XP - CARES Harness

[muppetinma]

I was told that you ladies might be helpful and informative, so I hope you don't mind me XPing my question here!   (kiss)

August is the annual Muppet family reunion in New Hampshire. Last year, we all flew up. Andrew was a lap kid at that point. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't too bad. He did like to kick the seat in front of him, so that was a challenge. Well, this year, he's two. He'll need his own seat. Andplusalso, DH won't be coming with us. That leaves little ol me to handle the flight with a spirited two year old. I was planning on bringing his car seat and strapping him in. BUT, it's a hassle to carry that, push the stroller, etc. Plus, the car seat would put his feet closer to the seat in front of him and lead him to kick even more. Well, we have access to a safe car seat on the other end, so I thought about skipping it. I just don't know how Andrew would handle in just the regular seat.

Have any of you used a CARES harness? Likes? Dislikes? Suggestions for something else? Halp!

[frlcb]

You will get mixed reviews on here - some of us love it, some don't. We have always loved it, my kids have sat (and slept) in it totally fine. Would he not sit with just a seatbelt?

[muppetinma]

May 4, 2014 17:49:08 GMT -5 frlcb said:

You will get mixed reviews on here - some of us love it, some don't. We have always loved it, my kids have sat (and slept) in it totally fine. Would he not sit with just a seatbelt?

Nope.  Not a chance.  He just turned two, has ASD, and enjoys his freedom.  Surprisingly though, he's really good in the car seat.  He just accepts that as an inevitability and doesn't fight it.  The same goes for the jogging stroller.  If I clip him in with the five point harness, he just sits back and relaxes.  I'm hoping that the harness gives him that same feeling.

[frlcb]

May 4, 2014 18:38:07 GMT -5 muppetinma said:

May 4, 2014 17:49:08 GMT -5 frlcb said:

You will get mixed reviews on here - some of us love it, some don't. We have always loved it, my kids have sat (and slept) in it totally fine. Would he not sit with just a seatbelt?

Nope.  Not a chance.  He just turned two, has ASD, and enjoys his freedom.  Surprisingly though, he's really good in the car seat.  He just accepts that as an inevitability and doesn't fight it.  The same goes for the jogging stroller.  If I clip him in with the five point harness, he just sits back and relaxes.  I'm hoping that the harness gives him that same feeling.

Yeah, the car seat is hard because they can't use the tray table and it's the right angle to kick the seat in front of him. The only drawback with the cares, which was fine for my kids but an issue for some, is that they could potentially slide out of the bottom.

[americaninoz]

yea like frlcb said, the main issue with a carseat at that age is that he'll be able to kick the seat in front of him, then you'll spend your time holding his legs down - no good!

I like the CARES. Dd doesn't sleep in it (she lays down and I put a blanket over her then the seat belt). But for sitting, takeoff, watching videos she likes it. Once I have the seatbelt threaded through I sit on the other end so she can't undo it herself (when she was that age)

Once they're over 2 you HAVE to have them buckled in their own seat for takeoff/ landing / seat belt sign as well - so you need some way to strap him in if you think the seatbelt won't be enough. I had attendants stand over me until they saw she was fully buckled in

[Shreddingbetty]

Another vote for the CARES harness here. DD does fine with it. I do let her out of it once the seatbelt sign goes off (when she asks). She will sleep in it when she is completely and utterly exhausted. Otherwise I have her sleep in her seat (with her feet or head on my lap) and just buckle her with the lap belt in case of turbulence during her sleep.
From the sounds of it it would be a good idea for your kiddo. Car seat takes up too much room, they can kick the seat in front and you pretty much lose the space underneath the seat in front because you can't really get to it.

[hillbillygal]

One thing that I read somewhere a few years ago from one mother, to prevent or at least reduce the kicking of the seat, take their shoes off. When they kick the seat with shoes on, they don't feel it. Having shoes off and kicking doesn't feel too good on bare (socked) feet. Would you want to keep kicking if it hurt your feet?

[americaninoz]

I don't think a 2 to cares, the one time I brought a car seat she tried to kick the while time, probably partly cause I said not to! They aren't very rational at that age