There’s very few things that drive me absolutely bonkers – repetitive sounds, chewing or licking noises and not finding a snack in the cupboard when I’m looking for one – definitely make it in my top 10.
Which makes me wonder why I had kids? Because I don’t know about you, but mine are ALL ABOUT destroying all three of those things. Just thinking about the amount of disgusting noises that have emanated from my children over the last 8 years is enough to make my whole body shudder. Let’s not even start on the repetitive noises bit. I just don’t understand how they can say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again expecting a different result each time?
I mean seriously? Do you really suddenly expect me to say yes? Did saying it over and over and over again suddenly reprogram my entire damn mind and make me want to say yes to jumping off the roof or having a 4th piece of cake? I think I’d rather jump off the roof than give you that 4th piece of cake but let’s not even go there.
What I want to talk about is what happens EVERY SINGLE TIME WE GET IN THE CAR.
Despite the fact that my children have been locked in a car seat every single time they have been in a moving vehicle since birth, they still ask me when they can sit in the front with just a normal seat belt. Every single time. My flippant remarks about “when you’re a teenager” seem to have sparked this new obsession about getting older. I swear Knox is convinced in just 3 short years he’ll be a teenager. No matter how much I try and explain that 5 plus 3 only equals 8 (which is so very much NOT a teenager) he persists that it’s imminent. Which makes the sisters who are now in fact 8, want to know the very same thing.
So let’s figure it out shall we?
When is it safe for your kid to sit with JUST a seat belt?
We have multiple car seats in all our cars. That means you’ll find seats in my car, Seth’s car and his parents car. We’re hectic about it. In fact there is very little that makes my blood boil quite as much as seeing a toddler wandering around the backseat of a car while his parents are safely seat belted in the front. It’s why I wanted to be a part of #CarseatFullstop in the first place. I’m passionate about it. As we all should be.
But even I got it wrong. (Again)
Did you know that a seat belt is made to restrict a 1.5m tall adult? I didn’t. And listen, I don’t do well with measuring stuff. Just ask Seth. Once I told him that the thing he wanted to put in the lounge would most definitely, absolutely NOT fit. It was impossible. He assured me that it was totally possible. I then bet him a whole bunch of things that I thought I’d never have to deliver on because I was obvs right. Turns out I was so very wrong.
Anyway, moral of that story is that I’m 1.6m tall and my children at not even close to my height. Which means that despite being absolutely horrific at trying to calculate these things and being to lazy to measure them, I’d guess that my kids are about a 1m tall. Ish. On a good day. Especially Kyla (who is about 5cm shorter than Riya – sssh, it’s a bit of a bone of contention so don’t bring it up OK?!).
And I’m not an accountant or like, um, a mathy person. But that means that they are about 500 whatevers too short.
Which means that if they use the seat belt without the use of a booster they could be severely injured or even killed in an accident.
Let that sink in.
Normal children (who haven’t inherited my short gene) will only be in the 1.5m tall range when they are between 10 and 12! Which is a good 4 years away from where we are right now! But if you’re insistent that you think your kid is fine without one, you should…
DO THE 5 STEP CHECK:
- The shoulder belt should sit exactly in the middle of your kids shoulder.
- The lap belt should sit low across the upper thighs.
- Their back should be flush with the backrest of the seat, with their butt set back where the seat and the backrest meet.
- With your kids flush up against the back rest, the knees should bend past the edge of the seat and their feet should be firmly placed on the floor.
- Your child should be able to sit in this position comfortably, without moving, for the duration that the car is moving.
OK, you got me. I was laughing hard there. But I’m sorry, unless your 7 year old has adult legs on a 7 year old torso and the patience of said adult, I cannot even begin to imagine that you tick all five of these boxes. I mean what kid sits still in one position for the duration of a journey? I’m almost 31 and I can’t do that. But at least I check all the other boxes 😉
Time to get off my high horse or um, mediocre booster seat…
Have you digested all of that? It was a lot for me to take in too. Now let’s factor in the next step.
