If you have a baby and plan on leaving your house, chances are one of the most important items you own is a car seat.
In fact, you probably would have never gotten your little one home from the hospital in the first place if it weren't for the handy device strapping them into your vehicle.
I do not remember much of my time in a car seat. However, I know I probably do owe my life to the safety it provided me.
There was even an occasion where a mom posted photos of her two unscathed car seats after a serious collision with her rear bumper. It just goes to show that car seats do their job to keep their passengers safe.
Of course, the need for car seats change as kids get older and bigger. But how old is too old for a car seat?
Thumbnail Photo: YouTube / gracobaby
Some moms believe they should keep their kids in front-facing seats with a harness even as the little ones get older.
Wendy Wisner, staff writer for Scary Mommy, admits: "My 5-year-old is still in a five-point-harness car seat — and will likely be for a few more years to come — because however inconvenient it may be, it’s the safest option for him."
According to healthychildren.org, infants and toddlers should travel in rear-facing car seats until they are about 2 years old.
This is usually the best option for both parties because your baby is safe, and likely being rocked to sleep by the movements of the car.
As kids get a little bigger, they can graduate to a front-facing seat.
This is more exciting for them because they can see everything that's going on, but also reassuring for you since the harness that keeps them safe and in place is clearly visible.
While lugging such a large seat might not be ideal if you have to switch vehicles, the harness strap is often the only thing that can properly secure such a small body in case of an accident.
The next step on the list is a booster seat that utilizes a more grown-up-looking seat belt.
This might be an exciting step for your child, who is beginning to be able to recognize that his or her car seat is a symbol of their lack of independence.
Most children who use booster seats are between the ages of 4 and 8, and should be around 40 to 80 pounds and at least 35 inches tall, according to Safe Seats 4 Kids.
If you're anything like me, you're probably thinking that 8 years old sounds a little advanced to be in a car seat.
However, seeing as most car belts are made for 165-pound males, according to AAA, it may all begin to make sense.
There isn't much argument against the case other than the fact that most kids will kick and scream to get out of their car seats, and it may not be worth the fight.
Safe Seats 4 Kids even suggests kids up to 12 years of age still sit in a booster seat, especially if they're small.
On that note, kids should always sit in the back seat of a car, which tends to be the safest, until they are at least 13 years old.
And of course, it goes without saying that babies should not get behind the wheel (even if they are this cute).
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