** disclaimer – This is NOT a sponsored post. We actually BOUGHT the car seat and have been using it almost a year now. I just wanted to share some information with you and challenge your thinking.*
***The two seats in the featured image – 1985 is the seat that Dudie’s teacher, Mrs R-thank you for sending me the picture, used when she was a little girl. This was an actual car seat and lawd alone knows how that seat could have passed safety testing. 2018 is the seat that Troll is currently using.
Reality is little Johnny is not going to be phased with the latest and greatest toy. And I bet that your sweet angel will be playing with pots/pans/cups/cutlery and vegetables almost as quickly as you take down your Christmas tree. Just out of interest, do you buy your baby/toddler expensive gifts/practical gifts?
In the Spirited house – Safety first – NO compromise. The car does not move until you have your belt on and that goes for every single occupant, adult and child alike. Before the kids came along, Dude and I followed this rule regardless. It has become a natural habit for us. You get in, put your seat belt on and start the car. Even Dudie and Troll know the drill, belts on! Period.
I challenge you to think rationally and consider buying a car seat. It is an INVESTMENT. With the festive season in full swing, you might be travelling or not. BUT driving down the road is just as dangerous than taking on a road trip. You just don’t know what lies ahead. Are you sure that you are giving your child(ren) the best safety options, considering what is best for you?
Image credit from @CARSEATFULLSTOP.ORG
I get that budgets differ and as parents we all try to do the best we can in the present moment and circumstance. But I still see way too many kids bobbing around on the seats in moving vehicles on the road. I cringe when my extended family think that I’m being a hard ass about the fact that my children MUST be strapped in EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY ARE IN A CAR! They are my children and I must ensure that I protect them as best I can!
We are currently use the Be Safe iZi Combi x4 isofix for Troll. Yes, I know it’s not an average priced car seat but here are some of the reasons why we bought it anyway:
- Safety crash tested
- Can be used rear or forward facing, although I prefer to keep Troll rear facing. He loves it and chats to me via his mirror 🙂 Dude has used the seat forward facing…
- Can be secured with either isofix or seat belt
- Comes with SIP (Side Impact Protection)
- Excellent value for money
- And Troll seems very comfortable in this seat, being a slightly bigger than average child.
*Don’t fret if you don’t have isofix fittings in your car, securing the car seat with the seat belt actually feels very sturdy.
Click here for more information about the iZi Combi x4 car seat.
Troll and I recently visited the Born Fabulous office in Johannesburg. Here is Troll in the iZi Flex Fix iSize (New Booster Seat from BeSafe).
Troll testing the izi Flex Fix booster seat
He is not ready to move over to this seat as I think he can still get some good wear out of his iZi Combi. But I was keen to see this seat as it is more suitable for Dudie, still in a booster seat at 9 years old and will be in a seat until he is 12 years old if I can help it.
An interesting feature is that the seat is a smaller version of the previous booster and the SIPs (Side Impact Protection) are removable. Technically, you can now fit 3 of these seats next to each other on your back seat. I’ve seen the question of “which seats can be recommended if you need to fit 3 car seats into your vehicle” pop up often. Well, here is something that you might want to consider if you need three car seats on your back seat.
Click here for more information on the iZi Flex Fix iSize.
Another upgrade is the belt collector. We’ve used version 1 and although it served it’s purpose, I am way more impressed with the new belt collector. Here’s a demo of how to install it.
Today, I want to challenge you to rethink your Christmas gift guide.
Would you buy a car seat as a Christmas gift? Why not get family members to chip in and buy a collective gift, re: car seat?
Spirited Mama
x
** After months of extended research and speaking to industry we decided that BeSafe was our best option. There are many people willing to give advice BUT I do recommend that you chat to Mandy Lee Miller at CarSeatFullstop for expert and proven advice and guidance. You can also chat via the facebook page and join the conversation with other parents also looking for advice.
MrsFF
Nope! Not as a Christmas gift! But I guess that is because when it comes to my kids I don’t compromise, so wouldn’t even wait for Christmas. The little boy’s 2 car seats were bought way before he was born. The one with the travel system which I know from experience they outgrow quickly (at least my big kids do ) and the one he will be moving to after that which can be used forward and rear facing. K was rear facing until 2.5 and many people didn’t get it and said oh we moved our child forward at 6 months because they were miserable!!! Not happening in my house rather you be miserable than me be miserable all my life if something happens to you because I turned you forward at 6 months to save me listening to you whining (ok I’m being dramatic but that is how much I feel about this) my friend jokes that I have American standards when it comes to car seat that is why. I’m happy with that!!!
Do you know my child is like a little car seat police can’t count how many times she has asked parents why their child is not in a car seat and I love watching them trying to explain and justify. And she always ends with my mama says kids must always be in car seats… once we were on the gautrain and she was shocked there was no seat belt 😆
MrsFF
Oops sorry I wrote an epistle
spiritedmama1
I love hearing your thoughts and value the time that you take to give your input. x
spiritedmama1
Love this child! I don’t get why adults as well as parents find it so peculiar that my kids are in car seats BUT they wear a seat belt. How do you as an adult buckle up but the kids are bobbing on the back seat? Mind blowing, I tell you. K and Dudie same whatsApp group lol. It baffles me how many kids and parents look at us during the school run and question Dudie about being a 9 year old boy in a car seat… Thank goodness my child is aware that SAFETY comes FIRST. No compromise.
There is no country specific standard. Safety rules apply all over the world. Some countries are just way to lax about enforcing it.
The idea came about seeing people go on and on about expensive gifts yet their kids don’t have car seats… and they actually think that it is OK for their kids not to be strapped in. Some people think that once you have crossed the toddler mark, you don’t really need a car seat any longer. We need to create awareness and spread this message far and wide.
Haha, we also question why there were no seat belts on the Gautrain. Well done on educating Miss K and I’m sure lil bro will be educating his peers soon too. x
Tidi Esther
Great article! My mother was shocked when I refused her to travel with her grandkids without their car seats, I wouldn’t have it. Her old mentality which I can understand up to an extend, is that we turned out fine with no seat belts. Have been educating her since! What happened in 1980 and 2018 on our roads, are worlds apart, our priority now is safety on the roads and saving lives compared to only getting from point 1 to 2. I will add this article to my educating her.
spiritedmama1
Thank you Tidimalo. Appreciate your comment. And yes, it was way different back then. Interestingly, it’s not only the older generations that struggle with the concept of transporting a child in a car seat. So many young/new generations do it too. We need to create awareness and educate everyone. Love how you are educating your mom.