Like me, you’re passionate about your kid being in a booster seat. Anything that boosts them and makes sure that the strap isn’t cutting into their neck should be fine right?
Wrong.
What to look for in a booster seat?
- It should offer a high back until 36kgs and at least 135cm
- The head and back support should be easy to adjust up or down to account for the growth of your child between ages 4 and 12
- There should be guides to position the shoulder belt snugly mid way across the shoulder and across the chest, and these guides should move when the back and head rest are adjusted for the height of the child.
- The height of the cushion should position the lap belt over the pelvis instead of the belly.
- The seat should be easy to position and fit in the car with your selected installation method (three point seat belt or ISOFIX if your car allows)
- Ideally the seat should offer at least one recline position so that your child doesn’t fall forward should they fall asleep
So here’s me falling right off my high horse and flat onto the floor.
We might have the right kind of seats in my car, but we don’t have the right ones in Seth’s. We literally just have the bottom cushion thingy. They are just raised at the bottom and provide no protection for their backs or necks! Eeek. Not convinced it’s necessary? Watch this little video on Youtube, it may change your mind.
Are you in the same situation as me? Let me help you.
The BeSafe iZi Up X3 is one of the few booster seats in South Africa that allows the use of the full back of the seat right up to 36kgs. This means that not only is the car seat belt positioned safely over your child’s body, but they are afforded side impact protection and additional comfort until they are ready to make the change. The head and back supports can be easily adjusted on both sides of the car seat using a synchronised handle. Not only the headrest but all side impact protection side-parts move when adjusted ensuring the child receives maximum safety regardless of height. The iZi Up received good ratings from Stiftung Warentest and multiple design awards. This seat comes in colours: Black Cab, Lava Grey and Ruby Red.”
WIN A BESAFE IZI UP X3 (in Cab Black) CAR SEAT WORTH R2 999
CONDITIONS:
- You need to enter through the Rafflecopter widget below
- With statistics saying that up to 93% of people aren’t strapping in their kids into car seats it means that we ALL know somebody who is adding to that number. Please share this post to help us reach more people – we could be saving little lives here. #CarseatFullstop matters.
- PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ACTUALLY DO ALL THE STEPS THAT YOU TICK OR YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Just do what you say that you’re doing and it’s all good.
- You need to live in SA or have a South African delivery address
- If you have won a giveaway on 3 Kids, 2 Dogs and 1 Old House in the last 6 months, you may not enter
If you’re wanting to make sure this reaches everyone that it should, why not tag a friend with a kid 10-12 and under. They may not need the seat but with only 7% of kids being strapped in, it means that they will know someone that could use it.
You have the power to save a little life. One share, seen by one person, who straps in one child, saves a life. #CarseatFullstop. Every child. Every time. No matter what.
#CarseatFullstop is a very proud retailer for the BeSafe car seat range in South Africa. This means that if you purchase a BeSafe car seat through #CarseatFullstop, the profits go to maintaining this initiative! If you would like to have your little one as safe as they can be, be sure to join this group on FACEBOOK or contact us on besafe@carseatfullstop.org.
And if you have a car seat that your little person has outgrown, please consider donating it to Wheel Well. Wheel Well is a non-profit organisation that collects used car seats, which are then cleaned and refurbished in order to provide a safe option for parents who are unable to afford a new car seat. Seats can be dropped off at any Renault dealership.
146 comments
Your girls do not look like they will be short….their legs look insanely long in that pic. Back to car seats – my 4yo consistently asks to sit in the front too!
Like you said, my child is in a car seat every time she’s been in a moving vehicle since birth. We are currently using a 0-18kg seat.
My daughter is in a car chair at the moment and can go into a booster as she is the weight and height. Both my children have been in car chairs since they were small. My son is 9now and knows as soon as we sit in the car the seat belt goes on. I wont drive till its on. My daughter is 3 and knows i stop the car if she tries to get out of her car seat
Proud car seat full stop member
P.s Both my kids are in car seats, my little 7mo still rear facing obvs. She hates the car so much.
