Mom's Fail-Safe Checklist for Traveling with Kids

by Karyn Zielinski, Fun Places to Go With Kids.com
You've finally planned that big day out with the kids. You've got the destination. You've got the
kids. You've got the car keys. You're about to head out the door􀂫but wait! Are you really
prepared? Diapers, wipes, sun screen, blankies􀂫you hope you remembered everything! Why leave yourself open to chance? You need an easy way to make sure you really are prepared. You need Mom's Fail-Safe Checklist!
This checklist includes the basic travel items you'll need to ensure you are prepared for most trips with your kids, as well as some ideas for maximizing safety and enhancing your day. Just print out this list and hang it on your refrigerator so that you can refer to it whenever you are planning a special day out with your kids. Remember the Essentials
l Maps and directions
l Money/tickets
l Walkie-talkies
l Bus/train schedules
l Diaper bag
l Diapers or Pull-Ups
l Baby wipes
l Hand sanitizer
l Medications such as Baby or Children's Tylenol or Motrin
l Thermometer
l Change of clothes
l Pacifiers, blankies, dolls, or favorite stuffed animal
l Baby food, bowl, and 2 spoons
l Lunch, including sandwiches and fruit
l Kids' snacks in bagged individual portions
l Water bottles filled with water, juice, or milk
l Thermal carrier with ice pack to hold food and drinks
l Paper towels/napkins/tissues
l Sunglasses
l Hats
l Sunscreen
l Lip balm
l Insect repellent
Put Safety First
l Car seat, booster seat, baby carrier, stroller
l Cell phone and list of emergency numbers
l First Aid Kit that includes bandages, antiseptics, cotton balls, antibiotic ointment, and
doctors' phone numbers
l Bee sting kit if allergic
l Allergy/asthma medicines and inhalers
l Blanket, flashlight, and roadside emergency kit
l Spare tire and jack Maximize Comfort For All Seasons
l Swimsuits, towels, goggles, flotation devices (Summer)

So Many Carseats, Only One Kid

Perhaps the most important baby/toddler/child product you will ever purchase is a car seat. A good car seat will protect your most valued treasure 􀂲 your child. This purchase should not be taken lightly. You want a car seat that is safe, user-friendly and comfortable. Now is not the time to skimp on quality to save a few bucks. Thanks to online shopping, you can find great car seats at even better prices. But before you start clicking, you need to know what you are looking for. Here are some key tips you should keep in mind when purchasing a car seat:
Infant Car Seats These seats are meant for infants only, up to 20 to 22 pounds. Nowadays, most of these seats come off of the base that stays in your car, and acts as infant carriers. Most have sophisticated handles, and many will even attach to shopping carts rather easily. These seats are only to be used with the baby facing the rear of the car. Many believe that using infant car seats (as opposed to using a convertible car seat that can be used with infants) is safest, and I agree. Infant car seats are designed for itty-bitty bodies. They are smaller in size so your baby isn't flopping around the seat. The reclining position they are in is safest for babies while driving too. And, who wants to wake a sleeping baby to get him out of a car seat and into the grocery cart? With infant car seats, you just snap the seat off the base and off you go! Prices generally run about $40 on up, and you can only use them for a year at most (when your baby becomes too heavy for the seat and too tall), but this is chump change when you consider it is the safest bet for your baby. Convertible Car Seats These seats are the traditional ones you see in all the stores. They are called convertible because they can be rear facing for babies less then one year old and 20 pounds (baby must be both), and then switched to forward facing for toddlers. Generally, these seats can be used until your child is about 40 pounds and at least 3 years old, preferably 4 years old (child must be both). Convertible car seats start at about $45 and can go up to $150, depending on model and features. Here's where manufacturers have had fun with options. Many offer reclining, extra padding for little tikes, removable and washable fabrics and several harness options. If you can, get a seat that has a recline option, extra padding and removable/washable fabric. As far as harness types go, there are two main types nowadays: the 5-point harness and the shield harness. the shield harness is very common 􀂲 a big padded bar swings over the child's head and locks at the waist. Usually, the safety belt that accompanies the shield harness is a 3-point harness 􀂲 it goes over the child's head and buckles between his legs, with the plastic connector at the child's armpits, connecting the two together (just like infant car seats). The 5-point harness does not have a shield. Instead, one strap goes over each shoulder, the plastic connector connects the two at the armpit level, and each strap is buckled into the strap between the legs. Experts believe (and again, I agree) that the 5-point harness is the safest for children, and if you think about it, this makes sense. The 5-point harness is designed to evenly distribute the impact of an accident. The same accident with a shield harness will distribute the impact mainly to the abdominal area. Play it safe, get a seat with a 5-point harness.

Car Safety for Children

by Christa Koch, PreSchoolEducation.com
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in children in the United States! This horrible
statistic is made worse when we discover that 75% of child fatalities and 50% of child injuries
could be eliminated with the consistent and correct use of child safety seats and safety belts!
Educate yourself about your responsibility as a caregiver/parent to provide the children in your
care with the protection that law and common sense dictate. When you drive with children in the
car, children must be in safety seats and belts and in them correctly!
Placing children in safety seats is not the end of the problem. Statistics indicate that up to 50% of
children who are placed in seats may be placed incorrectly. This can lead to injury or death!
It is important to educate yourself in order to protect your child. Safety seats are safety
equipment! Buy the correct child seat according to the child's weight, height, and developmental
ability. Check safety seat and vehicle safety belt system compatibility.
If buying second hand, ensure that the seat has not been in an accident, that it meets federal
standards, has all necessary belts, buckles, and clips and that manufacturer directions are
available. If it is missing any of the mentioned, pass it by.Not all child seats can be installed in all vehicles and all seating positions. With numerous models of child seats, almost 300 models of passenger vehicles, and the wide range of belt systems available today, correctly installing a child seat can be challenging. The best way to be sure your child seat is compatible with the vehicle you are considering is to test it before you purchase or lease the vehicle. Be sure to read the child seat􀂶s instruction manual and review all information in the vehicle owner􀂶s manual concerning correct installation. Once the seat is installed, check it by firmly pulling the base of the child seat from side to side and forward. The child seat should not move more than one inch in any direction. Whether you have a front passenger side air bag in your vehicle or not, remember that children are always safer in the back seat. When children out-grow forward-facing safety seats, they need to be restrained in beltpositioning booster seats 􀂱 until they are big enough to fit properly in an adult seat belt. Children who cannot sit with their backs straight against the vehicle seat back cushion, with knees bent over a vehicle􀂶s seat edge without slouching, are not big enough for adult seat belts. Many Parents skip this very important step.
Children generally outgrow convertible child safety seats when they are about 40 lbs. From 40 to about 80 lbs. and about 4􀂶􀀜􀂴 tall, children should always be seated in a belt-positioning booster; lifting them so adult lap/shoulder seat belts are 􀂳positioned􀂴 correctly and safely. Plus, booster seats offer children better visibility and comfort. Conditioning your children at a young age to wear a seatbelt is the only way to go. Not only is your child safer, but the driver will have their attention more on the road and driving then on what their child is doing or getting into.
Many car companies are adding child safety seats to their car models. These permanent seats are designed to restrain children at least 1 year old and at least 20 pounds in a forward-facing position. Because they are built into the vehicle, these seats are an effective restraint system for children. Built-in child seats have an advantage over add-on child seats because they do not have
compatibility problems with the vehicle􀂶s seat design or seat belt systems.