Redditor MindyS1719 re-posted a viral plea on behalf of mom’s around the country who are being called out for not putting winter coats on their small children for the walk (or carry) from the car to the door.
Far from neglectful behavior, it’s part of the new set of guidelines sternly issued to parents about the dangers of riding in a car seat with a coat and lots of other winter gear.
These extra layers made the seat less safe for children.
Anyone who has had to put a coat on a child, or multiple children at a time, knows the struggle.
But, unfortunately, onlookers seem to know what’s best for other people’s children and some moms report being “mom-shamed” at the store for the rare act of cutting themselves some slack.
I think we can agree that this stranger deserved an intervention. Hopefully, it will get her to mind her own business in the future.
Redditors agreed that there needed to be some larger awareness of this issue for the sake of stressed moms and totally fine children. The verdict is that people should keep their opinions to themselves.
Moms chimed in with both support and some brilliant ideas for keeping their kids warm (and the prying eyes of old busybodies off their parenting):
We see a commercial opportunity for moms who can make fleece baby ponchos!
And the post got some thank yous from moms who just needed some support instead of constant criticism on top of their often thankless parental duties.
For those new to this information, it’s true that children aren’t secure in their car seats if they have a bulky winter coat on.
The warnings started to surface about 4-5 years ago, but were shared widely after a 2015 crash test video showed that car seat straps remained loose (even when they feel snug) around those coats. In fact, a child can not only slip right out of the seat during an accident, but he or she can also fly right out of their coat!
Check out this warning from the Today Show where their investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen sees what a difference no coat makes when it comes to keeping his toddler secure in his car seat. They also show the test video released that year:
And while we don’t want to show you video from crash sites, there have been multiple accidents in which children were killed because they were wearing a winter coat in their car seat. One toddler from Pennsylvania was thrown from the car with no bruises on her body at all from the straps of her car seat because there was too much space between her body and the safety mechanism.
“What happens is when children have bulky clothes on and they are in their car seat, with the harness system it actually creates space between them and the harness,” said Sharron Yorke with Pennsylvania State Police.
Onlookers, parents have enough to worry about without your inquiries into where their winter coats are.
Granted, many kids go without this time of year, but parents are kept informed by teachers and doctors of programs like The Salvation Army’s Coats for Kids program or Operation Warm, both of which provide winter gear for kids who need it.
Also, be mindful that a parent carrying a kid who is even remotely cold is no doubt hearing about it straight from the kid, and has likely tried to do something about it. If you’ve ever met one of these small people, you’d know that they can’t always be reasoned with or wrangled into something warm.
And parents, there are some solutions out there that can keep your kid warm AND safe, including ponchos and blankets (as long as they’re not tucked under the safety harnesses), or simply putting your kid’s coat on backward!
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