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Expert Tips on Car Safety for Families

By Josh Dilts, Chicco Senior Product Manager – Car Safety

As September marks Baby Safety Month, it’s an important reminder for parents and caregivers to prioritize child safety on the road. Throughout the month, people nationwide have been raising awareness and holding activities around safe travel practices, from car seat safety to essential precautions for trips with little ones.

This year, Chicco collaborated with AAA, to launch the Family Road Trip Safety Hub. The hub is designed to provide parents with practical tips and expert guidance for keeping children safe in the car, no matter the distance.

As a Senior Product Manager for Car Safety with Chicco, my mission is to empower parents with knowledge and confidence by helping them stay up to date on evolving travel regulations, car seat safety recommendations, and best practices for safe travel. Here are Chicco and AAA’s top road safety tips to help ensure every trip with your kids is a safe one.

• Double-Check Car Seat Fit: Before getting on the road, check your child’s weight and height to confirm their car seat is still the right fit. It’s recommended to keep children rear-facing for as long as possible, to maximize your car seat. We always encourage parents to take their time and delay transition to the next car seat stage, and never skip to booster stage. Always check your car seat’s manual for height and weight guidelines. Chicco offers a car seat guide to help you choose the right option for your child’s current stage.
• Know State-Specific Safety Laws: Planning your route is not just important for directions, but for understanding varying safety laws along the way.  While all 50 states require car seat use, each has different regulations for car seats, booster seats, and seat belts for children.  Stay informed on the states you’ll be traveling through with a comprehensive look at the car seat guidelines here. 
• Ensure Proper Car Seat Installation: Even if your car seat is the right fit, it still needs to be installed securely. Try the ‘inch-test,’ by gripping the seat at the belt path and pull it from side to side and front to back. If it moves more than one inch in any direction, reinstall it to ensure a snug fit. Chicco offers online resources to help with car seat installation – and always check your car seat’s manual. Local car seat checks offered by fire departments and AAA can help too.

For more tips on safe driving, road trip prep and tips for alternative methods of travel, visit the Family Road Trip Safety Hub, and feel confident in your family’s road safety this month and all year long.

About the Writer

Joshua Dilts is a passionate advocate for child passenger safety, serving as the Senior Product Manager for Car Safety at Chicco. A father of three, Josh’s real-life experience provides continued inspiration and motivation for creating solutions that make it easier for families to travel safely with car seats.

*Conducted in June 2025 on behalf of Chicco, Pollfish obtained a sample of 1,000 U.S. parents with children 0-10 living at home.

Waiting for Max: A NICU Story (The Collective Book Studio, Oct. 21, 2025), a tender and imaginative new picture book by debut author Emily Rosen and illustrated by Esther Diana.

One in ten babies in the U.S. will spend time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, yet few children’s books reflect this reality—especially from the perspective of siblings waiting at home. Waiting for Max fills this important gap, following big sister Louise as she navigates the confusing wait for her baby brother to come home from the NICU. Inspired by Emily’s own experience when her son Max spent 16 days in the NICU, this is a warm, hopeful story that helps children process uncertainty, change, and love through the lens of imaginative play.

With its relatable narrative, charming illustrations, and reassuring tone, Waiting for Max will resonate with families, educators, and medical professionals alike. Emily is also donating a portion of proceeds and copies of the book to NICU hospitals and nonprofit organizations nationwide—extending its impact beyond the page.

Everviolet, the wellness-focused intimates brand, and MISSION, a leader in wearable cooling technology, are proud to announce the launch of the Cool Essential Collection. This innovative, four-piece, limited edition capsule combines Everviolet's signature softness with MISSION's advanced cooling technology to deliver comfort, support, and relief for women in everyday life - from postpartum and menopause to daily stress and seasonal heat.  Heat health begins with the bottom layer & up. 

Designed to empower women with comfort in every moment, the Cool Essential Collection features:

·    Cool Essential Bralette – A wire-free, versatile design that supports without restriction

·    Cool Essential Jersey Cami – Lightweight, layering-friendly, and breathable

·    Cool Essential Panty – A feminine, full-coverage brief with a barely-there feel

·    Cool Essential Robe – A wrap-style layer with generous drape and cooling versatility

 Available in Mauve and Black, the collection offers inclusive sizing (S–2X for intimates; XS/S, M/L, XL/XXL for the robe) and is available on MISSION.com and Everviolet.com starting June 23, 2025.

