Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

you are TOTALLY NORMAL!! I dont think anyone besides my sister has ever driven my son around.

While I may be ok with some driving my son around some are just not ok with it!!!
You are the mom..if it doesn't feel right it doesn't feel right.. Im sure your fears will disapate but as for now.. if it bothers you then wait a while until you feel comfortable!!

Message edited 12/9/2011 12:20:21 PM.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

while DD was in the infant carrier, we had extra bases for my mom and MIL. i trusted them but was a nervous wreck until i got the "we're home safe" call or text. now she's in the convertible in our car and if needed we could put the bucket in my mom or MIL's car. once she outgrows that we'll have to talk about getting each of them a convertible.

i think the best thing you or anyone can do is to inform your parents/IL's about carseat safety and how it's changed over the years.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

I am odd man out but I dont let anyone drive my kids around. My MIL will pick the boys up 1 day a week from school but to bring them directly home.

In my case its not so much the issue of driving its that my MIL doesnt tell me anything and I would never know where they went. She does a lot of "secret" things that I find out through my SILs or other randome conversations..

Anyway I feel that if they offered to watch my children (3 days per week is our schedule) then that is what they should be doing. The have the other days to run and do errands or do them before or after they are here. Do I pay my MIL? NO, but she knew this going in (both me & DH decision) so if she doesnt like it oh well....They can go for walks etc but I do not want them in the car.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

I did alot of thinking... They are watching her three days a week... They are home together so one can go out individually... They are not necessarily trapped...

BUT, I think I am going to get them one. I told my mom I am not comfortable putting it in right now though. I need to see them put her in, take her out, ect a few times. I need to make sure that they know how to do the straps...

They totally understand my reservations and are not pushing me. In fact, my mother emailed me this morning after she read the article in the paper about the baby killed on north ocean while grandma was driving the car... she said forget it, she's nervous now...lol

I do like the idea of them having one if there is an emergency though.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

my parents, my sister and my friends have driven my daughter (who is 20mos). i trust them all completely so it was never a thought.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

My father is the only one out of the grandparents

My nanny, my sister and select friends/relatives have driven them places.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

This was a HUGE issue for us, as my MIL has watched both of our girls since they were 3 months old. My MIL is a very active, vibrant woman who is definitely cautious and alert while driving. But still...I did not want her driving my first child around when she was a baby. I had major anxiety over it I have big car-fear issues.

So the first 9-12 months she really didn't drive her. Then she'd drive her almost every to the park/store/classes/etc. I realized it was not fair to her or my DD to trap them in the house every day.

But I still worry...every time they are out....just like I do when DH has one of my girls without me....it's just my nature.

But MIL is really, really accommodating and knows exactly how to do the carseat, not to put a thick jacket underneath, and generally wants to do it right...and she drives very carefully, is careful when they're out & about together, etc.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Yes my parents and my sister are allowed to drive DD even when she was an infant. They have car seats for her and my sister is a fanatic about car steal installation and seat belts just like me My parents are also very responsible drivers so I trust them 100%

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

No one has ever driven DS other than one friend (with me in the car.) We just haven't had an occasion where they needed to drive DS (and they don't have carseats in their car.)

But with that being said, I don't think I'd trust my mom to drive with DS alone only because she's terrible. And DH's parents: Forget it - they are old folks driving around in their own coffins - I'd NEVER let them drive DS or me!

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

My Mom watches DD, so yeah. I would never tell her she couldn't drive w/ the baby in the car. I trust my parents completely. As for my Dad, he was the one to install the bases for us, so he knows the safety end of things just as well. DD is the 5th granchild they have provided the childcare for. All 5 get schelped around with them sometimes. I don't have IL's.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Never thought twice about my parents or IL's driving the kids around. I trust them and have had my siblings take them on outings too.

I honestly can't see having someone watch my kids and not be able to take them somewhere in the car! I would never want them to be prisoners of the house! What if there were an emergency and needed to get them somewhere?

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

I WISH my mom would!!! She is nervous. It would make things soooo much easier. If they are not good drivers or are getting up there in age then I would have second thoughts.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Ds is almost 3.5 and I don't trust either set of parents to drive them. The only people that have driven were my 2 BIL, both times I was in the car with them and they are beyond excellent drivers. Better then my dh even! I am a SAHM tho

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

I am a SAHM mom, anywhere these kids need to go, I'm taking them.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

My mil watches DS some days and my aunt and her will take DS out. it's not every time, but they do. My mil is slow driver and gets lost a lot so she only takes him in the car if her sister is around to drive.

My parents also take DS out too when they watch him. Today they went out to lunch.

They never go just to drive around. They rarely give me a heads up about taking him out. They also never asked if they could. I worry of course, but I trust them. I also see it as a good thing that DS isn't stuck inside daily.

I thought I would be crazy about this, but I'm okay with it . You have to like and feel dc is safe with those people who will be driving them. Base your decision on their driving skill, or how much ou like/get along with them.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Yes, but not when she was younger.

My mom and my il's drive both girls now, 4 and almost 2. It's easier then me taking them to their house and picking them up.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

My parents would be no problem.

DH's parents absolutely not.

And this is based on physical reasons (poor reaction time driving and also if DS were to run in a parking lot). My parents are younger and would be able to handle it.

Guess I am more lax....if I trust someone to watch my DS several days a week, he can go in the car with them.....his sitter who is in her 60's takes him out and also her daughter who is a friend of ours will take him out also in the car.

I trust them implicitly with my DS so it never crossed my mind to say no.

Your situation is is more of you being nervous and that is your right to feel that way.

I would personally not want to make DS stay in 3 days a week because I was not with him if the people watching him were physically capable of driving him around.

ETA that I also have let my sister take take DS out in the car too.....

Guess it seems I am all for anyone who wants & is capable can have him

Message edited 1/20/2012 9:43:18 PM.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

I would definitely let them drive my DC around! My mom is only in her mid 50's but if she was 75 I may feel differently. If she was watching my DS for 3 full days a week I would feel bad that she was cooped up in the house all day, especially since she is not that old and is doing me a favor. My mom has watched my DS in the past and she has taken him to the grocery store to do MY shopping, so how could I say no to that!

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

No. My mother has never-and will never-drive DS anywhere. In my case, it's because she's a terrible driver and has totaled almost every car she's owned. *I* don't even feel comfortable being in the car with her so there is no way I'd be able to allow her to drive with DS in the car.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

I have no problem letting my parents drive DS. They've watched him for several days at a time when we lost power during two different storms. I didn't expect them to be homebound.

If my parents were watching DS several days per week, I would want them to be able to take him out of the house, be able to enroll him in classes/programs, etc.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

Yes both my in laws and mom have car seats and drive my children around.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?

There was a study done ,and they say kids are more safe in the car with their grandparents than their parents . Here is a link . Grandparents and driving grandkids

Message edited 1/21/2012 10:37:36 AM.

Re: Do you let your parents drive your DC around?