One of my pet peeves...

So one of my biggest pet peeves is when parents stop using car seats on children too early. Having 3 kids myself, I understand the labor involved in strapping kids in properly. More importantly I understand these safety measures are protecting my children. Here is a list of the issues that really bother me regarding child safety seats:

1. Infant Car Seats: If I am able to move the base of your infant car seat from side to side, it is not in properly. The base should not move at all. It should also be grounded with the tether system. Those are those extra straps that many people just throw in the hole where the seat belt goes.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3 out of 4 car seats are improperly installed.
2.  Rear-Facing or Not: Children should be rear facing until they are 1 year old and weigh at least 20 lbs. I'm sorry if little James has long legs, cross them at his ankles and he will be okay and a lot safer. 
3. Booster Seat Start: Most booster seats are made for children weighing 40 lbs or more. Stop putting your 4 year old that weighs 30 lbs in a booster seat. That booster seat was not designed for their weight. Safety first!
4. Booster Seat End: According to MD state law (where I live, so it's the state I'll quote) every child under 8 years old must ride in an appropriate child restraint unless the child is 4 feet, 9 inches or taller, or weighs more than 65 pounds. So if your 10 year old weighs 60 lbs, they need to be in a booster seat. They will not think it's cool, but who's the parent? 
5. No Seat Belt At All: According to MD state law, every child 8 and above who is not secured in a child restraint must be secured in a vehicle seat belt. It's not okay for a child to be leaning from the back on the middle console talking to you.

These things sound really simple, but there are too many people that are not properly restraining their children. It doesn't matter if you are going on a road trip or around the corner to the store, please be responsible. These measures have been set in place to protect your child. Still not moved to see if your child is in the correct safety seat? Well let me ask you this, are ready to be the blame of their death in the event of an accident?

Oh Lawd, Carnival is gone!

No, I'm not talking about the actual carnival. I'm talking about the fish that we won at the carnival a little less than a month ago. You know the drill, throw the ping-pong ball into the little fish bowl and win a fish.  The kids were so excited about their first pet. We got a glass fish bowl, rocks, and even a little toy for the inside. They decided that their fish was a boy and his name would be Carnival. 

Yesterday, Christopher thought it would be a good idea to feed Carnival by himself. While everyone was in the kitchen, he dumped 3/4 of the fish food in the tank. It was a hot "murky" mess. Luckily, a friend had just bought them a new tank with a filter. We quickly got Carnival out of his old tank and into the new one. Everyone was happy. "Lord please don't let Carnival die," was the short prayer I said.

Well, this morning my children woke up to Carnival stuck behind the filter no longer swimming. Gabrielle, devastated (and probably secretly blaming her brother) laid on the couch crying. Olivia was next to come downstairs an announce to me, "Carnival is dead!" You would have thought hurricane Irene had come back with the flood of tears. Nothing could have made it worse than their little brother proclaiming around the house, "Carnival is dead. He's dead right NOW!" He sounded like a little picketer wanting better wages. Christopher was not fazed at all. He even asked if we were going to Wal-mart to get another fish.

I carefully scooped Carnival out and laid him on a paper towel. I called the girls in to say their last good-bye. It really felt like I was at a wake. The girls were so emotional. After looking at Carnival for a few seconds, Gabrielle (in her best Academy performance) put her hands over her mouth and ran upstairs crying uncontrollably. I taught the kids a short lesson in life and death and flushed Carnival. The kids went on to make their breakfast and life continues at the Williams house. 

R.I.P Carnival. Gone but not forgotten.