Is Your Child Ready to Transition to a Booster Seat? What You Need to Know #IC #ChiccoKidFit #sponsored

Disclosure: I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Chicco. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Boy, does time fly!  I spent the past two weeks going through the girls' clothes and toys to donate, to make room for all the things that Santa and friends and family gave the girls at Christmas.  I wouldn't call myself a hoarder, but it has been hard to pack up and give away the girls' clothes.  While a small part of me wishes that we could have another child, I know that with my previous cancer diagnosis and treatment, that Bella and Savannah, are my miracle babies, and the reason why I was put on this earth (to be their mom).  So, as we said goodbye to 2014, and welcomed in a new year, I find myself yet again saying "goodbye" to the girls no longer being babies.  Can you believe that Savannah is already 4.5 years old, and Bella turned 3 years old in November?   They are both the same height and weight, even though they are 15 months apart in age.  I guess this is a plus, as they get to share the same clothes, are into the same toys, and can sit in each other car seats in the car. But, it is still sad to box up their clothes, some which I found were 12-18 months (and tried to think back to when they were this small), as we look forward to a fresh new year, celebrate firsts like Bella starting preschool, Savannah will be in Kindergarten in the fall, and the girls are now into dancing and will be starting dancing, as well as gymnastics classes together in the coming weeks.  I will cherish and will definitely be capturing all these firsts through photos (so keep an eye out on my social media pages), and will be sharing these new milestones through my posts, stories I share and products I review and feature.  

With an upcoming busy schedule for the girls, I will be finding myself in the car, driving them to their different classes and play dates.  Because of this, I have started to look at booster seats for the girls, as they are not only growing by leaps and bounds and outgrowing their wardrobes, but my husband and I are finding that they are also outgrowing their current car seats.  And, if we are going to be spending a lot of time in the car, I want to make sure that they are not only comfortable in their car seats or booster seat, but also safe.

If you have little ones, are they currently in a car seat or booster seat?  I recently talked to a group of moms in one of my mommy and me groups, and was surprised to find that some are eager to move their child into a booster seat, to make more room in the backseat or to make long rides more comfortable for their growing child, while others are holding off on upgrading to a booster seat until their child is 6, 7 or even 8 years old, depending on their size and maturity level.  This surprised me, as while I am not in any rush to move into the booster seat arena, I want to make sure I am using a car seat that will offer up the most protection, for my girls, while also making long periods in the car going to and from classes and activities more comfortable.  Right now, the girls are able to touch and kick the back of the front seats, and are straddling their feet to their sides while in the car, as they say they are running out of foot room.  Also, we have gone from the harness straps to the across the chest seat beat to secure them in their seats, as they outgrew their harnesses and we could no longer properly strap them in, without worrying that they weren't secured enough.  Have you run into this?  What have you done?

When it comes to trusted brands, I have found that Chicco is the brand not only my family, but so many other family and friends trust.  Back when we first found out we were having Savannah, I began asking around about the best car seat and stroller to get.  So many of my friends recommended the Chicco Key Fit 30 infant car seat and travel system stroller that the car seat snapped into.

I loved this car seat so much, we bought another one and extra bases for our cars, when we found out we were expecting Bella the following year.  And, now whenever I have friends and family expecting, I can't stop raving about how much I loved the Chicco Key Fit 30 infant car seat and how long the girls lasted in this car seat, both rear and forward facing.   It definitely grew with my girls and provided us with the protecting we were looking for with our little bundles of joy.  

So, now that we are in the market for "big girl" seating for the girls, I find myself looking at Chicco and their currently product offering. And, one booster seat that stands out and I hear my friends who have children of similar age or a little older than my girls is the Chicco KidFit Booster Seat.  Have you seen or heard about this booster seat?  

"Introducing the Chicco KidFit™ 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster, from the makers of the #1-rated KeyFit® and NextFit®! "

Here are just some of the features that makes this a top choice for parents looking to purchase a booster seat for their growing child...

• "DuoZone™ Side-Impact Protection puts KidFit™ head and shoulders above the rest with 10 positions of combined head and shoulder protection for growing children."  -- This is one reason why I am looking at this car seat for my girls.  I especially love this side-impact protection, which I can't seem to find with other booster seats on the market.

• Like other Chicco car seats, KidFit™ also features SuperCinch® LATCH attachment and one-pull tightener, which helps keep the seat in place for easy in/out.  -- I especially loved this feature with the Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seats we used with the girls.  The LATCH attachment and one-pull tightener make me feel like I was securing the girls properly each and every time. And, I didn't have to fuss when it came to trying to get the straps tight enough again their chests, like some other car seats I experimented with or saw my friends using with their child.  They could never get the right tightness, like I could with this one-pull feature.

• Double foam padding and contoured ErgoBoost™ seat provide comfort and support in all the right places -- This is another feature of the booster seat that I love.  We have had to take the cover off our youngest daughter's car seat so many times due to her frequent car sickness during long car rides.  And, each and every time, I would find myself amazed at the poor cushioning or lack off support the current car seat we were using offered.  All that was on the base of the seat where the girls sit is a 1/2 inch foam that tears easily when the girls shift in their seats.  So, when I heard that this new booster seat from Chicco offered double foam, I was a happy mom! :-)

In addition to the above stand-out booster seat features, the Chicco KidFit Booster Seat also includes the following --

• Two soft-sided cup holders that easily fold out of the way when not in use and are removable for easy cleaning. 
• A seat pad and arm rest covers are removable and machine-washable. 
• Included with each booster seat is an easy-to-use vehicle belt guide
• The booster seat is able to recline, which is perfect for families who like to take long car rides or travel often
• You'll also find that there is a removable backrest for use as a backless booster. 
• Usage: High Back – 30-100 lbs; Backless – 40-110 lbs   

With so many great features, the Chicco KidFit Booster Seat is the perfect choice for families looking to transition their growing child from a forward-facing car seat into a booster seat.  Don't you think? :-)

----

In addition to learning about the Chicco KidFit Booster Seat, I also found the following Ages and Stages of Car Seat Usage Infographic to be helpful, in regards to transitioning your child to a booster seat -- 

Are you using the right car seat for your child?  After seeing this infographic, I can see why so many of the moms in my my meetup group are holding off until their child is a little bit older to transition to a booster seat.  While some families may be looking for extra space in the backseat, they really have to take into consider the information shared in the infographic in making the decision to transition to a booster or another car seat.  Remember the first priority is your child's safety, and this starts with the car seat you use with them.  

While I as still trying to decide if we should transition Savannah to a booster seat, as she falls in the age and weight for these types of car seats, I find myself needing to do more research before making a purchase of a booster seat.  I plan to also look at Chicco's current forward-facing car seat product offering and see if there is a more suitable car seat for both of the girls.  I cannot slow down the girls growing up, I can take it slow when it comes to transitioning them into new car seats.  And, thanks to the infographic above, I feel confident that the decision I ultimately make will be the right one for my girls, as protection is my top priority, thanks in part to Chicco, a brand my family and so many others trust when it comes to car seats for their growing child(ren).

You can learn more about the new Chicco KidFit™ 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster by visiting http://www.chiccousa.com/.

Don't forget to follow Chicco on their social media pages, to stay up-to-date on new product additions, special offers, great infographics like the one I shared above and so much more...

          Chicco on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChiccoBaby

·         Chicco  on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chiccobaby

·     

Disclosure: I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Chicco. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.