Opinions on car seats on planes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends. I have flown many many times with my now two year old. There is NO way she would sit in a car seat for a long flight (over 2 hours) so then it just gets in the way. We always buy her seat and rent a CARES harness for take off/landing and turbulence but beyond that she gets up and down from her seat to play on the floor. The full size seats are huge and may put your kids feet into the seat in front of them which means non stop kicking. We held her on our lap until she was 9 months old and then get her a seat with no car seat. We gate check the seat. Althugh we have rented them with cars before, they meed all safety standards but definitely not as nice as the one we own.

Do you let her decide whether to sit in her car seat in the car too? And does she set her own bedtime and choose her own meals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends. I have flown many many times with my now two year old. There is NO way she would sit in a car seat for a long flight (over 2 hours) so then it just gets in the way. We always buy her seat and rent a CARES harness for take off/landing and turbulence but beyond that she gets up and down from her seat to play on the floor. The full size seats are huge and may put your kids feet into the seat in front of them which means non stop kicking. We held her on our lap until she was 9 months old and then get her a seat with no car seat. We gate check the seat. Althugh we have rented them with cars before, they meed all safety standards but definitely not as nice as the one we own.

Do you let her decide whether to sit in her car seat in the car too? And does she set her own bedtime and choose her own meals?

I am not PP, but in the car I don't care about bothering other passengers. I am sure you are one of those parents on the plane who just lets their kid scream, but I am not. My kids stay quiet and one of the reasons is that I don't strap them in car seats they hate!

[Anonymous]

I wonder how many parents who vehemently argue for car seats on the plane due to the increase in risk also take care to only put their children in the car for mandatory errands. Car rides are a risk, right? And why would you put your child at risk to go to the mall, or get a coffee, or go shopping.

I have gone the lap baby route with two children. I also felt that children screaming in car seats for hours what not a trade off I wanted to make, especially when there is such an infinitesimal increase in risk.

[Anonymous]

Not all kids in carseats on planes scream.

[Anonymous]

Oh if your baby likes the carseat then it makes sense. I think the point is parents who choose lap status are not irresponsible.

[Anonymous]

Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

The 3rd seat could cost $45. Just sayin'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

The 3rd seat could cost $45. Just sayin'

How?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

Will you magically find the money once your kid turns two and you're forced to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

Will you magically find the money once your kid turns two and you're forced to?

I don't know where we'll be in 18 months. I know that right now, I do not have an extra $500.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

Option 3) Give up some luxuries you have (smart phone, eating out, coffee, alcohol, movies, etc) so that you can afford appropriate transportation for your child.

[Anonymous]

I've been on a plane with sudden, intense turbulence in which I smashed my head against the side of the plane. I always bring the carseat even though it's a major PITA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

Option 3) Give up some luxuries you have (smart phone, eating out, coffee, alcohol, movies, etc) so that you can afford appropriate transportation for your child.

You obviously have lots of luxuries to give up. Not everyone does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Option 1) Fly as a lap child to see grandma and grandpa
Option 2) Never see grandma and grandpa

Too far to drive (cross country) and too expensive to buy the 3rd seat. Is it riskier? Sure. But I didn't want to risk my parents never meeting their grandchild because I couldn't afford a $500 plane ticket.

Option 3) Give up some luxuries you have (smart phone, eating out, coffee, alcohol, movies, etc) so that you can afford appropriate transportation for your child.

You obviously have lots of luxuries to give up. Not everyone does.

Are you accessing DCUM from a public library computer? If not, it seems you might have some luxury item to give up as well.

[Anonymous]

I would think that it is more sensible to give up plane rides, which are the definition of luxury, than basic internet. I was never on a plane in my life until I was 17. If it was so far we couldn't drive it, say -- more than 20 hours -- we didn't go.