At the heart of the collaboration is MISSION’s proprietary hydro-active cooling technology—a chemical-free, sustainable innovation activated by moisture and airflow. This allows the fabric to pull moisture away from the skin even during intense heat or activities and dries rapidly for continuous comfort.

Unlike traditional cooling fabrics, MISSION's solution avoids synthetic gels or phase change materials, offering quick-dry, breathable, sweat-wicking relief with antimicrobial odor control and no added skin irritation.

If you’re a parent, you already know packing for a day out with kids is a full-blown operation. From sunscreen and snacks to towels and toys, it can feel like you’re prepping for a weekend away instead of a few hours at the beach or park. That’s where Change Up Kids comes in—a simple, smart solution that helps you stay organized without the bulk.

Compact Convenience That Fits Your Life

One of the best things about the Change Up Kids product is its compact size. It’s thoughtfully designed to fit seamlessly into your everyday lifestyle—whether you’re heading to the beach, the playground, or running errands around town. In fact, their Instagram shows just how easy it is to tuck this game-changing product into a Bogg Bag, making it the perfect companion for summer outings and weekend getaways.

If you’re already obsessed with your Bogg Bag (and let’s face it—who isn’t?), you’ll love how Change Up Kids complements your setup. Check out exclusive Bogg Bag deals here.

Leave Room for the Essentials

The Change Up Kids is conveniently sized so that you can throw it into a bag with your sunscreen, towels, and all your other kid-friendly essentials—with room to spare. Whether you’re headed to the pool or just need something handy in the back of the car, it’s designed to keep messes contained and stress levels low.

Pro tip: Snag great towel deals while you’re at it here.

Now Available at Walmart

Looking to pick one up today? Change Up Kids products are now available at Amazon and Walmart, both in-store and online. That means you can grab one during your next grocery run or order it with your weekly haul. Check out their Walmart page for current offers and availability.

Ready to simplify your on-the-go parenting routine?

With Change Up Kids, you get function, portability, and peace of mind—all in one little product. Whether you’re chasing toddlers on the beach or changing diapers in a parking lot, this clever solution is made for families who move.

Following 20 years of serving soup to millions of customers at Zoup! Eatery (now Z!Eats), the team is bringing its thoughtfully crafted recipes straight to grocery store shelves. Kettle cooked in small batches, Zoup! soups are filled with wholesome, high-quality foods like antibiotic-free chicken, hearty cuts of vegetables, fresh herbs, and savory spices, all slow-simmered in the brand’s homestyle broth. There are no artificial ingredients, no preservatives, and no GMO’s… just perfectly balanced, soul-warming taste in every spoonful. Packaged in slim, recyclable (and reusable) glass jars, the following can serve as a quick and nourishing office lunch or cozy dinner at home.

·        Chicken Noodle, a nostalgic nod to Grandma

·        Chicken Potpie, a comfort food classic

·        Portabella Mushroom Bisque, rich and aromatic

·        Black Bean Chili, hearty and vegan

·        Spicy Chicken ‘Chilada™, zesty and nourishing

·        Tomato Bisque, smooth and creamy

·        Garden Vegetable, fresh and tasty

·        Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Sage, so silky

·        Chicken & Riced Cauliflower, a low-carb twist

Said Eric Ersher, founder and CEO of Zoup! Specialty Products, “Our restaurant history served as a testing ground to create and refine our soup recipes so that each would elicit all the comfort and warmth a good, really good bowl of soup should. With every smile and slurp, our customers reassured us that we were accomplishing what we set out to do. Today, we’ve brought our high standards for robust flavor and clean ingredients to our heat-and-eat soups and are proud to bring that same experience to people’s homes.”

Zoup! Soups are available for an SRP of $5.99 at retailers across the country, including Walmart, Sprouts, Meijer, The Fresh Market, and Weis Markets. The premium, clean-label products are also sold through Instacart, Amazon and Walmart.com.