LOL, oh I don’t miss those days! I remember the tantrums we had on the regular in those rear facing seats.
I must be honest I am one of those safety is important mom My son is as tall as me so he can use the seatbelt and my daughter can’t go without her car seat although she hates it . I get very angry with parents driving around with little ones walking on the backseat and they are strapped in .
My pet peeve kids not in car seats or in boosters more the half the kids in my daughter creche not in one how can people be so f…. stupid make me so mad , we have both my daughter’s in car seats which every car they going in i move the seats in my or husband car
My kids are 6 and 9 and only my 6 year old sits on the bottom part thingie!!!! OOPS!!! but at least they won’t GO ANYWHERE without being strapped in
I am also hectic when it comes to my kid being in a car seat. I see so many friends of mind who post pics of their kids not buckled and my tongue is sore from having to bite it so much. We are on the look out for booster seat now so I’m excited to enter. Fingers crossed
Cindy I fully agree with you, my little one has the great habit of making sure everyone in the car is strapped in.
I have this problem where my son, 8 refuses to strap in.. he sit in the middle “so he can be close to both his parents” this doesn’t sit well with me . Maybe if I had one of these cards seats he will be excited and feel extra special.
My son just turned 1 and is in a car seat all the time, he weighs 14 kg and i think this one goes to 13 so need to look at a new one!
Totally agree, my almost 7 year old was in a 5 point harness until she was 5.5 years old then we converted to a high back booster. She loves her car seat because we insisted on it since birth and she loves to be able to see out the windows. My son on the other hand is a real wiggle worm, but we still insist else we don’t go anywhere.
Aidan is currently like 5kgs away from needing a new seat, it’s freaking me out and starving him doesn’t sound like the best option
Wow! What an eye opener!
Sheesh. It makes me so mad when people don’t buckle their kids in.
I saw an article the other day about a child who was almost cut in half by a seat belt because she wasn’t in her booster seat. She’s alive, but will have problems because of her injuries for the rest of her life:(
I do not have a car seat for my 7 year old at the moment. It is very worrying . If did have one, she will definitely be in it. (omg I am 1.5m )
Mine is in one, we make a point of strapping him in everytime we go out
My daughter has been in a car seat since birth. Originally in the rear facing baby one and now in the forward facing one. It was a struggle in the beginning but we perserved through the tantrums and now she gets into the car seat with ease
This is very interesting to read. I never knew more than half of these facts. Guess i am going to have to look into investing in some booster seats. They are so pricey for something that is illegal not to have hahaha.
Honestly I strap my 5 year old up and my 2 year old is in the car seat
#CarseatFullstop
I’m an absolute car seat ninja (my child’s words ?) – she’s never not strapped in; and I go completely mental on people who suggest that a car seat is unnecessary, or that my child (who only just turned 8) is too old for a car seat.
We have a car seat in both cars! I am stricter than my husband, because he’s been letting her sit in front when he takes her to school. I will have to talk to them botha again! She’s 8, so she’s old enough!
Your kids are gorgeous 🙂 Well, My kids are now 7 and soon to be 6. They are in booster seats.. Not the greatest kind, (I had to buy second hand as I had to buy 4) but in seats nonetheless. I take them to school and hubby collects them at aftercare. I am very very VERY strict when it comes to driving my kids around. No-one other than hubby, myself, or my mom drives my kids and they will be in a booster seat. My kids now travel literally a few hundred metres down the road in aftercare transport (only belted in) and I have a little panic attack everyday when I see the time and know that school is coming out.. I give the transport 15 minutes and then I message the aftercare to make sure my kids have arrived safely. The aftercare probably think im that psycho mom 🙁
I absolutely love this article!
My youngest Callum is 2 and obviously still sits in his car chair, my middle son Wian 6 has a booster seat but it needs replacement and my eldest daughter Kera 9, is very tall for her age so she fits perfectly in the seatbelt, but I prefer her sitting in a booster seat (even though se complains about it)
Shoo this was quite eye opening – I thought my daughter was tall enough, but clearly not, like you I am terrible at judging heights and distance! My 4yo is still on a booster seat with back rest and my daughter on just the seat part.
