When Nadia was about 10 months old we made the rookie mistake of trying to fly from Chicago to Seattle with her on our laps. I mean, why pay for a ticket if you don't have to, right? After that nightmarish flight, we vowed to never again travel with a mobile child on a plane without paying for that extra seat. Flash forward to last week when we traveled from Seattle to Kansas City to visit our family. Nadia at 4, is perfectly capable of sitting still in the regular old airplane seat belt, but Isaac is a different story. There is no way to make the belt tight enough to keep him from squirming right out of it. This leaves us two options. One, we could drag a car seat through the airport and onto the plane. Or, we could use the CARES child aviation restraint system. Again, we opted for leaving the car seat behind. Why lug such an awkward and heavy thing around when we could just throw the lightweight CARES into our carry-on?
I originally reviewed the CARES in the fall of '08 when Nadia was 2. We used it on multiple flights and found it to exceed our expectations. We hadn't really had the opportunity to use it with Isaac until our most recent trip, and once again, CARES saved the day! On the three and a half hour trip to Kansas City, Isaac probably slept for 2+ hours in the seat next to his dad. He never once argued about wearing the CARES. And, it's worth mentioning that the toddler in the seat behind us was also strapped into a CARES. There were no tears and no stressed out parents in our section of the plane!
On the way back, I was on my own. I had packed very lightly for the trip and my only carry-on was my regular diaper bag. I simply attached the CARES to the stroller strap of my Babymel diaper bag, and it was right there when the kids and I got on the plane. After boarding, I quickly and painlessly got the CARES attached to Isaac's seat and got both kids settled with a box of dried fruit to wait for the take-off which never ended up happening. Our plane had broken down which meant I had to repack everything and move both kids to a new plane. I wasn't happy, but again, thank goodness for the CARES. It's so easy to use that I just pulled it off the seat, stuffed it into its little bag and we were ready to start all over again on a new plane! Imagine how I frustrated and stressed I would have been if I'd had to drag two kids and a car seat off one plane and onto another! Once we were finally in the air, Isaac took another nap in the CARES. This time it wasn't as long, but that was a function of the lack of sleep from the night before. Or maybe it was the smell of the warm Midwest Airlines chocolate chip cookies?
After several flights and two kids worth of use, I would like to reiterate that if you fly with your young children more than once a year, then an investment in the CARES is something you should really consider. It's so much more portable than traveling with a car seat. It is comfortable, as evidenced by my sometimes sleeping, but always smiling Isaac, and most importantly, it's a safe way for your child to travel on an airplane.
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38 comments:
my tip is to always have snacks handy
With our first child I started flying with him at 3 months. He has been to 6 different countries and countless states in his five short years of life. And I really I should say four short years because we haven't travelled in the past year and half. I had a difficult pregnancy and then the birth of our second child. So we are getting ready for our first plane trip as a family of four. Should be interesting. We are going to Disney, yeahhh I am so excited.
We'll be going to Disney this August with my sister, brother-in-law, 2 nieces, and parents. My son will only be about 15 months by then, but it'll be more about us being together as a family rather than him absorbing Disney. The CARES sounds like it's just the thing we need!
We just came back from a trip to New York City. My little guy loved being on the plane as he says "plane flys woo woo in the sky". Although he is usually great on flights, this time he was a little squirmy. He is getting to the "terrible twos" soon. I think CARES would be a great addition for our next trip which we will be taking pretty soon.
we are going to utah soon so we could definately use this and I like to get a few new cheap toys or books for the trip so she has something new and excited to do on the plane. amypugmire@live.com
We have a trip across the pond in a few months and it is the first time our little one will have his own seat. He hates planes so not sure how we are going to cope yet since the other trips I was still breastfeeding and the boob saved us. We are reading and looking at lots of planes and going to make a special bag of toys he can't play with until we get on the plane but he still says, "I don't like planes. I want to drive." hmmm wonder if this fantastic restraint would make him feel like he was in his car seat.
tvollowitz at aol dot com
What perfect timing!! I am so looking for one of these!! We are planning a trip to Dinsey in December and I am needing one for my Son who will be 2 at that time!! I have heard such wonderful things about them!!!
nmv31779@yahoo.com
When my 4 1/2 year old was younger and we flew, I bought something from one step ahead that was not FAA regulation so I could not use it. I am so happy to see this item as my 2 year old thinks he can walk all around the plane. When we hold him in our lap he likes to stand up and push the button for the flight attendant. This is a great idea and I would love to win it. Tips: we bring along a portable DVD player and head phones and that will occupy the kids most of the flight. Books work wonders too.
We always have snacks & drinks on hand and some new little toys when we travel.
