the car!

I have to ask if the parents don't care?

The #carseatfullstop campaign has been doing the rounds. I was not part of it, but I fully support it!

Little Miss was even a bit envious yesterday afternoon when one of her friends got into the front seat of the nanny's car, without strapping in...

I have to ask if the parents don't care?

My speech usually revolves around children who get hurt when they are not strapped in properly, and not seated in a proper car seat. Would the children still be laughing at her when they get hurt? Would the parents still think it is okay when they are in an accident and their children get hurt?
We also tell her that it is law, and that we are expected to buckle them in!

What more can I say to her?

The children in her age group are 8 years. Surely they still need to be in car seats?

It bothers me that so many children can get injured unnecessarily!


I have to ask if the parents don't care?



Photos found through a "car seat" search on my iPhone. (Love this new iOS Memories feature!)

Wordless Wednesday #260 - Tuk-Tuk ride

Walking with the Toddler

One of the best places to be: On Daddy's back!

I wanted to post this on Friday, but Blogger had other plans. More that 24 hours of down-time... That was really frustrating!

We have to fetch the Teen every night at half past five after she has finished with her hockey practice!
I know all parents have to struggle with this, but all this driving and taxiing back-and-forth is a big headache. It takes just a little bit less of an hour before we get back home. So I suggested we get something from it as well. We walk with the Toddler in the back carrier and get some much-needed exercise as well! We drive to the school, and while we wait, we get in an exercise of at least half an hour!

I have announced now a couple of times I want to move more, but it seems the daily business of it all makes me slip time and again. I hope we can continue with this little exercise... We all feel a little bit better after we have worked up a sweat, and the Toddler really enjoys being outdoors!

Late afternoon walk in the 'burbs

Transporters Deluxe

Parents are transporters of teenagers. I am still on the transporting theme…
Our parents were luckier than us. We used to go around on our bicycles, and we used to walk a lot more than the children of today. (Wow that could have been my grandmother saying that! I AM getting old!)
Our parents did not have to drive us everywhere like we do with our children. Is this a global phenomenon, or is it more so in South Africa? With our crime problems and bad driving cited as some of the main reasons for not allowing our children to go by themselves - by bicycle or by walking. Getting the bus is also not an option, because we have such a bad public transport system. It does not cater for everybody – we don’t have buses going to our neighbourhood. It has become a daily grind for all parents to drive their children to school, including all the extra-mural activities.
I think our children are losing out on:
- not being active as much as we used to;
- not learning about traffic rules while being taxied;
- not smelling the crisp fresh air;
- not learning about independence;
- not enjoying the solitude of a walk or a bicycle ride.
Our children can’t even ride a bicycle in our townhouse complex, because all the dogs start barking. We have definitely lost something in our urban jungle!

Parents = Transporters

Parents of teenagers are transporters or taxi drivers of teenagers. It feels like our mission in life has been redirected to having to ensure our teens are driven to and fro.
I got a frantic sms from Arnia on Friday that they are going to be finished with exams at 9 o’clock. She needed to be fetched earlier. The original plans were that they were supposed to write until 11. It gave them an hour or more to learn, but then the teachers decided it would be better for them to write immediately and go home! Nice, teachers! Better for you, but definitely not for the children who could actually have learnt something. It is also definitely not better for the parents who have to leave their jobs and rush to go and fetch. Arnia had to wait for 2 hours at school before Dries could go and fetch her. She assured me that she was one of the last students to be fetched. (But I know she exaggerates sometimes!) How do all the others parents manage? Is it just me who struggles, or do other parents also find it difficult to rush to all the transporter demands?
And don’t forget all the social engagements a teenager has to attend. Going to the movies, parties, meeting with friends and the boyfriend… that’s what the weekends are for. Dries is very understanding with regards the social needs of a teen and he is always willing to transport Arnia. He struggled himself when he was young and were not always given the opportunity to go out. I am very grateful to him, because Arnia’s biological dad always had a problem to go and fetch her, even though he took her to a place, but then complained when he had to fetch her again. She was most of the times too scared to ask him, because he complained that she did not spend enough time with him. (Go figure that she is fed-up with him!)
My dad was also always willing to transport us. We only had to ask him, but never assume or order him to do it. Thanks, Dad! Now we have to be the transporters ourselves, and now we appreciate your and mom’s taxi driver roles even more!