Call me a party pooper but that’s a no from me, dawg. Doesn’t matter how fast you’re going if someone crashes into your car fast.
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My son is rear facing. He just turned his head and looked out the window 
Sit in the back and point them out he will still see them
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If the child does not meet the height marker to be forward facing, I would strongly advise not to turn the seat around. But being 21 months old… I am guessing the child does meet the height requirements and if that’s the case, why not?
Around the neighborhood haha id hold him in my lap lol
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My car was totaled the stop sign before my house. That’s a no go. My kids would have been dead. Someone ran a stop sign going way too fast.
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I wish I had these type of problems 
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Just compromise or don’t take him. It’s literally the holidays and you’re getting pissy and arguing over Christmas lights and how to put a carseat to see them?
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Woman posts about serious issue in her life: “this isn’t the place for that! Talk to your husband and not strangers on the internet!!!
Woman posts about minor disagreement with husband and she’s just curious what the outlook of others is: “your life is so easy!!! I wish I had your problems, bitch”
Dress him warm and wear him in the carrier. He will be extra toasty against you. He’s pretty young so a quick stroll around the block should be enough for him. And it’s a nice family event together for all of you.
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Do you know most car accidents happen closest to home … if it’s just around the neighborhood,mind as well bundle him up nice and cozy and walk him around it,I wouldn’t ever risk in the slightest even the littlest thing happening bc you never know, car seat safety is a thing for a reason! Do what you think is best !!
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You’re not being over protective. You’re looking out for your child’s safety. Baby’s should rear face until AT LEAST two years of age for safety reasons. It’s a law in a lot of places as well. Accidents can happen even just around the neighborhood. He’ll be able to see just fine rear facing. My little was only 9 months and rear facing when we drove around to see lights. He could see them just fine.
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Just pull over and get him out to look.
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You’ve been arguing about this all week? Damn. Just stay the eff home and be done with it. Christ almighty.
You are right to be concerned mama. Don’t give in. I’d rather argue with my husband or have my kid miss out then to put him at risk! Stand your ground!
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All three of my kids were forward facing at 6 months old. All three hated the car and screamed from the moment they were lifted in to when they got out. Once turned around they loved the car.
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I’d put him in my lap. If you aren’t going to atleast forward face why even go?
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…he’s almost 2 he will be ok
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Also what almost 2 year old is only 23 lbs… my kids were itty bitty and closer to 40lbs by them
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Oh wow this is insane to me, in australia we have our kids facing forward at 6 months old totally normal
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If he stays awake…being in the car…he will still c them rear facing anyway
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Can’t you just get a snow suit hat scarves and gloves and got for a nice walk?
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Also forward facing mine were all forward facing from around 9 months in U.K.
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If someone hits your car with another vehicle, do you want him forward facing or rear facing. The lights won’t matter if you get in an accident. You have to live with the decisions you make for your child.
It really depends on the neighborhood. Some neighborhoods it would be no big deal to spin him around. Others I would never consider it.
There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing choices. Bundle up and walk around the neighborhood. It’s more magical that way anyways!!!
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If you decide to break the law and spin him around (which would probably be okay) who will listen to him tomorrow when you spin him back to staring at the seat?
Well he won’t be able to see anything if your not going to turn him around there is no point in taking him 
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You’re being too over protective. If you don’t want to let him ride for just a bit that way then don’t waste your time going.
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Obviously don’t do something you’re not comfortable with. However, most car seats these days say it’s okay for a child to face forward at 22 lbs.
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No way would I ever forward face my child when they’re too small/young. If you bundle him up real good and give him a blanket for his lap, as long as it’s not below freezing temperature I would think he’d be fine in his stroller around the neighborhood.
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I work in trauma. I don’t compromise on car seat safety. If you want you can always park and remove him for a minute or two and show him the lights. A little cold is good for him. Kids are resilient. And he will love it.
