Safe Travels + A Fabulous Giveaway

I have very vivid memories of being elementary school-aged, taking road trips during the summer with my father, my sister, Aunt, Uncle and my beloved cousins. It was the 80’s and we piled into the back of a large van and played Barbies for many hours on a blanket where the benches should have been. Given that I lived on the other side of the continent for the rest of the year, those days playing with my cousins were some of the best of my childhood.

I think of those lax car-seat laws now and am reminded of how simple life used to be, back when we were young; before computers, the internet, and social media. Now that I am grown and have five children of my own, I am keenly aware of what it takes to ensure my children are safe, not to mention one of the most glorious parts of the internet-the enormous amount of resources and news available at our fingertips. I want the very best for my children, and I feel empowered and equipped knowing that I can turn to certain websites for the latest and most accurate information. Given that seatbelt and car seat laws change fairly rapidly for children based on new studies and statistics, this is one of the areas that I keep close watch on. Since becoming a parent 10 years ago, during that time alone there have been significant updates. Most recently and importantly, the most recent AAP recommendation for children to ride rear-facing – the safest position – until at least age 2. When shopping for a new car seat before Demi was born, I turned to Consumer Reports and purchased the number one rated Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat and NextFit Convertible Car Seat.

Recently, Chicco launched their newest model, the Fit2 Infant & Toddler Car Seat that comfortably fits infants and toddlers to ride rear-facing until at least two, is now available at  Babies“R”Us. With two positions that keep the seat in one place even when adjusted to fit a toddler, it makes it that much more comfortable for the child, and the parent as well. We kept Evvie rear facing until she was nearly two and a half, and it didn’t bother her a bit, in fact, she liked being turned that way because it was easier to interact with her siblings and the seat back made it easier for her to keep toys and books in her lap. It was an easy decision for me, but not quite as easy for everyone else. Because it isn’t likely that parents will communicate with parents about the safety issues surrounding turning children younger than 2, Chicco launched TurnAfter2.com, an initiative and social activation that encourages parents to share their rear-facing toddlers on social media with the hashtag #TurnAfter2 to open the lines of communication and acceptability around keeping children rear racing until after two years old.

As fondly as I remember the days of bouncing down the road in the back of the van with my cousins, carefree and happy as can be, I am grateful for the knowledge and resources available to me as an adult. I was happy to keep Evvie riding rear-facing until after two, and I will do the same with Demi. Armed with knowledge that helps me make the best decisions to keep my kids as safe as possible is crucial to my success as a parent and the health and happiness of my children. The Chicco Fit2 and their new TurnAfter2 program are both products and initiatives that I am proud to back as an influencer and as a parent.

GIVEAWAY:

To enter to win a Chicco Fit2 Infant & Toddler Car Seat, simply upload a photo tagging and pledging to #turnafter2, @mommasgonecity and include a Twitter post tagging @ChiccoUSA where readers/followers pledge to #TurnAfter2 (e.g., “Hey @ChiccoUSA, I pledge to #TurnAfter2 and would love to win a Fit2!”) and why you’d like to win.

Winner announced the following Monday on Twitter. Good Luck!