I also thought the bottom cushion thing was fine for my 7 year old. Thanks for the post Cindy
Our grandson who we look after daily is due for a new carseat soon. His safety is most important to us.
Both boys are always strapped in. Ethan (youngest) in his car seat and Matthew using a booster seat like the one you are (were) using in Seth’s car – just the bottom cushion thingamig. Seriously need to look at getting a new seat for Matthew now. Eish!
My 4y old is in a carseat and 6y old in a booster seat.
I totally agree with you, it drives me crazy to see kids walking around in a car. Both my girls are always in car seats, but we only have 3 seats so always moving seats around between my car and my husband’s car.
Currently have both kids (7 & 3) in booster seats with back supports. 7yr olds one could do with an upgrade as the material is mostly gone so it gets hot when in the sun 🙁
A car seat is the most important thing in my life when I get into a car, always use it no matter what, no excuses!!!!
A car seat is a necessity!! I often see unstrapped toddlers on the back seat or on the laps of an adult in the front seat, it really upsets me.
WOW this was worth a read!! Thank you!
Both of my children are in car seats.
However my toddler’s seat isn’t the best…
A case of I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Car seat safety nut!
Yikes. I agree with you so much. But didn’t realise the actual height requirements for kids to just have a seatbelt. Best I get the booster seat back into my husband’s truck for our 6yr old!
My daughter is currently 15.8kgs and its not long till she has to move to booster mode. She is now in a 5 point harnessed seat which she will soon outgrow at 18kgs! This would be the best gift ever ?
Love this article Cindy and completely agree with you.
My 3 year old son is in a “proper” car seat and he is totally fine with it. He understands that he needs to sit in and we never have issues.
However my 6 year old is in the bottom cushion only booster seat which I though was okay. I do know that he hates having the seatbelt across his body cause he complains that it hurts his neck and I have caught him with it under his arm which is not safe either and it totally freaks me out when he does it.
We always use a carseat, with whatever vehicle or wherever we’re going.
We have the little ones (4yrs and 1yr) in car seats with harnesses and the 6yr old has a seatbelt adjuster thing from 4aKid… but he should have a booster… which I’ll have to get out my mom’s car again.
I have 2 girls & would love to win this for my almost 4 year old! Busy shopping at the moment for a new car seat!
My 3 kids (22 months, 3 years and 5 years, with another baby on the way in the next couple of weeks) are all in car seats. My 5 year old is in a booster, but I bought it before I knew anything about car seats, and it just doesn’t feel like the safest seat to me. I feel comfortable that the other 2, soon to be 3, are safe, but I just don’t know about my oldest.
I’m pretty hectic about my son’s car seat… but it’s difficult instilling this culture in the older generation when my son is in their care! They just don’t seem to care – and nothing irks me more!
I know EXACTLY what you mean – we have the same problem
My 2yr old is in a forward facing car seat. My really skinny 5yr old is not and it really works on my conscience. we don’t have a huge car, so space becomes an issue with 3 kids. I have a cheap pink booster seat (that’s only like the bottom), but I’m going to put him on that. Also have an almost 9yr old not in a seat of any kind. I think I always thought up to 3/4 was safe in a car seat and then seat belt. I am trying to look into 2nd hand seats now to get the kids safe.
Great post!
My firstborn has been in a seat since birth. What makes things difficult is that we have a new addition to family, and constantly need to move the car seat from mommy’s car to daddy’s car. If its up to me both my boys will be in a car seat until the day they get their drivers license
I always use carseats for both my kids! Thanks for all this info as I was wondering what is next for my 6 year old!
My son is growing out of his so quickly. Would love this one.
Ps. Your kids are gorgeous.
So as a registered nurse that used to work in a pediatric ICU, I have seen firsthand what happens to a toddler going through the windshield! I found the research that you did very helpful, and will definitely stick to my guns when my toddler gets old enough to progress in her booster seats!
