Rental car seats?

Brianna

New member
:yeahthat: J flew last time at 2 1/2. He's normally a crazy wild child who won't sit in one spot for even a short time. He flew in his car seat and sat there happily watching the clouds out of the window until he fell asleep. I'm sure all of the other passengers on the flight (mom included!) were very glad to have a toddler not screaming or trying to run around. He knows what the deal is when he's strapped into his car seat!
 
ADS

T4K

Well-known member
Want 2-3 hours of absolute bliss? Take the seats. No cell phone, don't have to wrestle children? Perfect world.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Here are some examples of why renting car seats is a bad idea:

http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/2007/dec/22/advantage-rent-cars-frightening-car-seats/

http://www.10news.com/news/15200619/detail.html

As for a co-op, you could pay a few dollars to gain access to the Swap section of this board. You could then post to see if anyone in that area is willing to loan you seats for your trip.

Last year my family (DH, two kids) flew across the country while I was 34 weeks pregnant. We took our kids' car seats It was miserable from a pregnancy standpoint, but it would have been that way even if I had been alone. The seats were no big deal. In fact, I wore my daughter's car seat on my back the whole time.
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Something I haven't seen mentioned yet, that you should point out to your husband, is how carseats on the plane help tremendously with children's behavior. Kids are used to their carseats, and they know that being in a carseat means they're going to sit for a while. Travel is stressful for kids, even when it's fun, because so much is different than they're used to. By not using a carseat on the plane, kids get confused and are more likely to act out. When carseats are used, kids are more likely to act just the way they act in the car. And even if they don't, it's much easier to keep them strapped down if you have a carseat than if you just have the plane's seat belts.

Having traveled by plane with kids, I've found that hauling the carseats is worth it JUST for that aspect alone, without even factoring in the safety issues. Even if someone could guarantee me 100% that I could travel by plane and car for an entire vacation without getting in a wreck, I'd still haul the seats just to keep the kids in a better mood.

This a thousand times over. I'm so sick of having to be stuck on planes with 2-4 year olds who scream because their parents don't bring seats for them to sit in, then the toddlers don't understand why they can't run loose on the plane. It makes a stressful situation for everyone (and really, who enjoys hurtling through the air at 30,000 feet while constantly touching someone else and not having legroom and having hard luggage fall on their heads when some doofus opens the overhead bin because they have to be the first one off the plane even though they won't be able to get off for another 15 minutes?). Children who are buckled up in their carseats are better behaved because this is learned behavior from being buckled up in the vehicle, unless, of course, you let them run wild in your vehicle.

If you want something light and easy to carry and something you can even probably stuff some clothes and diapers in as well to carry through the airport, get a Safety 1st Go Hybrid. It's $$$, but it will do the job. It's ff, but for trips, your 2 yr old will do fine. Get a good backless booster, like the Bubble Bum or a Harmony Youth Booster for the 4 yr old and sit in the back seat next to him to make sure he rides correctly.
 
So yeah, I know rental seats are scary, and that it's better to take the seats on the plane. I'm trying my best here to make my husband happy, not spend a lot of money, and keep my kids safe. Thanks to those who have helped with that.

I really wish we could just take the public transit the whole time, but the actual wedding is at a national park 45 min outside of the city. Don't think the subway goes there...

Trying to pick the lesser of the evils here...
 

Baylor

New member
momto3princesses said:
So yeah, I know rental seats are scary, and that it's better to take the seats on the plane. I'm trying my best here to make my husband happy, not spend a lot of money, and keep my kids safe. Thanks to those who have helped with that.

I really wish we could just take the public transit the whole time, but the actual wedding is at a national park 45 min outside of the city. Don't think the subway goes there...

Trying to pick the lesser of the evils here...

I would not be concerned with him being happy but I would be showing him why it's better to take seats from safety POV.

auto correct hates me
 

Ninetales

New member
Your husband is a grown man and can deal with a little inconvenience. His happiness should not trump your children's safety or your sanity.

The lesser of the evils is anything that involves bringing your own seats and does not involve renting a seat. A lot of people think that rental companies have a big supply of good safe seats, when the reality is most keep a just a few (pretty much buckets and boosters) that are old, with outdated safety standards, that are either dirty or have been washed improperly which makes them unsafe. That's if they even have any seats when you get there.

The charge for renting seats would probably come pretty darn close to the same cost of two inexpensive seats. You could bring them on the plane to keep the kids safer and happier, or have you or your husband go out and buy them when you land if taking them on board is really that difficult. But no one here is going to tell you renting seats is ok.
 

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