How much is $5 worth to you?

A couple of weeks ago Heidi and I hit up the Oakpointe mom 2 mom sale. Overall, the sale was excellent, but I probably embarrassed Heidi a TON (sorry!).

See, I have a car seat thing... I realize it, and I'm trying to deal. I strongly believe that car seat safety is SUPER important.

I support (and practice) extended rear-facing. I don't know why you wouldn't, but if you choose not to... your biz. I want my kid to ride as safe as possible at each stage in their life, and for a child under 2 (or as long as they're light/short enough) my child will ride RF.

I believe in extended harnessing (more of the above)... regardless of the fact that almost every kid in Matt and Kayla's class is in a booster (or nothing)... again... my kid...

Never mind the fact that it's ILLEGAL in MI now for a child under the age of 8, less than 80 pounds or shorter than 4'9'' to ride in nothing...


ANYWAY...

Back to my poor Heidi story. I've learned to walk quickly away from USED carseats. (I am also sure to NOT open any craigslist carseat ads anymore).

But this one... I just couldn't ignore. There was a lady selling a Century (not even in business anymore), over-the-head shield (generally recognized as not AS safe as 5-points), 2 years expired carseat that ALL her kids had ridden in. She was trying to make $5.... HONESTLY. I tried to tell her that it was expired, and recalled, and unsafe. I did so as apologetically as I could, when really I wanted to ask her...How much does $5 mean to you? Is it worth my kids life, is it worth some very well meaning grandma picking it up for their precious grandchild to ride in? I was tempted to buy it and destroy it... I've done that before, but we'll quickly grow poor that way. Would you sell a backup parachute that is likely damaged/too old to function properly/ recalled??? Is putting a child at risk worth FIVE dollars?

Moral of the story. Buy new carseats... they sell perfectly safe one's for younger kids for as cheap as $40... there are some GREAT extended harnessing seats out there much more affordable than in years past.

And to save yourself some embarrassment... don't mom2mom shop with me.