Both my little ones are in a good quality seat in my car but we need a next size for my eldest who will outgrow hers soon. Then we can put her old one in my husbands car for the little one, for an easier car swop. Hubbys car doesn’t currently have any seats so it’s a mission to move the seats (which we always do).
My son is 2.5 now, he sits in one of those booster seats. I’d love to win a proper car seat for him.
I’m just about to have a baby…due in 2 days! we have a car seat lined up…ready and waiting
I love the awareness you guys are spreading through blogs. Both mine are in harnessess still but need to get a booster soon. This one will be amazing!
We have our youngest in a car seat. My wife desperately wants us to get car seats for the older 2.
Currently, K is in a seat, forward facing though – despite 4 being a few months away. We move his seat, if he’s going to be in a car that isn’t ours.
Brilliant article! I was just having this conversation with a friend today & here you have summarized kids seat belt safety perfectly! Thanks
We are currently using an ERF seat for my soon to be 5 year old. She will reach the weight limit soon so we are shopping around for a booster.
I really need this! And if I don’t win I’m going to buy one anyway as we keep having to switch the boosters from one car to the other.
I am a firm believer in carseats and my daugther urgently needs a new one but I have found myself being a single parent and I am barely feeding and clothing her. So a new seat has to wait for now, makes my heart sore but I just dont have another option right now. She is still strapped in every single time we have to travel.
On that note I am 1.5m and seatbelts are uncomfortable for me so i would wait until my daugther is past my height.
I repetitively find myself telling my kids to sit properly, put your seatbelt on, don’t undo your seatbelt, don’t hit your sister. This car seat looks amazingly comfortable that they would probably fight over it!
Thanks for sharing! I use a booster with a back for my nearly 6-year old but it doesn’t recline and adjust and honestly is hard and uncomfortable for my son on long journeys so if I am not the lucky winner (which I hope I am ??) I’m going to try and get one of these car seats you’ve recommended anyway! I also hope that this does reach a lot of parents so that it really does become the norm to be safely strapped in no matter what!!
The most annoying and selfish thing to see is definitely parents who let their kids roam the back seats. I’m a very “anal” mommy when it comes to safety that’s in my control and I will be that way till I decide it’s safe for my kids to use normal safety belts without a booster.
This seat looks awesome …my 5 year feeling very uncomfortable in hers and been wondering what we can do or buy. This has educated me and would be amazing to win one!
[…] is, up until I started reading the articles around booster seats like the one Cindy did over at 3 kids, 2 dogs and 1 old house I kinda thought we were nearing the end of the car seat era, we have one of those pillow ones for […]
My 2 year old is sure shes old enough to sit in the front – actually, she thinks she can drive… haha Would love to win this!
As a former paramedic, thank you for being passionate about having all kids in car seats!
My 6 year old have a booster seat, and my 3 year old is also in a seat but I need to upgrade hers.
Both kids have booster seats – but Lorelai has a “4th” child seat so she really needs a new one.
My 3 year old doesn’t know anything except being strapped into his car seat. This has always been a huge safety priority since his birth. We would not go anywhere without him in the car seat and I will not allow him to drive with any family member unless he is in a car seat. The one time he managed to get his arms out of the harness, I stopped dead in the road to strap him back in – he will never try that again!
When my son was born I got extremely amal about car safety, being a hormonal post birth mess. But up until today he is in a car seat (albeit those boosters for their butts that you buy at toys r us at the moment because our car got stolen fancy seat and all and we’re still barely managing with the new car repayments so seat upgrade is impossible).
He knows we don’t start the car without him and us being strapped in, he also instructs anyone entering the car to buckle up. Car safety is certainly overlooked. With the new laws there’s far too many kids bobbing around at the back of cars and on laps on front seats.
Such a great post! Currently looking at booster seats for my daughter so found this very helpful – thank you!
my grandkids always travel in their car seats when in the car
My son will be 7 next month and he has never been in the car without being in his car seat / booster seat. He is quickly outgrowing his current booster so this would be perfect for him.