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Good grief! We grew up without even having car seats. If you’re just driving through a neighborhood, please let your kid enjoy it. It’s not like you’re screaming down the interstate at 70 miles an hour.
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A long time ago we did that
We put him on my lap with the seat belt on. Drove very slow on side streets. On main roads he was in the car seat.
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A lot safer to have him out in the cold. Bundle up and enjoy. Or even hold him close so he has your body heat.
To everyone saying you survived without a car seat or survived forward facing at that little. Did you actually live through a accident? (Not a fender bender) car seat safety is for the accident not for living through a drive in the car. It’s not a trend, it’s safety recommendation base on children having serious injuries or death that could be prevent from simply being in a rear facing car seat.
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My daughter was forward facing at 1 and 17 pounds that was just 15 years ago. Sorry but this whole making them sit wit their legs bent or over th sides of the seat just seams cruel. But you dou what feels best for you. He can see out the window either direction
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My kids are 12 and 9 and both faced forward at a year old. And both weighed less than the child in question. The car seat they used it still sold as well.
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I think that he would be ok forward facing just around the neighborhood. But then again I rode around the back of a station wagon with the seats all folded down and 5 other kids for most of my childhood
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He Won’t remember, or even care…keep him safe at home, don’t think you have to do the trip just because it’s the “thing to do” if you guys want to do it for your own enjoyment, then do so.
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Eventually you are going to be too protective and he will stop talking to you. You need to let go. Bundle him up real good and he will be fine. We only live once
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Let it go, if your on residential and slow go for it. It’s about compromise and I think your being a little unreasonable. Is it worth fighting with your husband about? Has this year not been hard enough… a word of advice I would give anything to be able to go back in time and not fight every battle if it meant not losing my marriage
Choose wisely not worth having your husband resent you.
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Face him forward and sit next to him so you can point out what to look at. I wanted to tell you to hold him on your lap but knew I would get yelled at!
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Since you did ask…I’d put him on my lap and enjoy the lights with him. To see the look on his tiny face… if you’re not leaving the neighborhood. Its a little windy to be outside in a stroller.
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I turned all 3 of my kids when they were 1… and they are totally fine! I say go for it!
I’m not trying to be nasty at all.Let him see the lights. He definitely will not be remembering them anyways. Is it really worth the fight? This year has been horrible enough don’t make it worse on yourself!
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We never faced our children backwards in the car and they all survived
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Moms tend to be too protective and dads too adventurous. Work out the best for your family.
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I kept my daughter rear facing for a really long time much longer than other parents because of reading statistics about rear facing vs forward facing in a crash. You are being over protective but consider this . once you turn him forward he is never going to want to ride rear facing again.
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Have you looked at the way European families move the babies around? Some societies put their kids in strollers or prams and leave them outside.
They will be fine as long as they are bundled up good
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Goodness it’s Christmas lights they will be there next year. Its not worth fighting over. Just stay home look at the lights on the tree and read him a Christmas story and cherish this time. Quit fighting it isn’t worth it.
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The PC answer is “no way!”. The mom of four kids…one teen, two preteens, and a four yr old, answer is JUST ENJOY THE LIGHTS WITH YOUR BABY! It’s just your neighborhood. Either bundle him up and walk anyway, let him ride with you upfront, or at least turn him so he can see. You don’t get this time back, and as crazy as things are today, just enjoy that baby and make as many good memories as you can.
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Let me just say this, right now at any given hospital, the ICU is completely full of babies and small children who are sedated and connected to ventilators with a blue complexion because RSV is real. That image will forever be ingrained in my head. Take care of your baby, a mother’s instincts are magical and should go unquestioned.
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Ok so like everyone else I think it will be ok just around the neighborhood… let dad win this … it shouldn’t be a problem if you are careful and I’m sure you will be… Don’t risk the cold, RSV ain’t no joke… Merry Christmas girly hope your little family has a blessed night
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Well, seeing as my oldest is almost 30 and my youngest is 8, I can say I’ve had dealt with laws changing and don’t personally see a problem with frint facing him, esp to just ride slowly around the neighborhood.
