CPS Burnout. Is there a cure?
So, you’ve had it with CPS. Why?
Maybe you’ve staffed your last information table where every parent asks when state law says their child can be out of a carseat, but doesn’t ask when it is safe for their child to be out of a carseat.
Maybe the coordinator of your local health department, hospital or Safe Kids program has finally dismissed your concerns for the last time and continues to put their own agenda above the agenda of keeping kids safe.
Maybe life has just thrown something more interesting or more important your way and you haven’t been able to find an excuse to get involved in child passenger safety again.
Maybe the parent on the forum who keeps asking the same question over and over has finally made it clear that they are not seeking to learn, but just to get justification for what they wanted to do in the first place.
Maybe you’re an instructor or senior checker and you’ve had it with the same technicians who make the same mistakes or give the same bad advice over and over each week, despite your wisdom.
Maybe your kids are no longer in child safety seats and you’ve just moved on to other causes and simply lost interest, even though you still feel you should be involved.
So, what are your reasons?
If you’ve had it and cured it, how did you do it?
Hey– for every parent who doesn’t get the message at your info tables, there is a parent like me who found your blog while looking for car seat reviews, learned about the importance of rear-facing and a properly installed seat and will advocate for both to anyone who will listen. Burn-out happens in any profession where you are asking someone to change the way they the way they think or what they do. Sometimes it is best to celebrate the small successes– I just installed a Radian 65 rear-facing center for my 15 month old and had it checked. Props to you all!
Yes! A CPS cruise! That is exactly what we need!
Oddly enough, I cure my burnout by getting more involved. When I go to conferences, there’s a lot of rah-rah and “we are so great!” and “we’re saving lives!” and constantly hearing that message, even though I may not believe in it 100%, brings me up.
I find I get burnout when I’m away from CPS for too long. If I don’t stay involved, it’s too easy to step away from it. In fact, just last week I was thinking about how great it would be to plan a CPS Disney Cruise :). That way we could get away and have CPS fun at the same time.
The first reason. Seeing everyone around me know better but not do anything about it.
I’ve cured it by focusing on MY kids. MY driving. MY vehicle. 🙂 You can lead a horse to water…