We always use a carseat. But with 3 people dropping and collecting it is crazy as baby outgrew the baby srat, so we are shortof a seat. It is a logistical nightmare.
My grandson is 2, but we are always changing chairs between cars, which is frustrating, but can be time consuming and dangerous if not fixed correctly. Like the day their was an issue and put in incorrectly and it fell over.
It is so crazy – and I am so with you on the need for car seats!!!! In saying that, we only have three booster seats and we should have four! Off to buy a new one right now x
I’m make sure i buckle both my kids up but my 3 and a half year old whines and whines the whole way. I would love this booster seat and I think she would too because its red and princesses sit in Red seats according to her
This is something we need for our boy! Booster is next size up
My grandson does not use a car seat, we carry him at the back of the car
My baby is always is his car seat, his safety is of my upmost importance
I have always been persistent in the use of carseats but unfortunately due to others opinions I have started allowing my 6 years old to not use a booster seat at times. The older generation don’t always get the car seat safety. It’s almost as if that few second it takes to strap a child in is just too much effort. Thank you for the opportunity to win a booster for my gorgeous boy.
Both my kiddies are in car seats. It’s frightening to see kids not strapped into car seats, nothing in life is more important to me than keeping my kids safe.
Great post Cindy! Very informative.
My 20kg 4yo daughter is still in her 5point harness seat but is technically 2kgs over and I just can’t afford the correct booster ? I’ve always been super car safety conscious… Her first seat was a Joie & was stollen a week after installing it ? holding thumbs to win this one… In my birthday week!! ?
My current situation is I have a 6 year old that sits in a booster seat and a 3 year old that sits in atoddler car seat, after reading your blog I realised that my 6 year old is not safe at all and as a mummy it upsets me that I did not find out about all this before. I WOULD LOVE TO WIN THIS FOR MY 6 YEAR OLD SO AS A MUMMY I CAN KNOW THAT MY SON IS SAFE #carseatfullstop
Would love to win this! We are super safety conscious and with 3 kids, aged 11 yrs, 5 yrs and 19 months old we ensure they are safely strapped in the car no matter what people say!
both my girls aged 2 and 6 are in car seats and they are comfortable and content in it and thats a maximum safety issue for me
My little one is currently still in his normal carseat, but the time has come to move him to a booster, this would be such an amazing price
I need to win this. I totally agree with needing car seats, and we battle with the cost of having multiple of them (so we don’t – have multiples, I mean), as well as the effort of taking out and inserting them from car to car, especially when it’s left to someone else (who maybe isn’t as car seat crazy) to do.
My 6 year old son is in a 2nd stage car seat with straps time I invest in a booster
I have a booster seat in my car…it was a hand-me-down, so not great quality. I read your post and had no idea about all that info/requirements! Scary stuff. My blood also boils when I see kids walking around a car. Safety first!
L is always in a seat….even on the days supported by an epic tantrum, because he wished he was not in one. Tough times for a 5-year old. Better safe than sorry!
Great giveaway! A prize that can save a life!
My girls are always in their carseats. Unfortunately my 4 yo has outgrown the 5 point harness, but We’re not 100% happy with the convertible seat that she’s in at the moment.
My 11month old girl is an her car seat every time. We are also saving to upgrade to the Besafe Izi Plus soon.
We always put out toddler in the car seat no matter how much of a fuss he makes,tantrums galore and he is currently running out of space in his current car seat which makes me worry as I dont have money for a bigger car seat..
I am OCD about car safety too. My kids are always in their seats. We even imported seats. I love learning more about car seat safety. My kids know that my most important rule is that they need to be safe. There is therapy for the rest but they need to be able to live ling enough to get there! ?
My 4 year old is in a proper car seat still and she likes it and always reminds me if she thinks I have forgotten to click her in and my 5 month old is still in a rear facing car seat which she hates on long drives.
We have 2 kids,with a third on the way. Now I have to make space for another seat in my car, not sure how I’m going to make it fit. Now thinking back at my first 2 pregnancies… all I could think of was how to decorate the rooms. Now all I can think of is how am I going to keep them safe in the car!!!