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Pick your battles. Don’t let this be one of them. It’s probably something like expiration dates. They don’t expire on the date listed. It’s a mere suggestion. Let him see and enjoy the lights.
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I think it depends on your neighborhood. My neighborhoods speed limit is 20 and has 1 ‘main’ road…mostly side streets and cul de sacs so I’ll let my little ones sit in the passenger seat or forward face. My old neighborhood had multiple main roads, speed limit of 40 and even the side roads were used as cut throughs. That was a no go on the relaxed car seat rules.
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If it were me I’d just bundle him up really well and take him in his stroller. Front facing isnt safe yet but your husband’s right that he wouldn’t be able to see them
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I put my youngest forward facing when he turned 1. He’s 3 now and the size of a 5 year old. He wouldn’t fit anymore rear facing. He also sits in daddy’s lap and “drives” around in the yard so ya know. 
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You better pray that you dont get stopped by a cop with him setting forward. Leave his car seat the way it should be he can stiil see the lights
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I feel like ot would be fine just for this. At least you’re keeping him in his carseat. Ive seen some that let them ride in their lap bc “its just a short trip on a small town backroad.”
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Well seeing as how most us older people raised kids before there was even a such thing as rear facing car seats I think you will be ok.
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When mine were little, I believe the age for turning around was 6 months…he’ll be fine.
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I use to let my kids stand at the car windows once we got in a neighborhood… we also would all ride in the bed of the pickup wrapped in blankets to look at lights…
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3 of my kids rode forward facing at a year until the laws changed.
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Never put mine rear facing. It wasn’t a thing back then. I wouldn’t have anyway. She got car sick when she was little. It is worse if facing backwards.
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I dont see an issue for this 1 time slowly. People are so wild about car seats I know, but this is a time that I personally would do it
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Well it’s a hard decision whatever you ended up doing. Ive had 2 bad wrecks in my life, broke a leg in each wreck. They were both within a stones throw from home. Glad I choose to wear my seatbelt both times even though I was so close
Personally I wouldn’t. Accidents can happen anywhere. Our son looks out the window rear facing all the time. They also have the rear window and side window to see out of
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Go with your gut. If you don’t feel it will be safe then don’t do it (mother’s intuition.) anything can happen even on side streets, you wouldn’t want something bad to happen that you’ll regret for the rest of your life
I would just bundle him up well with an additional blanket to wrap around him in the stroller, hooded coat, gloves ,hat ,warm clothes he’ll be just fine, with that extra blanket, enjoy
Let him forward face but keep him in the car seat in the back seat, don’t let him ride on your lap.
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I sit my kids on my lap helping me drive at 10 mph around my neighborhood… but you Hotta do what you feel safe with
Most accidents happen close to home. I dont think it’s really worth it. Hes not going to remember or care about the lights.
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Stay at home order is very important for our health and where not out there around the virus it’s safer we can’t see it how do you know if it’s around your safer to stay at at home😷
Up until a few years ago, the recommendation was to have the child rear-facing for the first year only. He will be fine, especially if it’s just for around the neighborhood.
Rear face him and drive. He’ll be fine. He will see lights just after you’re past them. Taking 2 6mo olds out to do the same tonight. Mostly for mom and older siblings. Also tolder siblings the rule was forward facing at 1…sister is 8…so it wasn’t that long ago that it was changed. He’s fine either way, but did whatever makes you guys feel best. Buckled is better than on your lap…
You’re right. No forward facing until he’s the right weight. Better safe than sorry.
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I moved my daughter to forward facing around that age. She just now at 3 hit 23 lbs. I think for just the neighborhood it would be fine but in all reality it is up to you guys to work this out.
