Cares Harness or not

[Tasmen]

We are flying in a little less than a month with our 18 month old. We've flown quite a few times with her and have always bought a seat for her and brought along her car seat.

I was contemplating not bringing the car seat this time around as we won't need it when we land as we'll be using bus transport to and from the airport. And frankly, I hate lugging the darn thing around the airport even with the Gogo kidz attachment.

I get super self conscious about her behavior on the plane. She's actually a really good flyer (I've had people tell me when we got off the plane how well behaved my daughter was), but any time she opens her mouth or kicks the seat in front of her, I start to have a mild anxiety attack that everyone on the plane is going to look at me with dagger eyes.

So my question, those of you that have used a CARES harness, did you find it effective in keeping a your little tots buckled into their seats? My DD is around 24 1/2 pounds now so she is definitely within the weight limits of the harness. I just worry that it may not keep her restrained enough. Last thing I want to deal with is a monkey child trying to traverse the peaks of Mt. Plane Seat.

[jgazda]

It keeps my daughter seated when on the plane. That and a new distraction about every ten minutes or so. I would definitely use that over bringing a car seat but that's just me.

[Tasmen]

Originally Posted by jgazda

It keeps my daughter seated when on the plane. That and a new distraction about every ten minutes or so. I would definitely use that over bringing a car seat but that's just me.

Distractions indeed! We try to keep her happily distracted with books, magnadoodle, etc. and to fly when she's liable to be tired. Another reason I wanted to use the harness is it would make it easier to lower the tray table and let her watch a movie or something on the flight. It's only about 2 1/2 hours long.

I just get so darned paranoid that she's going to be the child from the lowest level of hades if she isn't 'shackled' appropriately.

[katied]

I used CARES all the time with DS now. He's 2 1/2, and just about your daughter's weight. It's worked well with him since he was about 18 mo old. It's very easy to install, and it reminds him to stay in his seat. Even if I need the car seat on the other end, we gate check it now and use CARES on the plane.

The added benefit - with CARES, he generally can't kick the seat in front as he could so easily while in a car seat.

CARES is a 4 point (not a 5 point) harness. The main difference is that it does not have the crotch strap - so toddlers can wiggle under - DS never has, but I have hear some people mention that issue. DS seems to realize he's stapped in like a car seat, and he just doesn't expect to get free.

[Tasmen]

Originally Posted by katied

The added benefit - with CARES, he generally can't kick the seat in front as he could so easily while in a car seat.

That is DEFINITELY one of the perks I was looking forward to. Nothing like having a snarky lady who reclined her seat, thereby putting herself even closing to a kicking infant, give you dirty looks and tell you that your one year old is kicking her seat.

I think what we may do is still bring the car seat but instead check it. We'll have it with us then if we need it on the way home but won't necessarily have to lug it around the airport and more importantly onto the airplane if we don't need it.

[Tasmen]

Another quick question about the harness: does the child still have to sit in the window seat like they would with a car seat? Or can they sit in the middle seat? We'll have a whole row for us and I'd like to sit my daughter in between the husband and me if at all possible.

[DisneyCowgirl]

Middle seat is fine with Cares. And, like others have said, the thing I like most is that it seems to make DS realize he is supposed to stay seated.

[disneyfan97]

We love ours and use it all the time! DS is almost 3. It is SO perfect for Disney trips because of the bus transportation. It's such a hassle to take the carseat.

With the CARES, I think he thinks it IS a car seat - with the similar straps. He has never given us any trouble with it at all. He can't reach the seat in front, so it helped with that too.