It’s our job to protect our kids

Elisheva Braun

Our children are the most precious things Hashem has given us. And as parents and adults, it’s our responsibility to make sure that they’re safe. As we take off for our various vacation adventures, let’s keep safety considerations front and center.

Car seats and car safety can be frustrating, annoying, and expensive, but of course, when it comes to our children’s safety, there’s nothing more important or worthwhile.

Pish Posh Baby’s Molly and Rebecca came down to our office to offer clarity and perspective on car seat safety.

Let’s hit the road.

Meet the staff

Molly: CPST (child passenger safety technician), operations

Rebecca: operations

Molly and Rebecca, busy mothers themselves, understand the pain points of car seats—the always-present rush that makes insisting on buckling so irritating, the pressure to get carpool rolling, the kvetching from the kids who want to sit in a “big” seat, and the onerous car seat complications from unwieldy installation to twisted straps.

They’re here to help parents find equipment that works best for them and their families and to remind us that our children are our most precious, protection-worthy assets.

Buckling up

“People are often in a rush, and while we know that young children need to be in car seats, it’s easy to overlook this in the chaos of daily life,” Rebecca begins. “Many parents are constantly juggling drop-offs, pickups, and errands, and may think, ‘It’s just a quick trip; it’ll be fine.’ But anything can happen in a quick drive around the corner.”

She adds, “It’s understandable to feel frustrated when your child resists getting buckled in. But if you consistently reinforce the importance of using car seats and buckling up from a young age, it becomes second nature for them. My three-year-old reminds me if I forget to buckle her. She has learned that it’s a routine we follow every time we get in the car.”

Molly says, “Training your children to buckle up from a young age makes a big difference. If they understand that it’s for their safety, they’re less likely to argue about it as they grow older. While the crying and fussing may be challenging, it’s a small price to pay for their safety during that brief period. In the long run, they learn to do it themselves and understand the importance of being properly secured.”

Carpool is a tough one. “It’s really nice to do chessed for others, but we also have to be honest about whether we have enough seats for the kids we’re picking up. Double buckling or putting kids who should be in car seats or boosters in regular seats just isn’t safe.”

Rebecca illustrates her point. “If you were having guests for Shabbos, you wouldn’t take more people than you have beds.”

Every parent faces the challenge of getting their kids to buckle up. It can be tough!

Molly turns putting on seatbelts into a fun game for her four-year-old and two-year-old. “We see who can buckle up first, and I tell them it’s a surprise for Mommy. Making it enjoyable helps, and you just need to get them involved quickly.”

Sometimes, it’s about finding the right car seats. And for older kids, you can gently explain why buckling up is essential and what could happen if they don’t.
“It also helps to set a good example. When parents use seat belts themselves, they show their kids that safety is key,” Rebecca advises.

Baby on board

Knowing the dangers and pitfalls, seeing people make dangerous mistakes can be painful for the duo.

Some of their customers come in with their babies swaddled in the Doona so only the chest clip is buckled.

“You can see how easily the baby can slide out of the seat without the lower buckle,” Molly says. “Car seat buckles are all there for a reason. They must be used properly to work.”

Fake Doonas are another dangerous trend.

“In an accident, the fake Doona will fall apart. The car seats on the American market are approved by safety regulations. They’re made from aluminum; that’s why they’re expensive. The cheap Chinese Doona-style car seats are all made of plastic. Though they look the same on the outside, they’re not made to withstand a crash,” says Rebecca.

Guidelines  (sidebar-?)

Molly and Rebecca summarize New Jersey’s car seat regulations.

 

1. Doona—infant car seat (rear facing only)
2. Maxi Cosi Pria All-In-One—convertible car seat (can be forward or rear facing)
3. Chicco MyFit Harness + Booster Car Seat—harness booster (Forward facing only)
4. Diono Cambria 2 Two-In-One Booster – booster (forward facing only)

• Keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until they’re two years old and 20 pounds. You can use either an infant car seat or a convertible car seat. If your child’s head is within one inch of the top of the infant car seat, it’s time to switch, as the seat will no longer provide proper protection.
• Once your child meets the age and weight requirements, they can transition to a forward-facing car seat or booster. It’s best to keep them in a harness for as long as possible, ideally until they reach 40 pounds, typically around age four or five.
• Children should remain in a booster seat (backless is okay) until they’re at least eight years old. Additionally, children under 12 shouldn’t sit in the front seat due to the risk posed by airbags, as their bodies aren’t developed enough to handle that impact.

Installation

“As a CPST professional,” Molly tells me, “I’m required to assist with all car seats. People often call us to install their car seats, even those we don’t sell, which means I sometimes need to look up installation instructions. We have several CPSTs on staff, and we do installations by appointment, free of charge. Police stations and fire stations also offer certified installation as a public service. If you want to install the car seat yourself, follow the manufacturer’s tutorial or manual. Once you get the idea, it’s a lot easier than you may think.

“When checking your installation, make sure the car seat doesn’t move more than one inch at the belt path, which is where the seatbelt or anchors connect. Additionally, be aware that some car seats can overlap the car’s seat, while others can’t. Always refer to the manual that comes with your car seat for specific instructions. If you’re unsure, feel free to call us or bring your car seat to us for assistance. We’re committed to ensuring your child’s safety, just as you are.”

Recs (sidebar-?)

Here are some of Molly’s and Rebecca’s favorite car seats:

Maxi Cosi Mico Luxe—$199.99. Lightweight (nine pounds), the handle makes it comfortable to carry, very comfortable for the baby, and easily connects to the Maxi Taxi ($159.99), which is like a Snap-and-Go and folds very small so you can just keep it in your car.

