How Do You Find the Best Car Seat to Protect Your Child

Choosing a good car seat for your child's protection is a prime consideration for any new parent. To give your child the best chance of escaping injury in the event of a collision, you'll need to a car seat suited to your child's age and weight.

To choose a proper car seat, you'll need to understand that there are three main types of car seats for children. These are: infant car seats, infant / toddler (convertible) car seats, and booster seats.

Infant Car Seats

If you have a newborn baby, or your child is under a year old, he needs to ride in a rear-facing car seat. You'll need to decide on buy a rear-facing infant car seat, or you can buy an infant / toddler car seat (also called a convertible car seat). The difference between the two is that the infant car seat is designed for babies around 20 pounds and under, while the convertible car seat be used facing the rear until your child is a year old and at least 20 pounds, before turning it to face forward. If you purchase an infant car seat, rest assured that the new models have a five-point harness to keep your baby strapped in securely. The disadvantage, of course, is that you'll need to buy a convertible car seat later when your child grows older.

Infant / toddler (convertible)

Car Seats These car seats are larger than infant-only car seats and more expensive. However, they can be used for your child from the newborn stage (when he is less than a year old and under 20 pounds) right up to the toddler stage (when he is at least a year old and at least 20 pounds). It depends on your choice. Some parents choose to use convertible car seats as their primary car seat from day one. Others only switch to an infant/toddler convertible seat when their baby outgrows the infant car seat.

Booster Car Seats

Booster car seats are meant for children age 3 and older who weigh at least 40 pounds. What's the function of these seats? What they do is to boost your child into a position that makes it safe to use the car's existing seat belt system. Booster seats will cost of (they're pretty expensive) but they'll give your grown toddler a sense of 'adulthood' since most of the models are ergonomic, plush and cool.

About The Author

Gary Hendricks is the editor of www.baby-product-guide.com, a hobby website offering articles on parenting, baby care and baby products.

gary_hendricks@baby-product-guide.com

---

ADHD: A Dialogue With a Non-Believer, part three

Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read the article What You Should Know About Attention Deficit Disorder by Edward W. after having it handed to me by a member of... Read More

Keeping Your Children Safe

The purpose of this article is to address some of the key points parents need to know in order to keep their children safe.Let them know who can help them:When I was an... Read More

MORAL ARMORS Irrational Parenting, Part III

Not Letting Them Think.We all implicitly know that anything questioning the process of cognition itself will be met with massive irritation, making us want to respond with "Don't question my capacity to think."... Read More

Parenting - The Irrational Vocation

There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance is involved in feeling that children are more a satisfaction than a nuisance. Why do people bother with parenting? It is time consuming,... Read More

Surprising Fun Solution to Kids Moods and Attitudes

As a parent, are you at your wits end? Does your child control you? Does your child act up in public? Does your child ignore you, whine, argue, show disrespect, have "moods" or... Read More

War Declared On Instant Messenger: How to Stop Your Child from Wasting Their Life Away Online

Hey Parents! I hate to tell you, but there is no such thing as "useful instant messaging". Your crafty child might try to take advantage of your lack of "Techie" know how when... Read More

Real Monsters Under Your Bed

There may really be a real monster under your kid???s bed!Seriously, they could actually be there!If you are a parent you have heard about monsters under the bed and in the closet. There... Read More

Home For The Holidays: Ask Yourself Some Questions

Annie easily slipped into becoming the sole caregiver of her parents. What started out as monthly grocery shopping for them, over the course of 2 years became a full time duty, an overwhelming... Read More

The Secret of Understanding Children

It was a day that I will forever be etched into my being. My husband was out of town visiting his mother and I was parenting my two extraordinary children solo. After three... Read More

Promoting Your Childs Heart Health

Cardiovascular endurance is one of the five health-related components of physical fitness. It refers to the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. In simple terms,... Read More

Honey I Can?t Afford The Kids

Sex has a lot to answer for ? babies usually ? which then with time and much financial investment grow up to be beautiful mutations of their parents. Yet as the family absorbs... Read More

Teaching Kids to Read

We are all so very happy to see that the First Lady has made reading a renewed priority for our country. The literacy issue is a big one. Kids are being passed year... Read More

Empty Nest Syndrome

Paula's last child had just gone off to college and Paula was struggling with a deep inner emptiness. While she knew this day was coming, she was not really prepared for the intense... Read More

Maturing As a Parent

I have three children, ages 19 and 16 (yes, the 16 year-olds are twins!) My older son just mailed his college deposit and will leave for school sometime in August. Thinking back over... Read More

When Kids Hurt Parents

The cruel callous remarks made by our offspring can sometimes wound us deeply, to the very core of our soul. The hurtful words of our children can scar us like no other. They... Read More

Teacher Tips: Your Room Set-Up and ADHD Students

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the... Read More

New Mom...New Baby...New Debt?

Ah, there is nothing like being an expectant mom. Along with your expanding waistline comes the ever growing list of products for you and your new bundle of joy. Preparing for a new... Read More

Unschooling - the Benefits of Home Based Education

Home schooling benefits children. As a parent, I feel it is important to provide the best opportunities available to my children. Through a process of home educating known as 'unschooling' and eclectic educational... Read More

How to Help Your Children to Blossom

I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina in the southeastern region of the United States.It is gorgeous here in April, with trees covered in white or pink blossoms,... Read More

Income that PAYS Your Child Support WITHOUT Increasing Your Child Support

Child support is defined as that part of your income you would spend on your children if they lived with you. Custodial parents do not pay child support, because it is assumed that... Read More

5 Ways To Help Your Kids Do Math

Uh oh.Your kids arrive home with their school reports and it's poor marks from the math department. Now what do you do?You may not be a math teacher, but thankfully there are ways... Read More

Top Seven Tips for Back-to-School Success

Parents play a critical role in their child's success. These seven tips from http://www.goalsettingforstudents.com explain how to help your child set and achieve goals for the new school year. 1. Set... Read More

How to Put Your Kids (Or Grandkids) On the Fast Track to Success

Working with adults (as well as children and teens) for the past 12 years I have noticed that there are just a few primary struggles that most adults face. I also see how... Read More

THE NEW SCHOOL VISIT: 5 Things to Look For

Today the little red school house is not what it use to be, and along with changes in how our schools are funded, how they are governed, how teachers teach and how children... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: Responding to a Poor Progress Report in School

Q. We just got our daughter's progress report, and it looks as if no matter how hard she works she'll get all C's and D's, when she had been getting A's and B's.... Read More

Introduction to the Medications Used in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder

There are several treatment options available to help improve the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Since there is no prescription medicine that can "cure" for ADHD, the various medical interventions seek to... Read More

The Cost of Competition on Kids

The subject of competition is one that provokes some pretty strong feelings in the United States. In fact, even hinting that competition might not be such a great thing can cause one to... Read More

How to Get Your Children Brand Free

Those of you that have children know what an excursion to the local mall or supermarket can be like. If you're not careful, this simple trip can easily become a wallet draining experience.How... Read More

Guide to Choosing Plush Toys for Children

Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say that plush is a soft material that children love very much and that plush toys are so adorable, that you can't resist them.I... Read More