Be a hero, friends, be a hero.

In a day and age where information is readily available LITERALLY at your fingertips, I never cease to be amazed by the horrors I see every time I leave my house. What, pray tell, am I talking about?

Car Seat Safety, friends, car seat safety.

This subject comes up a lot among my friends inside the computer. Every so often someone finds themselves in a situation where they must choose between saying something to a complete stranger, or feeling residual feelings of guilt as they watch a child placed, often unbeknownst  to the parents, in a precarious situation. 

I know, you're sitting here wondering what the heck I'm talking about. If a child is unsafe, then OF COURSE you tell them. Right? Seems easy.

But how do you change an ingrained thought process of millions of people everywhere that something is ok, or correct a mistake that most people don't even realize they are making. Car. Seat. Safety. It's serious, and it needs to be addressed.

Issue Number 1. The infamous Chest Clip.

Here's a picture for you, so you can see what I'm talking about.

This is the appropriate way to place a chest clip vs the INAPPROPRIATE AND UNACCEPTABLE way.

Now, before you get the idea that I am some nose in the air, superior to you, know it all mother. Take a minute. Rethink. I'm talking about how So Many People are incorrectly buckling their children into their car seats. Not just infants, because toddler seats also have a chest clip. Not a stomach clip, not a double crotch clip, not an optional clip. A mother trucking Chest Clip. Buckle your kids. Because it keeps them in their seat. God forbid, you get into an accident and your child flies out of his/her car seat because you didn't take the extra 3 seconds to slide that sucker up. It's not difficult to "Place at armpit level" and you can never assume that it won't happen to you. Because that's usually when it does.

Spread the word friends, tell everyone you know. Hurt their feelings. Hell, feelings be damned. You could save a child's life by simply informing everyone around you about the dangers of improperly buckling your child. You know what that makes you? A hero, friend, that makes you a hero. 

Issue Number 2: Car seats on the handles of carts.

This is the twitchy subject. This is the one that people everywhere are usually Doing Wrong, and think it's ok, because Everyone Is Doing It. This is not high school folks, this is your kids we're talking about. Just because the other moms have their infant carriers on the handle of a shopping cart, Does Not make it ok. In fact, I want you to walk over to them and maybe share this article about a mom who lost her 3 month old because the cart hit a bump, the infant carrier hit the ground, and the baby died. It is a serious problem that has a  slew of excuses to go along with it. It is a popular discussion on my mommy board. In fact, 4 out of 4 Internet gangstas agree, don't put your car seat on the cart (that one is for you Nik!). Here's the excuses that one would normally hear, and a counter response to each.

Excuse: I don't have room for my groceries in I put the carrier in the actual seat. 

My Reply: Um, your child could be injured, or even die. Use the seat part and the space around the car seat.

E: But this is a big trip

MR: Pull two carts, baby in one, groceries in the other.

E: Well I would look silly doing that, and it's too hard.

MR: I've done it. With three kids. Older kids in each seat of the buggies, and baby in the basket of one. Try again.

E: Well, that's hard to maneuver for me, I'm all by myself.

MR: Get a babysitter. 

E: Well I don't know anybody who could watch my child while I shop.

MR: Use the store provided infant seat that is welded to the very cart.

E: None were available.

MR: Wear your baby.

E: I don't have a wrap.

MR: Put your groceries on the bottom part of the cart, under the basket.

E: Well that's inconvenient.

MR: Then stop having kids asshat, because that my friend, is life. 

What I'm saying here is, it does not matter what excuse you give me. Your child is always more important. Always. Spread the words friends. You could save a life. What does that make you? A hero, that's what.

And if you're offended by the information I'm sharing with you, then you're probably doing it wrong. Don't be offended. Think of it less as "I'm shoving statistics at you" and more as "I am a mother protecting my children, concerned about protecting other mother's children too". 

That's real talk right there.