About Time

Costa Rica has instituted or is about to institute (I am fuzzy on all the little details) a car seat law. I think *YAY!!* it's about damn time.

Back when I first moved here, I rarely saw cars with car seats in them and small children often sat in the front seat. People could care less about buckling up with a seat belt, much less strapping their most valuable assets in the protective enfolds of a car seat. Well, now it's law. So if they didn't care before, they have to care now.

I'm no car seat nazi. I have traveled with my kids in cars without them being * gasp* strapped in a car seat. But I don't make a habit of it... and each time I do that, I feel weird about it. God forbids anything should happen. I just hate to take the risk. But sometimes it's unavoidable or even necessary... just sometimes, not all the time.

Thankfully, I see more and more kids being strapped in and buckled up. Now I see so many cars with car seats, it's almost like it has a become a new trend. It's the new hip thing to do now, having your child in a car seat. And while making it hip is cool, it also poses another problem. Only the upper crust can afford to buy car seats, so it's like the whole "I am better than you because my child is in a car seat " mentality. It can quickly turn into "look at me, I can afford a car seat for my kid and you can't". And for some, it's not just any car seat that will do, it has to be the best of the best... one last slap in the face to whoever can't. They don't necessarily love their kids more and care more for their safety, they just have more expendable income to do so.

According to hubby and mother in law, if you have a car, you should be able to buy a car seat. But I disagree. Car seats costs anywhere from $60 to hundreds of dollars here. That's extra moola that most people don't have, people who are already struggling to buy gas for their vehicles. Sure 60 bucks doesn't sound like a lot, but with an extra $60, I'm sure they could think of so many other things to spend it on... sure maybe not more important but maybe more pertinent. Remember, these are people used to having their kids riding in the car standing up.

I think since the Costa Rican government was late to catch up to the safety game, they should install some sort of program to help families get car seats for their kids, like Boston has. I know more families would want that... to have car seats ready to tote their newborns in and be able to get car seats for their kids. I remember being the only person who had my baby in a car seat while leaving the hospital, even having people comment about it being the 'new thing' to do now. In Boston and I think the whole United States, you can't leave the hospital without first having your child strapped in an infant car seat.

I know hubby's cousin has 3 kids who need car seats and even though he has a car, he doesn't have that extra money to buy THREE car seats, at least not all at once. Luckily, I was able to help him out with one. He was traveling around with his newborn baby without a car seat. Mom held baby in her arms in the back seat.. not safe, not smart. So I gave them Fatty's infant car seat... at almost 1, he'll be needing a newer, bigger, more age appropriate car seat soon anyway.

Besides, they needed that car seat more than I did, and I know we're in a better position to buy a car seat than they are. So now their list has been shortened and they only have to purchase 2 car seats instead of 3. Will they buy them, maybe. How long will it take them to buy them, not sure. If the laws aren't strict enough, people may never heed to them anyway... just look at people running red lights in example of the traffic laws here.

So a program where lower income families can apply for car seats for their children would certainly be nice. And then the law can actually stand for something, not just a suggestion. And car seats don't have to cost a pretty penny. I know the really great ones are super expensive, but Princess has a cheapie one I got from Pequno Mundo that works just fine. Just something where the kids are safer while riding in a car is better than nothing at all.

Having a car seat should not be a privileged thing. It should be a right for everyone who wants to keep their kids safe.