Nothing will alter your everyday life and routine like having a child. This is the epitome of commitment. Therefore if you're no prepared to devote your time and efforts to someone other than yourself, I suggest you wait a bit longer before having children. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There is also plenty of capital and investing involved. Bringing a child into your life will certainly present a new strain regarding income. If you make plenty of cash, no worries. However, if you're budget is already tight, you'd better sit down and do some figuring. There are several things to buy before he/she even arrives. Not to mention the food and infinite diapers. One nifty little device you'll want to pick up before coming out of the delivery room is an infant car seat. This is imperative from the get-go. Hey, you can't even cruise home from the hospital without it.
I remember the first time I went baby shopping. It wasn't with my wife, but rather with my mother. She was all too happy to pitch in, so naturally we let her. Luckily for us, she went all-out. Not only did she buy us an oak sleigh crib, but she purchased one of the finest strollers on the market, along with numerous outfits and two infant car seats. Yes, I did say two car seats. One for our vehicle, and a second for hers. We all know how much grandmas like to hang with the grand kids. Anyway, there are certain regulations for the modern infant car seat. One you had purchased 5 years ago is most likely not up-to-par for 2007. This basically means it has expired and is no longer to be used. As a parent, you'll want to pay close attention to such matters. Be sure that the infant car seat you've strapped in the back seat of your vehicle meets regulation standards.
Avoid placing your little one up front to ride with you. Although it's fun to stick the infant car seat in the passenger's seat so that your baby can ride shotgun, it's generally not as safe. Airbags were certainly NOT meant for infants and toddlers. And if you do place the infant car seat in the front, make sure it's turned to face the seat, and not the dashboard. Find a wide array of car seats at Babies R Us that meet the current regulations.
|
