Red Barn Basics

07/15/2022

Flying home from our big trip but really frustrated with LOT Polish Airlines and their staff not knowing their own car seat policy. I had to tell the check-in desk staff at both ORD and TLV that the car seat is allowed on board and they finales said “🤷🏻‍♀️ It’s up to the flight crew.” At WAW the gate agent argued with us for over 5 minutes about it not being allowed until I asked for a supervisor and pulled up their LOT policy. I understand these staff are doing the best they can. YOU are responsible for ensuring your staff know your policies and that families are treated better when trying to fly with their children safely.

06/23/2022

Your child will likely be using a car seat safety device until they are between the ages of 10-12. Yes, you read that correctly. Let your kid know that now. Tell your partner. Alert your mother-in-law. And then own that SH$%. You are doing the absolute safest thing you can to protect your child from their greatest risk when you wait to move them to the next stage of car seat safety until they are ready. ⁠⁠

When your child is itching to ditch their booster seat, they will surely be old enough to take themselves through the 5-step test. If they can say yes to ALL of the steps in the image above, then and only then, can they ditch the booster IN THAT CAR and IN THAT SEATING POSITION. You need to do this test in all the cars/seating positions they are in when first transitioning to this stage because every vehicle is different and while they may pass in one vehicle they may not in another.⁠⁠

Reminder, they don’t graduate to the front seat until they are 13 even if out of a booster! ⁠⁠

If they failed, then let your child know that you will be happy to revisit this with them again in 6 months. You may need to say that to your significant other, or grandma, or your friend too. ⁠⁠😉
⁠⁠
There’s no award for progressing through the car seat safety stages the fastest. Be. The. Turtle. 🐢

05/08/2022

The perfect Mother’s Day spent partially alone in a hotel room and partially going to the zoo with my family. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

02/21/2022

🤦🏻‍♀️😆

10/24/2021

So proud of my kiddo for running his first 5k and then even placing in his age group! It was so exciting when he called; we were all surprised! Now he wants to run all the races!

08/09/2021

Just for fun:

Have you ever ordered a cake that didn’t turn out the way you requested? I saw a post in a group yesterday and I have a couple funny stories!

Share your cake bloopers below!!

08/05/2021

Riding shotgun is a teenager's birthday present. Check it off the list. Kids ages 12 and younger should be in the back seat (and likely still in a child passenger safety device of some kind!). ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Here's the thing. Bodies may look big on the outside, but that does not mean that the inside bone and muscular structure is ready for crash force impact.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Airbags are in the front seat and it brings a whole other level of body "readiness" needed to make sure they are helpful and not harmful.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Your kids are going to see other friends riding in the front seat. They may ask why they can't sit in the front seat. Hold strong to your safety standards (yes, even for short rides) and simply say: "It's safest for you to ride in the back seat until you are 13. My job is to keep you safe." ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
OR if a fellow concerned (i.e. nosy) caretaker asks why your child isn't riding in the front say: Because it's none of your damn business. JK, I just wanted to see if you were still with me. Say: "It's safest for my child to ride in the back seat until 13 so that's the rule in our family." ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
You've got this! Safety is a marathon, not a race. And the prize is arriving uninjured and alive at the finish line so some firm boundaries are worth it. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
⁠
📷: ⁠

07/12/2021

I had a car seat check with a family expecting their first baby today. They were active participants learning all about their seat and ensuring they can install safely. They appreciated all of the red/green features on the Liing that help caregivers check if the seat is installed correctly. After learning all about their seat and general car seat rules, the dad said, “Do people know to take a class like this!?!” I shared with him that unfortunately there is a very high percentage of misuse, not because people don’t care, but they just don’t know. Driving is the most dangerous thing we do every day and it is important to ensure we are doing what we can to keep our kids as safe as possible. I suggest all caregivers set up a check with a CPST when they get a new seat or have a question. Check the website to find a tech in your area. Good job today Will and Carolina! A+ with your installation!

03/31/2021

(Last Updated On: March 31, 2021) The Issue Diono is recalling certain Cambria 2 Booster Seats model numbers 31200-US-01, 31201-US-01, and 31202-US-01. In the event of a crash, a crack between the headrest and backrest can occur, allowing the headrest to separate. The Fix Diono will notify owners an...

03/20/2021

A good friend of mine and I were talking about the use of the word “girlfriend” to mean a platonic close friendship with another woman (or group of friends). It seems to be also regional and generational how frequently it is used. It’s a word I definitely use.

However, she made the request to not use it that way; sharing it is heterocentric to use it platonically and not realize the implications.

I always want to do better. So here is one take on it I wanted to share.

Is it a word you have used in this way? Do you have any other resources on this?

Just call your friend “friend” and stop confusing us.