I always make sure that my kids are strapped in because I’m very safety conscious.
Love this post – a lot of people do not understand the importance of car chairs and the dangers they unwittingly put their children in. So although they complain both boys (8yrs & 2yrs) are in full car seats…. well done on being part of this awesome campaign ??
Such useful gems in this article!!! Ouf thinking has been all wrong with our eldest. Thanks for this! ?
My eldest child is now ready to transition into a proper and safe booster seat, so this would be great! Currently all the kids are strapped in with proper car seats at the back of the car.
I completely agree. It does my head in when children arent properly strapped in. I wish more people would take ot seriously though. It’s all fun and games until it happens to you.
Thanks so much for this! I definitely have some adjustments to make for my kids now so I really appreciate this article.
Looks like such fabulous seats!
I cannot agree with you more about kids having to be strapped in until they are truly big enough not to need a seat anymore. My youngest sister is a paramedic and the horrific scenes she had to attend to where children weren’t strapped in at al or strapped in wrong is just so sad. I would also like to add that the longer you can keep them rear facing the better it is. Babies and toddlers has suffered and died due to the fact that they were rear facing too early
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I use the infant carseat to strap in my 6 month old.
Both my kids use car seats, and we have 2 cars so that’s 4 car seats…They’re not terrible seats, and tick a few of the necessary boxes, but what freaks me out is that if I want to get them proper seats (mine are not hight adjustable) I’m looking at R2999 x 4, that’s R12000…*sigh*, payment plan anyone?
Both kids are ALWAYS in a car seat! Would love to win the next stage car seat for my almost 6 year old.
My kids have always used a car seat, and a seat belt when old enough. We don’t move otherwise
I would love 2 win a car seat.i dont own one and driving alot 2 therapy etc with her. Hoping 2 win because we just cant afford one 🙁
My 2y5m old is still rearfacing – and will be for as long as possible. He is a big boy – already 20kg, so we had to close our eyes and buy the Volvo Maxway.
Woule love to win this for my kids!
Yeiks, my I’m normally a calm person, but I get soo upset, and my heart breaks EVERY.SINGLE.TIME I see precious cargo not strapped up :(… And I just don’t get it, why would they knowingly put their child’s life in danger???
My 3 kids are also ALWAYS strapped up in their car chairs – every trip, since birth – no matter how far, or close, we have to travel… NO exceptions made.. And they don’t get to be alone with family or friends unless I know they have the same views on car chairs.
My 4 year old sit in a booster seat. I will not let her travel without it and the grandparents enforce it as well. I can’t believe that people wont buckle up their children when they are buckled up themselves. I get so angry when I see cars with small children running around the back or parents with small children on their lap in the front seat!! Makes my blood boil!
Agree!! #safety #carseatfullstop
I do strap in my little one. She doesnt like it always but safety comes first. She is now almost 4 and we will need to look at getting a booster seat pretty soon…. problem is that seats are so expensive…..
I’m a full on believe in carseats, only because I think that I would rather sit with a miserable child than be in a situation of what if something happened. I don’t always get it right, but I am sure trying to ensure they are always buckled in
My dear daughter is 7yrs old almost 8yrs old. She is very petite. I think I’ve made the mistake of moving her out a car seat because she had grown out of it. I didn’t think to put her in a booster seat. Now that you have pointed out the tips and height I’m sure she will fail the check. She is about 20kgs. Thanks for the advice.
My other two children are in car seats. So she is now my main concern!!!! I have shared this on FB.
My eldest son used to kick and scream when we put him in a car seat, thanks to his severe reflux. But he had no choice, car seat or we stayed home. Now 5years later he kicks and scream when he is not in his car seat (hope his 3week old brother has no issues
My kids are always in their seats no matter what! Every time we strap my 4 year old in we ask him why we do it? His reply is always ” to be safe” he now moans at us if we get a bit distracted and forget to strap him in.
