Q. I have a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee and my boyfriend is in the process of getting a late 2000's Ford Focus. Any suggestions on a car seat (infant &/or convertible) that fits well in both of these vehicles and functions easily but also safely?
A. Well, if the Ford Focus is a 4 door then from what it looks like it should have plenty of room for a convertible. The Graco My-Ride is one I'd try, you might need to put it in the middle of the backseat between the front seats to get it to lay back but it should be fine. I've actually heard a lot of good things about the Radian XTSL and that it seems taller but because it's actually shorter in the base it fits some cars better. The Grand Cherokee shouldn't give you any sort of trouble, so much room in that one in the backseat that I remember.
I did find this site, and they say that the Graco My-Ride doesn't fit well in their Ford Explorer. But what I'd do there is take the car to Babies R Us or a Toys R Us and try their 'model' in your car to see if it'll fit. You have to make sure it reclines fully for a newborn though. But that gives you the freedom to try them out. People list several of the Britax fitting.
Keep in mind you want to be able to keep them rear-facing at least to 2 years and 30lbs according to the AAP's more recent recommendation (though 4 years is the safest.) So a convertible may be wiser if you want to spend less money in the long run. I remember doing a comparison and since the Radian lasts 8 years it's basically the only seat you'd buy (no infant, convertible, then booster seats, just the one) and it starts to be close to the same price as if you went with having to replace them as the baby grows and goes from 5lbs up. Second link is the importance of keeping them rearfacing.
I was able to keep a Britax Decathlon and Graco My-Ride rearfacing in my old Dodge Reliant which had a very small backseat by putting them in the middle between the front seats until my daughter didn't need the recline as badly. The My-Ride was a bit harder to get to recline better without being between the two though, so I would look at the Britax line at Toys or Babies R Us and see if that will work. You sort of nest it between the front seats.
Add: Fourth link, I found this person complaining that safewise the Ford Focus has the hardest time fitting car seats safety wise, so you'll want to make sure you try it out before buying the seat. Of course they're talking European car seats, so maybe that will make a difference, but it's something I'd be warned about. Fifth link is from someone else asking a similar question and the Radian being recommended because of it's thinner width making it fit 3 to the backseat better (which to me again would make it easier to nest between the two front seats so that it reclines fully, but if your focus has a sort of lump in the middle back seat that might not even be a good place to put the car seat. :(0
Last link, promise. It's the carseatdata car seat search engine. Maybe that will help as well. It's not updated though and doesn't have some of the newer car seats (like the Graco My-Ride, Radian XTSL, or the Britax 70 line) but it should give you an idea of how it will fit and where. Looks like most folks haven't had problems putting them in the middle.
Good family activities to do with my three year old daughter?
Q. She seems to be getting a bit tired of the park, aquarium, zoo, and ponds. Generally this something my wife and I do every other weekend or so, just to get out of the house and spend some time together.
Also, we have twin five months old, and we'd rather not go hiking / camping with the infants, as you can imagine.
My daughter generally enjoys anything with animals, and crafts. She doesn't particularly enjoy anything 'girly' from what we've gathered. Likes to figure out puzzles, and always finding ways to make things 'work'. (She'll find a broken toy and will attempt to make it work again.) Extremely shy, if anyone comes at her too quickly, she's retreat behind my wife's leg.
Open to any serious suggestions, :) Thank you in advance.
My daughter hates the water, refuses to go to the pools / lakes with us. She will only go to the frog ponds with us to try and catch frogs in the puddles. Thanks for the suggestion though! :)
A. Some more ideas outside of the house...
-- Museums -- art, science, children's, etc. Most places have things for young children.
-- Library story hour
-- Children's theater production (maybe just for the 3-year-old and one parent, no babies)
-- Pet store. You don't have to buy anything -- just look at the animals.
-- Indoor playgrounds -- mall, McDonald's, other parks
-- Check out parks with short hiking trails (and you can wear the babies in backpack carriers), or find a new playground in your area.
-- Find a way to make old adventures more interesting. For example, our zoo has specific animal feeding times, so when we want something new, we choose a couple animals that we want to watch get fed that day. Or we splurge and buy the crackers to feed the giraffes ourselves or the food for the lorikeets. Or we watch for special events or shows on certain days.
-- Also, keep trying the pools/lakes. She may grow to like them over time.
Things to do at home...
-- Draw with chalk. You can do pictures, hopscotch, draw a maze or a path to follow, etc.
-- Ride bikes/scooters up and down the sidewalk.
