Why My 8 Passenger Truck Now Only Seats 4

Well, with some acrobatics, it will seat more. But crawling under those seats, or climbing in from the back, definitely requires some maneuvers that my body doesn’t like anymore. The only problem with those awesome Britax car seats, is the fact that they are huge. (BTW, I highly recommend Britax car seats.) We can’t even put them next to each other because they are too wide. And now since Bryce is no longer in the infant carrier, I’m still trying to figure out the logistics of getting them both in and out of the car the safest way possible. That isn’t always easy when you have a toddler that likes to explore.

I’m honestly surprised at how many times I get asked why Rylie is still rear facing. I figured that most people knew that rear facing is safer (for children and adults, even), but I’m finding out that fact isn’t as well known as I thought it was.

When I was pregnant with Rylie and we were researching car seats, I read something about how infants and toddlers can suffer internal decapitation in a car accident because their necks can’t stretch like ours. That was all it took to make me want to never turn these kids around. I realize that one day I will have to, but that day hasn’t come yet. I am going to try to keep Rylie rear facing until at least 3 if I can, but I have a feeling Bryce will outgrow the weight limit before he is 3. We will see.

Yes, the law states that you can turn your child around at 1 year AND 20 pounds, but that doesn’t mean you should. The recommendations are now at least 2 years of age, or better yet, until your child outgrows the rear facing height or weight limit. Of course if you have a big baby or toddler you may not have a choice, but that is probably the only reason a child should be turned forward-facing under 2. You can check out the American Academy of Pediatrics or Car-Safety.org for these recommendations. Another great website is Joel’s Journey.

I came across this video recently that sums it up pretty well. (And even though “child” is misspelled, I still think it is a great video.)



I make it a point to not judge other parents. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. Plus, who am I to judge? I let Bryce fall off a bench, and I let Rylie eat M&Ms for lunch, so I am certainly not a candidate for "Mother of the Year". We all have to do what is best for our families, and riding rear facing for as long as possible is what is best for us.

I’ll step off my soapbox now. I just really want all of our children to be safe. And if I helped get the word out to even one parent that didn’t already know this information, then I have made a difference.