Buckle Up Buttercup - Car Seat Education and Inspections

04/04/2023

I am sad to let everyone know that my CPST certification expires on April 9, 2023.
After 6 years as a CPST and helping so many families keep their littles safe I have decided not to renew my certification at this time.
I am sure there will come a time again when I will re-certify and I hope when I do some will join along the journey with me! If you need help in the meantime please take a look on https://www.cpsac.org/find-a-tech/ and find another amazing tech that is available!

05/23/2022

Car seats are no joke. 100% why I became a CPST ….. To help parents understand the reasoning behind using a car seat/booster seat/ seat belts properly.
My kiddo was rear facing until after 5 and then a five point harness until she outgrew it at about 55 pounds. Still at nine and 65 pounds she’s in a high back booster seat or low back booster seat if the seatbelt fits properly and there’s a headrest.

Kids may argue about using a harness or a booster at older ages but man up as a parent and give them the rules. Don’t let them dictate their safety!

I’d rather have my kiddo mad at me for making her sit in a booster with the seat belt proper then have her potentially injured more from an improper fitting seatbelt or thrown from the vehicle because she flipping all over if there was an accident.

Grandmother Tanya Bender shared an urgent warning on Facebook about turning a child’s car seat around to be forward-facing too early. Her granddaughter, Aniyah, was in a car accident when she was 2 years old while forward-facing, and was “internally decapitated at her C1,” leaving her “parti...

09/14/2021

Now that school is back in......Lets talk booster seats..... I would guess that most parents take their kids out of a booster seat too EARLY!! A child will typically not fit an adult seatbelt until they are 4'9" tall........ yes 4'9"!

The video below shows what happens if you are in an accident and your child is no restrained in a proper booster seat. It is not graphic but gives a TON of great information and I encourage you to take a couple minutes and watch it. I also urge you to share it on your personal page or to anyone who is contemplating not putting their child in a booster seat or people that argue with you about the importance of a booster seat.

Are you questioning if you child should be in a harness, booster or regular seat belt?? Reach out! Let's chat!!!

https://youtu.be/43Wpw9IKqJg

More information at http://www.boosterseats4safety.org/.

08/19/2021

With travel starting up again I felt it important to share this Photo. This Photo was taken by a fellow CPST at the back of a Car Rental Location.

She watched as the seat was power washed, dripping wet and hung to dry by the top tether.

As a CPST I believe parents try and do the right thing by renting seats rather than not using one at all, however this seat is now completely ruined and unsafe.

The best way to keep your kiddo safe while travel is opening up is to take your own seat with you or borrow from a trusted friend at the other end of your trip. The safest place for your child on a plane is in their own seat, with their car seat safely installed on the plane. Not only is it safest but more comfortable for them and it is something familiar.

As always please reach out with any questions!

07/02/2021

This is an awesome resource!! Stay cool everyone!

Did you know? The Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada has a super handy collection of links to manufacturer websites, manuals, and FAQs.

We DO have a lot of info stored in our collective brains, but we always refer to original sources or point caregivers to them to do the same. The manufacturer of the car seat or booster seat is the very best resource for information about their own products. Many will even do video calls to help troubleshoot!

https://www.cpsac.org/caregiver-resources/

03/24/2021

Exciting news for those that have a Graco Extend2Fit!
Note: This does not apply to the Platinum Edition.... Yet!

03/22/2021

❤️💕

8 years ago my life changed forever.

Before noon on March 21 2013, a white dodge ram pick-up truck was driving recklessly and hit us head on.

The smells, and the sounds of sizzling engine parts, the screaming, the gasps for that one last breath.

Its all like it was just yesterday.

**Size: 16" W x 41.75" L x 9" HExterior Size: 20" W x 45" L x 18" H

You know what those measurements are? Those are the measurements for my forever 17 month old sons casket.

Taking 5 minutes out of your day to double check your installs will make it so you never have to use those measurements for your toddler.

Car Seat Safety is Not a parenting choice.

Please read your manuals and reach out to a CPST near you.

02/03/2021

What a great safe option from Tiny Footprint for your little in the car seat!

It is going to get COLD in Edmonton this week and bulky snow suits are NOT safe in car seats (although you can carry them in your car just in case)!!!

Choose a safe option like a Car Seat Poncho or fleece snow suit!!

If you are not sure ask!

Use one of these car seat ponchos to keep your kids warm and safe in the car and they are also perfect for babywearing, stroller rides and walks! This little cutie is showing off his new poncho 💛
Sizing pictured here is the 3-5y size and our little model is 18m old for reference.