-- Use blue painter's tape on hardwood or linoleum floors to make hopscotch or paths inside (for rainy/cold days).
-- Puzzles. (Maybe you could pick up a couple new ones.)
-- Board games like Candy Land.
-- Paint with water. You can do this on the driveway, the side of the house, or anywhere. Just get a cup of water and a paintbrush, and it disappears as it dries. Aquadoodle mats are fun for indoors.
-- Take a walk while you push babies in the stroller and she pushes a doll in her own stroller.
-- Build with blocks.
-- Take a magnifying glass or binoculars, and go on an animal hunt in your neighborhood. Look for birds, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, and all kinds of bugs.
-- Get an easel and some dry-erase markers, and let her draw and erase as much as she wants.
-- Since she likes puzzles and building, let her help with minor repairs around the house. If you're doing some hammering to hang a picture on the wall, let her help hammer a nail or two into a spare piece of wood. When my kids were 3, their preschool teacher had them hammer big pieces of styrofoam together, and then they got to paint what they had created. I think they even got to use a real saw to help saw the styrofoam before hammering it.
-- Get some sewing cards and let her "sew" them with shoelaces.
-- Start collections of leaves, flowers, or rocks, and let her sort and count them.
-- Blow bubbles.
-- When it rains, let her go out and jump in all the puddles.
-- Turn on all kinds of music, and dance around the house. She can even play along with her own toy or homemade instruments.
-- Read books. Lots and lots of books.
Honestly, there are so many things you can do with a 3-year-old. If you live in or near a major city, there are probably tons of things you haven't even discovered yet, and there's plenty you can do at home as well. Have fun!
What are the symptoms of Scensory Processing Disorder in a toddler?
Q. There is too much info on the net to tell what is what. thanks!
A. SPD Symptom Checklist For Infants &Toddlers FOR FULL LIST VISIT THE LINK
__ Resists being held or cuddled
__ Cries and/or arches back when people try to hold him/her
__ Distressed by diaper changes
__ Distressed by baths and/or water splashing on him/her
__ Doesn't fall into a predictable sleep/wake pattern or cycle
__ Cries excessively throughout the day (more than a half hour or hour at a time)
__ Doesn't smile often, appears “sad” or “uncomfortable” much of the time
__ Has distinct preferences for adults of certain energy levels or voices (i.e., intonation, loudness, high pitched, low pitched, etc.)
__ Avoids eye contact, has difficulty focusing on objects or following them with eyes
__ Distressed when moved suddenly or whole body and/or head is tipped
__ Distressed by rocking motions
__ Distressed when moving in space (i.e., swinging around, bouncing up and down, or being “thrown” up in the air)
__ Doesn't appear to respond to name or familiar voice
__ Can't seem to calm baby down no matter what you try (or there is only ONE thing that does, i.e., a car ride)
__ Difficulty breastfeeding
__ Difficulty with sucking, chewing, or swallowing
__ Doesn't tolerate new foods well
__ Gags or vomits from textured foods or on variety of different foods (very limited diet for age)
__ Does not seem to sense when diaper is wet or dirty
__ Cries inconsolably until a wet or dirty diaper is changed
__ Prefers to be without clothing
__ Severe separation anxiety
__ Tantrums many times a day
__ Distressed by sunlight or bright lights
__ Distressed in public places, especially if crowded or noisy
__ Doesn't enjoy regular interactive movement games, i.e., peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, etc.
__ Doesn't notice new toys/novel toys and/or resists playing with them
__ Only uses one hand to manipulate and explore toys and/or can't switch from hand to hand
__ Unable to bang toys together or clap hands (at appropriate age)
__ Keeps hands fisted and closed most of the time
__ Distressed by dirty hands or face
__ Cries inconsolably when left with strangers or less familiar people
__ Significantly late to talk, walk, gesture, smile, hold bottle, sleep through the night, manipulate/play with toys, etc.
__ Major difficulties transitioning to solid foods and/or rice cereal after bottle or breast fed
__ Can not hold onto or use objects or utensils well for age
__ Regularly avoids certain foods, food categories, consistencies, temperatures of food, eliminates whole food groups, etc.
__ Difficulties with excessive reflux or allergies to foods and/or formulas
__ Doesn't seem to notice sounds others do
__ Frequent ear infections
__ Sensitive to sounds others don't seem to be bothered by
__ Difficult to engage; is an observer, doesn't interact with peers or adults
__ Apprehensive and/or distressed by playground equipment
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