Broadly speaking, it’s good we teach kids a few basics of safety. Not every parent is equipped to responsibly handle potentially dangerous situations. So we create very general guidelines that apply to most. That’s cool.

And kids should be learning about things like unwanted touches from others. Though there was a discussion at the preschool drop-off about getting everybody onboard with using the same body part names as used in the school lessons. But we all handle these things a little differently.

However, when the school sent home the “Never-Never Rules” that they’ll be studying soon I cringed a bit. Here they are:

• Never ride on wheels without wearing a helmet.
• Never cross the street without checking all ways for traffic.
• Never play with fire.
• Never touch a dog without asking the person in charge.
• Never use a sharp tool without an older person’s help.
• Never touch guns.
• Never ride in a car without wearing a seat belt.
• Never go in water without an older person watching.

As I cycling advocate, I object to the first item on this list of rules being “wear a helmet.” Really?! You’re going to put something as innocent and mundane as bicycle riding on the same list as “never touch guns?” OK. Fine. As a person hoping to eventually improve our bike culture to the point where we no longer need helmets (a la the Dutch), I get the need to balance the immediate risks with sending a larger advocacy message that biking should be fun and so safe that no helmet is necessary.

I could make the same argument for a number of items on this list though. Parents teaching their kids to use tools responsibly. Outdoor education that involves learning to properly start and put out a campfire. The exceptions are obvious. Yes, there are even some folks out there teaching their young kids to responsibly handle a gun.

For most families, we’d probably rather have the Never-Never Rules drilled into our children’s heads and give them with the freedom to “unlearn” them than allow unsuspecting kids to stumble into injury or death. But I can’t help but look at the Never-Never List and wonder when childhood got so … milquetoast.

Would I let my kids ride in a car without a seat belt? No. I won’t even let my kids cross the street by themselves because we live in an urban area. However, I’m not sure that riding around on the sidewalk in front of our house on a scooter belongs on a list of otherwise potentially deadly actions.

A version of this first appeared on Newfangled Dad. Photo by Whit Honea.

Child car seats raise many questions and cause many frustrations for parents.

At what age can I turn the baby’s seat forward? When can my child use a booster? How do I get this freakin’ thing installed?!

Well, folks — City Dads Group has your answers.

Download a handily PDF summary of child car seat / booster seat safety and use based on an extensive workshop our NYC Dads Group held with Sarah “The Car Seat Whisperer” Tilton, child passenger safety advocate manager/technician instructor with stroller and car seat manufacturer Britax. This full-color document was created by NYC Dad and mom Gregg and Darleen Jobson-Larkin.

Here are a few valuable questions (and their answers, of course) you will find on the downloadable document we have compiled:

Q. Is there a difference between a $40 and a $400 car seat?

A. Every seat meets the same baseline as every other. Comfort creature features and ease of use features increase the final cost of the product.

Q. What kind of seat for my child do I need on a plane?

A. Before you bring a car seat on board an airplane, make sure it’s FAA-approved. The label should read, “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.” Be sure to measure the seat you’re planning to travel with, too. To fit into a typical coach seat, the child seat should be no wider than 40.64 centimeters (16 inches) .

Our NYC Dads Group has written much much more on this frustrating topic. You may want to check out these articles they have done in recent years:

• Lessons in safely transporting your child through the city
• Car seat installation for the serious and humorous parent
• To taxi or not to taxi with a baby

Every parent knows the paramount importance of having a car seat installed correctly in their automobile.  Yet, so few parents spend the time to become educated enough to install their own child’s car seat properly.  Consequently, most of our kids are strapped into their car seats, but it may not stand the test if an accident were to happen.  The car seat is somewhat of a comedy act within our family.

The responsibility of installing the car seat falls in my court in our household.  I get the sense from speaking to lots of dads about this topic that they are responsible for the car seat in their family as well.  For the first year, I just “winged it.”  Heaven forbid I should open the manual or use the patience to learn how to do it from a seasoned parent.  Basically, I strapped the car seat in…it looked good…it didn’t move too much…worked for me!

Then, our family took a trip to Florida.  I popped the old car seat in the rental car and we were on our way.  When going around a sharp turn, the car seat lifted several inches and my son nearly fell out.  My wife was angry with me.  When we returned from that vacation, I hooked up with an expert as I was determined to be in the minority of parents who actually install their car seat properly.  Thanks to Alyssa, The Car Seat Lady, I still don’t consider myself an expert, but I am in Triple-A waiting for my chance to get called up to the Major Leagues.

Just yesterday, Ben Popken of The Consumerist posted (shared by Josh Kross):
According to the New York City Department of Transportation, 9 out of 10 parents install their child’s car seat incorrectly. This could lead to your child getting hurt or killed in the event of an accident. Why risk it? Find an expert who can inspect your car seat and make sure you’ve put it in correctly. NHTSA has an online searchable database to find a certified technician near you
I have read similar statistics about car seat installation.  So, why isn’t more being done about this challenge? Perhaps, hospitals should have car seat installation workshops for new and expecting parents.  Seems plausible since they won’t let you check out of the hospital with your baby unless you have a car seat!

Let’s get back to the comedy of installing a car seat….

Now, installing the car seat is like working out at the gym for me.  Tightening the straps and getting your entire body weight into the seat to make sure it is straight and does not move in any direction more than one-inch is like a wrestling match with my car seat.  Usually, after the 5 – 10 minute process, my muscles are sore and I am soaking wet with sweat…and my wife finds it hysterical… between my antics, grunts, and posturing involved with the process.  For these reasons, when I received this comical video from EvenFlo (yes, commercialism at its best), I had to laugh out loud…and share it with all of you.

Are you confident that you can install your car seat properly?