Thank you so much to my customer for sharing and allowing me to share.

01/15/2021

Need a new seat??? Check out all the sales!!

FRIDAY SALES for January 15th:

AMAZON

Britax Allegiance $241 https://amzn.to/3novIFP

Britax Marathon CT $390 https://amzn.to/3oP2Ms2

Britax Boulevard CT $462 https://amzn.to/2LUiT96

Britax Advocate $460 https://amzn.to/38re14s

Britax Grow With You CT $392 https://amzn.to/3oPfuXI

Graco 4Ever $330 https://amzn.to/3qs8FvB

Graco Contender $200 https://amzn.to/3s4D5WD

Graco Nautilus SnugLock $290 https://amzn.to/3nsPEY4

Graco Nautilus $200 https://amzn.to/3oIV2I6

Graco Extend2Fit $230 https://amzn.to/38MlpaI

Graco Tranzitions $180 https://amzn.to/3ssoLr8

Diono Solana $35 https://amzn.to/3bxROUj

Evenflo Titan 65 $120 https://amzn.to/38rjXKq

Maxi Cosi Zum $67 https://amzn.to/3nmf2PW

Chicco KeyFit $280 https://amzn.to/3idQEP0

CANADIAN TIRE: Graco Extend2Fit $230, Harmony high back w/UAS $60

WALMART: Cosco Scenera NEXT $70, Evenflo Tribute $80, Diono Solana $35, Evenflo Embrace $70

BEST BUY: Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 $190, Graco Contender $200, Graco TrioGrow $280, Evenflo EveryStage $250, Chicco KeyFit $240, Evenflo Titan 65 $130, Graco 4Ever $330, Harmony Defender $140

BABIES R US: 15% off regularly priced items but lots of car seat brands are excluded, see here: https://www.babiesrus.ca/en/SitePromotion/15off-Jan15.html
Graco 4Ever $330, Graco Nautilus SnugLock $290, Evenflo EveryFit $250, Graco TrioGrow $250, Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 DLX $240, Evenflo GOLD LiteMax $200, Graco Nautilus $200, Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX $170, Evenflo Titan 65 $120, Evenflo Big Kid Amp $60, Graco RightGuide $50, Britax Marathon CT (in store only) $285

BUY BUY BABY: Graco 4Ever $330, Britax Boulevard CT $433, Britax Grow With You CT $416, Graco RightGuide $48. 20% off with a new signup, exclusions here (Graco not excluded!) https://www.bedbathandbeyond.ca/store/static/10174

CLEK: Liing $400 https://clekinc.ca/sale/

Find reviews, resources, and more at https://vicarseattechs.com/

12/23/2020

Great tips for parents all around!!

A list of things to think about as you prepare to add a new little person to your family.Read more about:Seat shopping advice;Favourite rear-facing only and convertible seats;Vehicle shoppingFind a CPST near you for hands-on help, and why you might want to do that. Infant or convertible seat?One of....

11/12/2020

A sobering reminder as to why kids should be in harnessed seats as long as possible. I know they were taken to hospital as a precaution and they may have been in a harnessed seat but I have seen WAY to many kids too small for boosters in boosters recently.....
Have questions?? ASK!

A four-year-old is in hospital as a precaution after a head-on collision in south Edmonton Wednesday.

09/22/2020

09/22/2020

3 seatbelts + 3 top tethers = MAYBE 3 car seats or booster seats

In this vehicle there are 3 seatbelts and 3 top tethers however (circled in the photos below) there are overlapping seatbelts :( this MIGHT be ok for a combination of boosters and car seats but for sure not 3 boosters.

As you see in photo 1 the seatbelts interfere with each other and on photo 3 with the boosters buckled they don’t sit properly and cause tension on each other. This vehicle would also not be conducive to having 3 people sit in the back seat either as someone would be sitting on one of the belts!

So although a car seat or booster MAY fit 3 across, you also need to consider (a) does the vehicle manual allow it and (b) do they fit properly with the seatbelts done up correctly!

09/21/2020

09/21/2020

It’s child passenger safety week!! Let’s start with a question......

3 seat belts + 3 top tethers = you can have 3 boosters or car seats

👍 YES 👎 NO

08/03/2020

What should my next post be about???
A. Booster seats
B. Convertible Seats
C. Infant seats

07/16/2020

Great job everyone on the quiz!!!

The answer is:

👀 the head rest should be adjusted so the straps are at or slightly above the shoulders.

She is still well within the limits of this seat! The head rest just needs to be adjusted!!