CARES helps children fly safely

Flying with a little one brings with it concerns over safety that parents struggle to find easy answers for. Bria is small for her age — about 30 pounds at age four — and we really feel most comfortable if she is buckled into a car seat, especially for take-off and landing.

But if you’ve ever tried lugging a car seat through the airport (especially on an international trip), you know it is far from convenient. Even with the wheeled cart to turn it into a semi-stroller, there’s nothing simple about traveling with a convertible seat in tow. I am certain I have said at least once that I would NEVER do it again!

Enter the CARES Airplane Safety Harness – an excellent answer for a frustrating dilemma. Made for kids 22-45 pounds and up to 40 inches tall, it helps kids fly safe in an FAA-approved way.

The CARES weigh less than one pound, and fits easily in any purse, diaper bag, or carry on – that’s a stark comparison to the Britax car seat we used to lug along! Now we check the car seat (free on most airlines), and don’t have to deal with it until we reach our destination.

Installation is simple, taking just a few short steps. It even comes with a card to share with the flight attendant or anyone else who might be wondering about the seat (we always get asked). Additional documentation is also available for download on the FAA website.

We have found that if there are any indentations in the seat to contain the tray table, the strap doesn’t work underneath it. Unfortunately this means the strap has to go over the top, effectively rendering the tray table of the person behind you useless. For this reason, if we will need seats in more than one row, we usually book two rows in front of each other, rather than next to each other, so we don’t have to inconvenience other travelers. Of course, that doesn’t always work, so be prepared to smile big, apologize lots, and remove it promptly outside of take-off and landing times.
Traveling with kids can be hairy — the CARES system relieves some stress, which means I’m all about it!

UPDATE: Not all airplanes are created equal! We have found that there are plane seats the CARES does not seem to be compatible with. When the seat front is concave, it makes the strap the shoulder pieces hang off sit out away from the seat, pushing her head forward. Unfortunately that made the harness very difficult to use on this particular plane.

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North Dakota: Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit

Sharp, unforgiving badlands. Rolling rivers. Oceans of prairie. Breathtaking wildlife. There’s something genuinely special about Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota.

The park is separated into three units – the North Unit, just south of Watford City, is nearest our home, so we popped down to do the Junior Ranger program and have a picnic. (The other units are the South Unit, with an entrance near Medora, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit – Roosevelt’s home base.)

A favorite area of the 26th president, the rugged landscapes of this park is largely untouched more than 125 years after he spent time here. If you go seeking bison, you will most certainly not be disappointed.

Bria loves to do Junior Ranger programs each time she visits a national park, and this one is a great example. This booklet is aimed at ages 6-12, but with a little reading help, it’s a great fit for preschoolers. Bria loves that the Theodore Roosevelt Junior Ranger includes a ranger program and hiking a trail. And of course there’s a badge!

Stop by the ranger station near the entrance to get all of the information before heading in to the park. The program is free, but they also have fun little Junior Ranger kits available for purchase.

The views in this park are spectacular. Be sure to plan enough time to just sit and drink it in when visiting.

Other favorite stops are the Prairie Dog Town (there are literally hundreds, and you may find that they are inches away at times) and the 14-mile scenic drive.
For longer stays, camping is also available. Check out the park’s website for details.

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