I actually think the father is technically correct here but being an unproductive asshole. I have a 2 1/2 year old and there is no way his daughter is not cramped, rear facing. We had to turn ours around a little after age 1 because they’re just not built for comfort after a certain size. Our other kids hit that size around 2, and he was small for his age. None of the 2-year-olds we know are rear facing because you do actually have to balance comfort with safety.