I am struggling when my 3.5 month old cries in his seat and I use to take him out but not anymore as his safety is more important than crying. #CarseatFullstop
I have both my kids in car chairs- they are 3 and 2 years old. It also drives my crazy when people don’t strap their kids in!
Not only is being in a car seat super important, they need to be in the correct one. My 4 year old has outgrown his seat in length so we need a booster asap
So crazy how we just do our thing and go on, day by day, unaware if what we’re doing is right or enough, or just what we ‘thought was appropriate’. Thanks for sharing x
My oldest is about to be ready to transition into a booster seat from her car seat with her younger sister just allowed to sit in a front facing car seat. Their car seats offer me invaluable comfort- the roads are so dangerous! I can’t imagine letting them travel in the car without that line of defence.
My girls aged 12 and 10 knows that before we drive they need to have there seat belts on. My 4 year old son has been using a car seat since baby. We never had/have any hassles with him using it. Would love to win the Booster seat for him as his car seat is only uptil 18kg’s. And we are expecting another little bundle of joy in November 2017 ! My kids saftey is very important to me.
We need this car seat for my son! Right now he’s outgrown his car rear facing car seat and he doesn’t have one. Although we are all about safety, it’s also a matter of affordability. It would be amazing if we won this.
Cindy, I have 1 daughter who will very soon require a booster. We have the 0-18kg seat, and she’s 17.5kg now. I have another baba on the way (6 months pregnant with our boy) and to save costs by just purchasing one for the baby, will mean a great deal. That way, she also feels like she’s getting spoilt and not just the baby 🙂 Although we’d need to buy her a boster anyway, it may just come a few months after the baby gets one. These things are not cheap, but in our view, crucial and non-negotiable. Holding thumbs for my Hanaan, whose birthday is also next week Friday – 29 September – she’ll be 5 🙂
Great initiative and awesome prize xx
Strap them in with the seat belt at current.
It honestly breaks my heart to see little ones not in the correct car/booster seats or even strapped in. I am an Occupational Therapist and I have unfortunately had to work with little ones who now have serious complications due to car accidents. Traveling without a car seat, even if it is just “down the road” is NOT worth the risk. My kiddies (when they arrive – we are currently pregnant AND in the process of adopting woohoo!) will always be strapped in! Would love to win this for my sister though – she is a foster mommy and has 5 little ones 10 and under and this would be a huge blessing for her!
Mine are buckled up!
Would be awesome to move up the next BeSafe car seat step – have loved the safety and protection offered by our current rearfacing model
We are serious about keeping our kids safe in the car. Due with our 3rd little one soon and need to get a new seat for our eldest. The BeSafe Izi Up x3 will be prefect! Love this initiative to educate people about car seat safety
I think the carsear safty campaign is so awesome! I am extremely strict with use a carseat at all times and I constantly trying to tub off on my friends! Love your blog!
Hi there! I have 3 boys ages 8, 6, and 4. I currently use an old booster seat only for my 4yrold and the other 2 i use a seatbelt shield type thing, but I often forget to use it, yikes
I’m a new mum and just so passionate about car safety. When I see little toddlers standing up on the backseat, it’s so upsetting to think how irresponsible some adults can be. It’s good to see that booster seats are used up until the age of 12.
Mom of 4 with my eldest being 13 and my youngest 15 months….. We are very busy, which means alot of travelling each day to all the various activities. I’m so glad I read this post as my 2nd youngest is not in a booster seat.. I thought he was seatbelt ready. Obviously got that very wrong. This seat would come in very handy for him and when he has outgrown it my other monkey can use it when he is a bit bigger too. Love your blog
I have been passionate about travel safety since working at Red Cross Children’s Hospital and witnessing first hand what devastation is caused by not restraining a child appropriately in a vehicle. Needless to say my own kids are not even allowed put of their seats when I move the car from the driveway to the garage. My son is in a 9 to 36kg convertible seat and baby daughter still rear faces.
Car seats are not negotiable in our car, my son has outgrown his car seat though and needs to move to a booster so this would be perfect.
My son is 2 years old and weighs about 15kg. Getting to big for his car seat. Would love to win!!!