Isn’t there a venue with lights that you can walk through? Bundled up in the stroller is still safer than forward facing. In my area we have the zoo, Rodger Williams, there’s a shrine, LaSalette and both have places that they can get shelter from the cold.
In other countries they have outside napping areas and it’s a lot colder. The cold air does not hurt a baby leaving them unprotected does
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If you are. Only going in the neighborhood that I would front face so they can see. When mine was small I held them on my lap
Do not put your baby forward face in the car seat, it is not worth it, he wont remember the lights anyway.
Bundle him up and walk… they say dress the child like you would dress … it’s not below zero and fresh air does good
My grands went face forward at 12 months
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It’s ok. We took all our kids in the back of a pick up 12 yrs in a row. They lived and talk about it to this day 20 yrs ago. We can’t hover over every move. Live make memories.
Well you got to make the decisions over your children most likely. So now it’s his turn to make the decisions for his children. Just except whatever the parent does because they have the rights, not you. I was the last of eight children and my parents had me riding around on the dash of the back window!
If u want to walk bundle him up but on the carseat accident can happen even close to home
All of you not seeing a problem with it…do you not think police are on side roads? Do accidents not happen when you’re looking at the lights and not the road? The ticket for not following the carseat rules is anywhere from 10.00 to 500.00
124.00 in Washington state.
hell be fine 
my 10 year old was turned around at 1year my 4 year old and 3 year old was turned around at 2 , we’ve been in accident since then and they are all perfectly fine a good car seat is what matters
I wouldn’t. He can see lights perfectly fine rear facing. Or bundle up and go for a walk
There are many solutions for this…
First people used to walk in cold all the time. You can bundle him and everyone else up good and walk.
Or you can switch him while dad idles through the neighborhood (it doesn’t have to be a permanent switch)
Or leave him rear facing… he’s going to have to turn his head to look out the window if he’s front facing just the same as if he’s rear facing.
My daughters were all front facing by the time they were 1 year. But my children were also 98% in both height and weight the entire time they were growing up. Literally 30 pounds by one year and this was 18 years ago… but then again, when I was little (i am 41) car seats weren’t even mandatory.
Parenting changes drastically with each generation and some rules are absolutely bogus! A car seat now has expiration date!? Sure, new ones are made each day with better/updated safety. But does that mean the car seat you have had for 3 years is seriously no longer safe???
Some people put baby on strict feeding schedule. Some feed baby when baby wants food. Some breast feed, some bottle feed. Some babies go to daycare, some moms stay home.
Of course, babies are TYPICALLY safer at home with mom (or in this day and age dad) but sometimes that isn’t an option so we weigh our options and choose what we think is next best for baby…
Parenting is nothing more than a lot of basic common sense. Choose the situation that is going to suit your family best with the safest options. It’s ok if we sometimes bend the rules a little.
*** most important piece of advice I can give!! Of course you want what’s best for baby. So does dad. Sometimes one of us has a safety concern the other didn’t think of… this should be a discussion not a fight!!! And a compromise! There has to be a solution that both mom and dad can live with…
Once you turn him he will never want to go back! My daughter 2 1/2 very petite still rear faces and can see the lights fine.
I wouldn’t do it and honestly your child’s not going to care or remember the lights.
St 21 months he doesn’t care about the lights!!
He will enjoy the ride weather he sees light or not. Keep him safe.
You’re only going for Christmas lights at 20 or less mph , turn to front facing and enjoy it , then turn car seat back once you’re done, if you are comfortable keep them rear facing.
Look at your car seat. If he meets the requirements of the seat to be forward facing then he will be fine.
Why not one of you get in the back seat & draw his attention to them as you pass? If the driver feels left out turn around at the end, switch places & retrace your steps.
Unless its 10 below, use the stroller. If there is snow use a sled.
No offense but he’s 21 months old and he’s definitely not going to remember so why not just stay home if the car seat thing is going to be a huge issue cause you don’t want to be fighting over it cause it could ruin your holidays ya know?