When a baby travels, a safety seat is indispensable. Parents, do you think it is necessary to buy a safety seat? How did you decide to use a safety seat?
I learned about safety seats during my pregnancy and used them for the first time 42 days after giving birth. Now safety seats have become a necessity for our travels.
01. What are the benefits of safety seats?
Although it was originally for safety reasons, it was only after I used the baby car seat that I truly realized its benefits.
Even if you don't encounter an accident, there will inevitably be times when you brake suddenly on the road. Once my husband braked suddenly to avoid a pedestrian, and I hit the passenger seat because I was not wearing a seat belt. But because the baby was protected by a safety seat, not only was he not frightened, but he was very happy because he thought it was a good joke. Just imagine if my baby was sitting in the back seat like me, he would most likely be sitting next to me in the middle of the back seat, and he would most likely hit the armrest box or even fly into the front seat. If she sits in my arms, she will inevitably be squeezed by me.
When children sit in safety seats, they will not run around in the car or interfere with the driver's operations, and the safety factor of the entire vehicle will be greatly improved.
Save worry
With my child in the baby car seat, I can do my own things, including eating, drinking, looking at my phone, and getting things, all very conveniently.
Save effort
It is easy for children to fall asleep in the car, especially babies. If they are held in the car all the way, my shoulders and arms may not be able to carry them... But with the safety seat, I don't have to worry when the child is awake, after the baby falls asleep, I can let myself go even more. Last year, our family went on a long-distance self-driving trip, with 0 violations. The trip was relaxing and enjoyable, and the baby car seat was a huge contribution.
Improve space utilization
The space inside the car is small, and the safety seat only occupies one position. However, the child's range of activities is restricted. In fact, the usable space is greatly increased. The child's underfoot and other positions on the seat can be used to store bags, Putting items and food, the space utilization rate is higher...
02. Does the child resist? looking for solutions
Many people don't use safety seats, not because they think it is unnecessary, but because their children don't accept it and are forced to leave it idle.
Although the safety seat I bought was very cartoonish, the baby also had resistance to the baby car seat after experiencing a brief period of curiosity at first, but he quickly overcame it with our help.
The main reason why children don’t like baby car seats is that they don’t like to be restrained. Children naturally like to explore and be lively and active, so the first step for children to accept safety seats is not to let them get bored and focus on things that interest them. Let them ignore the existence of safety seats.
On my long-distance car ride
The first time I took a long-distance car ride, I brought my baby a can of snacks. She ate and drank quietly all the way, and actually fell asleep while eating. I thought that the can of snacks was not too small. It was usually enough for a week, but she almost finished it on the way there. When I came back, I bought another can of soluble beans. This time, my baby's speed of eliminating snacks once again surprised me. Unexpectedly, after consuming all the snacks, she cried reluctantly and asked for no toys. I only took out a decoration album from the car and racked my brains to read the pictures to her - a warm room, blue Colorful walls, wooden floors, sofas, coffee tables, chandeliers, a few leaves on green plants... After she was quiet for a few minutes, I looked back at her and fell asleep again.
Prepare snacks for the ride
Since then, every time I go out, I will bring a large bag with me, food, drink, entertainment, one or two picture books, and reading pens. As long as she is made happy, she can sit on the seat all the time, entertain herself most of the time, and interact with us.
You also need to be careful when preparing snacks for the car: don’t eat juicy fruits in the car, and put drinks into sippy cups. To avoid choking, avoid preparing beans, jelly-based foods, and other dangerous foods. Reduce the time your child takes to eat and avoid overeating. Do not disturb your child while eating and pay close attention to his condition.
Play cartoons related to safety seats
Cartoons related to baby car seats are also very helpful for children to accept safety seats. When my baby was riding in the car, I showed her the animation of sitting in a safety seat several times to let her know that it is necessary to sit in a safety seat, so she will take the initiative to sit in the safety seat, and later we will be reminded to fasten our seat belts.
Change entertainment items
Before going out, you can let your child choose his or her favorite toys or picture books, change entertainment items for her every once in a while during the trip, and arrange food and play reasonably. I specially prepared an old mobile phone with downloaded cartoons for my baby. Before each use, I discussed with my baby to watch a few episodes of cartoons before turning off the mobile phone, or setting a parent mode to limit the usage time. Put her to sleep when the time is right. When traveling for long distances, adults cannot stay in the car all the time. They should stop at the service area every three hours or so to get out of the car move around for a while, and release the children from the safety seats for a while.
Chat together
We also chat together as a family. Chatting is an excellent driving activity. While fighting boredom, it can also help refresh the driver and can last for a long time. When a child hears music with a strong rhythm, he can't help but dance to the songs. It is also a good activity and can help her consume energy and go to bed early. On the first day of the long trip, we still arranged a nap for the baby according to her habits. I took her to look at the windmills and clouds in the distance, and she was naturally hypnotized.
Develop the habit of sitting in a safety seat
However, it should be noted that once you start to develop the habit of sitting in a safety seat, do not relax easily and stick to it every time. For a while, the father and grandma took the baby to the city and did not require her to sit in a safety seat, so she began not to sit properly in the safety seat. However, the baby who was frightened by a sudden brake finally learned that it is dangerous not to sit properly. , it is safer to sit in a safety seat. With the previous preparation, she can easily accept sitting in a baby car seat.
If you happen to have a baby who doesn't like to sit in a safety seat, I hope my sharing will be helpful to you~