Chair choices

More things to put on the purchase wishlist!

Thanks to the internet, we can keep abreast about all the new developments in kiddie consumer land.  Some items can be totally frivolous, some really cute but not urgent, and some are surprising new ideas that we just have to get our hands on.

If you’ve ever traveled with a child on a plane, you’ll understand why I’m eying the CARES child aviation restraint.  We don’t use a car seat (yet) — I know, horrors! — and so, we don’t have a car seat to take with us on flights.  Matthew has had his own seat on the plane since he turned two years old, and while it’s been pretty much trouble free, I also don’t see how the seatbelt can restrain him properly if needed.

According the website, CARES is designed for children who are at least one year old and 22 pounds, and knows how to sit “front facing.” It is certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for all phases of flight: taxiing, take off, turbulence and, landing. It weighs only 1 lb, fits in a 6″ carrying case, fits all airplane seats and takes a mere 1 minute to install.

And then there’s Kaboost, something that may come in handy for those who like to take their toddler out everywhere — like us!

It is a “a compact and portable chair booster that raises the height of kitchen and dining room chairs so your child can sit at the table just like a big kid.” It fits most four-legged chairs, and holds up to 300 lbs. Now, if you eat out at restaurants a lot like we do, you’d notice that not all of them have high chairs, or if they do, they aren’t always available. I imagine that this is a simpler and easier thing to take than a booster chair when visiting friends and relatives.

The best part about Kaboost is that it’s now available in the Philippines.

And then, there’s the not-so-practical, but the aesthetically endearing.  If you’re a fan of Philippe Starck, even just a slight one, you may find this kid-sized Louis Ghost chair just as adorable as I do. Called the Lou Lou Ghost, it comes in several colors, including of course, the transparent version.

While I’m all for letting kids have age-appropriate products, I think that design and style are not exclusive to the concept either.  Who knows, some kind, benevolent soul may deem this appropriate for my darling little boy?