There is no doubt that as a family you will need to spend a lot of time traveling and transporting your kids around, from play dates to soccer matches, from school activities to grandma’s house and back again.
There are some tips to ensure that you keep your kids safe when they are in the car. However, your kids also have responsibilities when it comes to staying safe in a car. So, try to explain to your kids the importance of being safe and what they should do when they are in the car.
So, you’ve been driving since you were old enough to learn. In all that time you have picked up a lot of habits – both good and bad.
And now, there’s a child in the mix. With that comes a whole new list of habits for you to get into and develop. Because children watch, and they learn by watching. By being careful, you ensure the safety of your child.
Here are driving habits that new parents need to develop.
Cars are effective and efficient machines. But, like it or not, cars can also be dangerous. As parents, we want to keep our kids safe and secure, which is why we buy expensive car accessories for them. As is the case for many illness and accidents, prevention is always better than cure.
Here are some of the car dangers that parents need to avoid:
It sounds extreme. It might even sound ridiculous. But 31% of people hospitalized for Carbon Monoxide poisoning in 2016 were under the age of 14. It is a big deal – especially for young children and babies.
Carbon Monoxide gets expelled through a car’s exhaust system. The best way to avoid any incidents always ensured your children have access to fresh air. Don’t let your vehicle run idle in an enclosed space, and by extension don’t leave your child in or around the vehicle while you’re doing it.
If you have to let the car run to warm up, like in the winter months, do it outside the house and garage. Keep an eye on your car’s maintenance schedule too – don’t risk any faults or leaks.
Lengthy car trips can be exhausting for everyone, especially for a toddler. They have a lot of energy to walk and run, but on a long trip, they will be sitting in the car for hours and hours! Try these tips on how to take a long trip with a toddler.
Before you hit the road, make sure that everything is prepared. Make sure that your toddler’s car seat is installed properly. Check your car condition, make sure the tires are all alright as well as ensure that brakes and lights are all working. Don’t forget to pack some first-aid kit and essential car safety equipment.
Also, make sure that your phone is fully charged, or else you could bring a portable charger and extra battery. At last, make sure you do not lack sleep because sleep deprivation can cause frazzled nerves and harm you and your toddler. By being rested, you can avoid distractions while driving.
Having an extended trip with children could be fun. Or it could be awful! Being in a car for a long period, kids are prone to boredom and anxiety. This could be a recipe for disaster!
If you want to keep your driving to be relaxed and satisfying, bring some things to entertain your children and keep them occupied. Here are some helpful tips to keep your children entertained on long trips.
Keep in your mind that kids are creative individuals. Bring them some artistic stuff to keep them occupied by drawing and making other creative things.
Making art will help to prevent your kids from quickly get bored. Pack in a bag; crayons, whiteboards, papers, colored-pencils, markers, etc. You can also give them an activity book and stickers that don’t need any pens or markers.
There are tons of activity ideas on Pinterest. If you have some time, you can create those yourselves. Or if you are trying to save some money, you can go to a Dollar store near you for some good deals.
If you are a parent, I’m sure that you adore your child and would do pretty much anything to keep them safe. That means buying and installing accessories such as car seats and mirrors, and making sure that they have snacks and drinks when you’re traveling.
But you may be distracted some days–when things are not going well at the office, or you just had a big bad fight with your partner or spouse; or when you just woke up at the wrong side of the bed, or you have a chronic case of distraction!
The sad truth is, there are a LOT of parents who forget and leave their child in the car. If a child is left for no more than a minute or 2, they should be okay. But during the intense heat of summer and the cold of winter, they are exposed to terrible danger!
Here are several tips so you DON’T forget and leave your child in the car.
If you think that you will never forget a baby inside your car, you better think again! Even well-meaning parents who want to give everything to their babies may leave a baby in the car.
Every year, 36 kids are left inside cars and this leads to their death! July is the worst month that this type of accident happens, due to the summer heat. This is not just about negligence. A lot of parents can be thinking about so many different things, they get distracted, or they may have gotten less sleep because of their kid.
As a parent, we know that you want the best for your child and you want to ensure the safety of your child. This is why it’s important to get accessories that will help you minimize this from happening.
One potential solution for forgetful parents is to have a car seat mirror.
You can actually choose a DIY solution for this. You can hang a small mirror opposite your child’s car seat so that every time you look at your rear view mirror, you can check if your child is safely tucked, sleeping, or playing in her car seat.
If you are not careful, however, a DIY car seat mirror may fall on your baby, or if it’s not secured in place, it may bounce around and even hit your precious baby.
Do check the position of the car seat mirror. Most of these products are attached to the head rest of the back seat that’s directly opposite your baby.
Being a parent is exciting and sometimes can be a cause for concern and worry. And since you want your child to be safe and secure in the car or wherever they are, we are providing this guide for parents to buy, maintain, and drive a family car.
This article is long, but it is divided into several sections. Feel free to skip to the part that you need to read and make sure to take action.
There are so many things to consider when you are expecting. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time or your 4th time. You need to consider a thousand things before the baby arrives in your life–gear that you need for the baby, how to make your home safe for the little one, and how to ensure that your baby has everything she needs.
One of the biggest things that parents need to do is to choose a family car. You may already have a car that you use for your daily commute. But will that be enough for your new family’s needs?
If you are thinking of buying a family car, there are several things you need to consider.
I hate to start with money considerations. But that’s the truth. Having a baby is expensive! There’s no going around that fact. You will need to buy a car seat, a crib, feeding bottles, pack and play, bassinet, and a thousand other things you will need inside and outside the home.
This will be a personal decision that you need to run by your spouse or partner. Take a good look at your personal financial situation and decide on what you can afford. This will give you an idea of what options you can realistically take.
Don’t skimp on the essentials. The other considerations below should give you a good idea of the essentials that you cannot sacrifice. There are many options for you out there.
You can buy a new car or a used car for your family. But it will help you prioritize your needs for the baby and for your whole family.
If you are an expecting parent or have recently become a parent, then you may have made quite a number of purchases to make your baby comfortable and safe. Safety is very important at home, in the car, and every time you travel or get outside the home.
A lot of parents tend to buy bigger cars, SUVs, or minivans. This helps them haul all the things that a baby needs. When the baby grows, bigger vehicles will also help them carry around other items that a young child needs–sports equipment, luggage for traveling, and other stuff.
But what if you just prefer to have a smaller car? Because they are more fuel-efficient, which in turn makes owning them less expensive over the long run.
The biggest consideration is really the size of the car seat you put into your car. A minivan may have as much room as 63 inches. But smaller compact cars like the Nissan Versa or Honda fit has less than 50 inches. The width of most infant or convertible car seats are between 18-23 inches. Making it fit would be a challenge, especially if you need to install it rear-facing!
Thankfully, there are several convertible car seats available in the market to fulfill your needs. These are car seats that you can position rear-facing–for when you have an infant–or forward-facing, when the infant becomes a toddler. Why buy one car seat for your infant, and another when they grow older? Not only do you save money, these convertible car seats are convenient, can fit into a smaller car, and can be used from infancy to toddler years.