Had a family emergency and flew half way across the country last minute when my girl was 11.5 months and a brand new walker. Oh, and without my husband. I bought the very last seat on the plane, which of course was the window seat in the very last row, right next to the bathroom. As you can imagine, it was a delightful trip and I swore I would never take her as a lap child ever, ever again.
We're planning to go to San Antonio in September and my son will just be four. This will be perfect for him!
brandi.westmoreland(at)gmail(dot)com
We just purchases a CARES and used it on a flight. My 2 year old had a great time sitting in a "big girl seat belt" and it was super easy to use. Highly recommended!
I live across the big pond from my parents so if I want to visit them and give them some grandparent fun time I have to take my two kids under 4 over on the aeroplane by myself, and back. Each flight throws up new challenges and hurdles to surmount as the kids get older. Last time we had to take three planes, and two trains to get to my childhood home. Ugh.
pinkaboo_uk [at] yahoo [dot] com
thanks
I would LOVE this. My little one screamed and squirmed from Phoenix to Philadelphia and I was traveling with him alone! I had to ask the flight attendant to watch him for a second so that I could go and cry in the bathroom. Nightmare!
Oh, I have been wanting one of these. We are planning our FIRST family vacation (our daughter is almost 2) to Santa Fe this May. Very excited but scared.
We are going to Grandma's to celebrate her 60th birthday soon. It would be great not to carry the car seat through the airport.
We're planning on visiting my sister and her family in Israel this summer although I'm scared of the plane trip with my kids- a 6 year, 2 year old twins and newborn!
We've traveled with a full size car seat (a Graco ComfortSport). It was a nightmare lugging it through the airports, and our son didn't sit much in it anyway - he was in our laps or needing to be walked around. That was an awful flight! Thank you for the giveaway :0
We are going to Disneyland in October, this would make me feel MUCH better. Thanks for the chance!!
mogrill@comcast.net
We are going to Disneyland next year. Flying, of course. I'm nervous, especially for Paige, my youngest. I want her to be safe and have a great time.
seeryusfam@msn.com
My grandaughter could use.
I could really use one. I am a nanny and all my kids fly all the time!
we are going to Washington D.C. with my 16 old at the end of next month and we desperately need one of these!!!! We have never flown with her before and she hates to just be held in a lap so we are definitely buying her a seat and this would be PERFECT and way better than lugging our big carseat through the airport! I had been looking at cares and I just loved your review!
ykatrina at hotmail dot com
For Spring Break we are taking the family to Prague. We have a 2 1/2 year old who has only flown on an airplane once as an infant, and this would be a great alternative to lugging a bulky car seat (in addition to the stroller, the baby bag, the carry-ons, etc...you all know the dreaded drill) on such a lengthy trip. Thank you!
msurosey@yahoo.com
My upcoming family vacation will be me and my brothers and parents going to the beach (a 3 hour drive!) :)
Amanda Barnes
amandakbarnes90@gmail.com
My best tip is to buy a portable dvd player. It's the only way we got through an international flight with my toddler!
The last long flight we took was when our daughter was just a year old. We flew to Europe and back and I was glad to have my husband with us on our way back cause 9 hours holding a 1-year-old ... oh boy! I know we'll have to travel overseas again in September, which means she will be two by then and I'd so prefer using this restraint system instead of a car seat that she hates!!!
We are taking our first family trip to San Francisco next month. This would be PERFECT for my 3-year-old because he is insanely hyperactive and I worry about the plane ride. My tip for travel would have to be to make sure that there is a lot of snacks and coloring/activity books for the kids.
ag1414@hotmail.com
We took a trip to Hawaii last October and it was so stressful since out airline kept having delays which made us miss connecting flights. Plus my son was really antsy since we live on the East Coast so it was a really long & tiring. tylerpants(at)gmail.com
We are planning on going on a family vacation sometime in the next year. This would be super great for our 2 year old as she is rather active! :)
We've only had one horrible driving experience that involved eating at Burger King, my husband having gasoline spilled on him as he tried to fill up the car, dead stopped traffic surrounded by 18-wheelers topped off by our 17 month old throwing up in his carseat. gas-diesel-puke
Thankfully we only had to endure that perfume for the last hour of our drive.
judychrz at gmail.com
About to be a first-time grandmother - want only the best!!
I'm going to be flying 'cross country with my 2 kids (sans DH)this Spring and one of these would sure come in handy!The thought of lugging around a car seat when I'm on my own is frightening!
murphykatt[at]yahoo[dot]com
I think a portable DVD player is a must-have when traveling. Nowadays they are affordable and will keep kids occupied!
My nephew flies to Texas about once every 5 weeks so this would be an excellent help!
My nephew flies to Texas about once every 5 weeks so this would be an excellent help!
We'll be going to Los Angeles.
I can't believe I won and I can't wait to get it!
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