Being a mum isn’t easy. Regardless of whether you’re working fulltime, part-time or at home with your children, the effort required to keep things together is more than anyone could imagine (unless of course you’ve had children of your own). At any time of the day or night something can go wrong and, if you don’t have a magic box of tricks ready to use at the drop of a hat, you’re going to be in trouble.
Of course, it’s tough to predict the future and virtually impossible to prepare for every eventuality. However, there are some things you can do to improve your chances of survival in the choppy waters of parenthood.
Be Smart
To give you some idea of how you can arm yourself against the daily threat of imminent chaos, there’s one thing I’d urge you to do: learn to drive. From the theory test to your practical, having the ability to get behind the wheel in the event of a crisis can be a godsend.
Of course, simply having a car in your arsenal isn’t enough to help you in a crisis. Understanding of the rules of the road and knowing how to operate said car is a must and something I highly recommend if you’re a fulltime mum. Whether it’s an impromptu trip to the local park or an emergency dash to the hospital, a car is almost a necessary tool for parents. If you can’t drive then save up and treat yourself to some lessons because you never know when a car might come in handy.
Be Safe
Obviously, if you’re a mum with a car then you need a sturdy child seat for your precious cargo. According to a poll by The Independent back in 2013, the Britax KidFix is one of the best on the market. Costing around £115, this lightweight car seat is not only super safe but doesn’t require Isofix fittings in your car. This means that you don’t have to scour the market for a car that’s able to secure a car seat.
Also highly rated by the broadsheet was the Baby Graco Logico. Markedly cheaper than the Britax KidFix at £69, the rearward-facing seat is great for babies in their first year thanks to its extra padding and crash protection.
However, if you are planning on learning to drive and then buying a car seat, make sure you know the safest option for your child. According to a study commissioned by Volvo, children should be kept facing to the rear for the first 15 months of their life. This goes against the government’s old guidelines that stated up to 13 months is the cut-off point. Of course, after this point, it’s possible to buy a seat that faces forward.
Learning to drive is almost a must for the modern mum. Having the ability to get up and go whenever your want is a huge benefit. However, if you do decide to get behind the wheel you need to make sure you’re safe. Do your theory test, pass your practical and make sure you buy the safest car seat before you head out onto the roads.
This post was written by Claire Thomas.