Doona—$550–$650. The Doona is an innovative car seat with integrated wheels so that you never need to go to the trunk to get your stroller. Parents should keep in mind that the Doona is a car seat and not a stroller and babies shouldn’t be in it consistently for over two hours at a time. It should also not be used to sleep in, unless the baby falls asleep in it while you’re driving. The Doona weighs 17 pounds. The Doona has many amazing accessories that can be purchased separately, including the essentials bag, the new tote bag, and the rain cover.

Maxi Cosi Romi—it’s affordable at $129.99, lightweight at 7.8 pounds, great for travel, and perfect for someone who wants a basic car seat with no bells and whistles; it can be both rear and forward facing.

Maxi-Cosi offers a wide price range. Their basic model starts at around $130. While this seat is simple without many extra features, it prioritizes safety. They also have options with bells and whistles like a rotating option, magnetic buckles, and a built-in fan to keep your child cool.

 

Diono Radian 3R—$249.99. The cool thing about Diono car seats is that you can fit three of their car seats in one row, so this brand is perfect for people with large families and small cars. This model goes from birth to booster, starting as a rear facing car seat and eventually becoming a high-back booster seat.

Diono has some great narrow car seats that are only about 17 inches wide. If you’re worried about space, that’s the way to go. They also convert to booster seats, though not backless ones.

 

Babyark—$990. Innovative design, incredibly strong with steel springs, sleek look, and high tech. The base connects to an app that teaches you to install the car seat and tells you if it was done correctly, and it has a forgotten child alert and alerts you if your child gets unbuckled while driving.

A high-end option is the Babyark, which has magnetic straps that prevent buckle twisting, the bane of car seats.

 

Chicco Fit360—$399. Rotates to make getting child out easy, one time install, just rotate from rear to forward facing, and magnetic buckles hold the straps out of the way while you’re putting your child in.

For super simple installation, we recommend the Britax ClickTight car seat collection.

Just like Mommy used to

Remember the station wagons, with those all-you-can-fit trunks? There’s a myth that as long as we’re doing what our mothers did, we’re okay.

“When it comes to car seat safety, this couldn’t be further from the truth,” says Rebecca. “For example, back when most of us were growing up, a baby could be forward-facing at one year old, but the rules have changed. Now the law requires that children must remain rear facing until they’re two and weigh at least 20 pounds. We also used to put a baby’s infant seat in the front of the car, between the two front seats. Today that’s obsolete.”

Molly remembers discussing car safety with neighbors years ago. “One neighbor said, ‘The stricter rules are just a way for car seat companies to make more money.’ I explained that regulations exist because accidents happen. Experts study what happens to the people in those situations, and they try to prevent something like that from ever happening again.”

Don’t try this at home

Common mistakes Molly and Rebecca want you to avoid.

• In the wintertime, it’s so tempting to buckle the kids in their coats. I used to do it too until I took the safety course. But when there’s a coat in the way, the seat belts don’t have a strong enough hold on the child. There’s too much of a gap, and the kid can easily come out. I like to slip off their coats once they’re in the car, buckle them in, and if it’s chilly, use their coats as blankets to keep them warm.
• Younger children may squirm, so it’s important to ensure that the seatbelt is snug but not too tight. The straps should be tight enough that you can’t pinch them, but you should still be able to fit a finger underneath the buckle. If you can pinch the strap, it’s too loose.
• Some car seats have a lifespan of 10 years, which is why expiration dates are important. People often wonder about these dates, thinking that their older car seat is still functioning well. However, the straps could be fraying, or the plastic might be deteriorating, making it less safe in an accident. Even if the seat looks fine on the outside, you can’t see the potential issues underneath.
• If you’re involved in an accident, you must replace your car seats. Once they’ve undergone that kind of pressure, their strength is compromised. Thankfully, insurance usually covers the cost.

“It’s essential for parents to understand the importance of using car seats properly. We all strive to do our best for our children—providing healthy meals, sending them to good schools, and supervising outdoor play. It can be overwhelming, and there’s a lot going on. But ensuring our children’s car seat safety is literally a matter of life and death,” Rebecca concludes.

Safety features

The pair share the latest car seat safety innovations.

Cybex created a line of car seats with SensorSafe technology. The chest clip has four levels of protection (all through an app on your phone):

1. It alerts you if your child was left in the car.
2. It alerts you if the temperature gets too hot or too cold in the car seat.
3. It alerts you if your child opens the chest clip.
4. Since it isn’t recommended to have your baby in the car seat for over two hours, it will alert you to take a break after two hours.

Doona SensAlert alerts you if your child is left in the car by sensing when your phone has moved too far away from the car seat. Compatible with most car seats, it alerts your phone, calls your phone, and will call your emergency contacts in case of an emergency.

BabyArk has “child forgotten” reminders and buckling confirmation so that you never forget to buckle your child in.

Cybex car seats feature sensor technology that detects when a child is left in the car. When the car is turned on, it connects to the vehicle, and it sends an alert to the parents’ phones if the buckle remains fastened when the car is off.

Doing our best: Molly’s story

One year, we were driving to Florida for Pesach when we were rear-ended in a shocking hit-and-run. Baruch Hashem, our car was loaded with supplies. The officer said that if it hadn’t been for the extra weight, the car would have flipped over multiple times. The back windshield was completely shattered. Miraculously, no one was hurt. When the EMT arrived, I was crying. I told him, “I try so hard to keep my kids safe.” “Mom, you did your job,” he responded. I really needed to hear that. Things happen; we can’t be foolproof. But if we do our hishtadlus to keep our kids safe, Hashem will do His job and protect them.

Becoming a CPST

CPST training is a three-day live course that runs for about eight hours each day. Participants learn car seat safety and installation. You can take the course to be fully informed when installing your car seat.