About Zoup! Specialty Products

Zoup! got its start in 1998 by bringing something truly special, yet also simple, to communities across the country — a good, really good bowl of soup. After serving customers face-to-face for over 20 years, the passionate team leveraged its restaurant heritage to thoughtfully create soup-centric foods for retail, including premium broths, Culinary Concentrate™ broth bases, and shelf-stable soups. Featured on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America since 2019, Zoup! products are available in over 18,000 stores nationwide, plus online. Visit ZoupBroth.com and follow @ZoupGoodReallyGood on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Lunch bags and bento boxes, meet Pickle Bites. These freshly packed and lightly fermented™ pickles are thick cut for craveable crunch and have gut-healthy benefits to boot. Classic Dill, along with Kimchi and Spicy for more adventurous kiddos, come in convenient, single-serve pouches with no added brine (so less mess!). They’re super tasty yet free of added sugar, preservatives, and GMO’s. Plus, all three flavors are only 10 calories per serving.

Caleb Rand's book, Never Alone, was inspired by his own experience with bullying. That firsthand encounter showed him how much damage bullying can do. Wanting to bring attention to the issue and offer hope, he wrote Never Alone as a 6th grade student. The main character, Jeff, deals with the emotional and psychological effects of constant bullying. The story shows Jeff's feelings of hopelessness and isolation, capturing the inner struggles of someone who feels completely alone and unable to cope. But then, something changes: Jeff starts to see the power of kindness. These small acts of compassion make a difference, helping to counter the negativity he's faced. Through these interactions, Jeff learns that even in tough times, he's not alone. The book highlights the importance of support from friends, family, teachers, and the community. Never Alone reminds us that empathy and kindness can overcome challenges and help those who feel vulnerable find a sense of belonging.

This book is a great way for students, parents, and teachers to tackle the big issue of bullying in schools. It uses stories to show what bullying looks like from different angles, making it easier for students to think about it without feeling like they're being put on the spot. “Reading a book makes it feel less threatening to learn about these difficult topics,” states author Caleb Rand. This way, kids can understand bullying, how it happens, and who it affects. It's also a starting point for talking about bullying at home and school.  By giving everyone something to talk about, this book helps the school become a community where everyone feels safe and respected.

The discussion questions and activities at the end of the book are super helpful for teachers and parents. They make the book's ideas stick and get students thinking. Talking about the book helps students explain what they learned, connect it to their own lives, and think more critically. The activities let them use what they've learned, building skills in talking to others, solving problems, and being creative. Plus, when children share and work together, it boosts their confidence.

For those interested in purchasing Never Alone, by Caleb Rand, it is available on Amazon through the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8FWLWN2 

Whether you're expecting your very first baby or shopping for a lively toddler, every Chicco car seat is engineered for comfort, safety, and peace of mind. World-class innovation and user-friendly touchpoints make Chicco car seats reassuringly easy to install and to secure your little one, making every ride that much safer.

All-in-One Car Seat
One car seat that fits your child, vehicle and life from birth through booster

Room to Grow
Extra rear-facing legroom and superior range of height adjustments accommodate child’s growth

Space-Saving Design
Slim, space-saving design takes up less space in vehicle without compromising comfort

LeverLock® Self-Tensioning Lock System
Innovative vehicle belt install for forward-facing harness mode provides confidence and stability by applying the correct amount of belt-locking tension

MSRP: $319.99 
Launch Date: February 2025 
Key Retailers: Babylist, Walmart, Amazon
Top Product Features: 
OneFit™ LX now features the Chicco-exclusive LeverLock® Self-Tensioning Lock System for the most secure front-facing installation using a clear vehicle belt path that is shockingly simple for parents. 
Featuring ClearTex® flame retardant-free materials, it is GREENGUARD Gold Certified for low chemical emissions
The only AIO car seat that provides multiple reclines in booster mode

April & Ashley’s NEW exquisite farm-fresh roses delivered directly to customers’ homes, offering blooms that redefine luxury and elegance. Transform Mother’s Day into an extraordinary experience with April & Ashley’s expertly grown, cut-to-order rose bouquets. April & Ashley farm-fresh rose bouquets elevate your home décor and Mother’s Day gifting.

“Send your love to mom with luxury roses that are larger, more fragrant and longer lasting than standard bouquets,” recommends April & Ashley Co-CEO Tyler Francis. “Our stunning rose bouquets are cultivated with care and precision. Unlike store-bought flowers that often lack longevity and fragrance, April & Ashley’s roses are shipped straight from the farm, ensuring maximum freshness and beauty.” 

Each bouquet is meticulously crafted to showcase larger, more abundant blooms—radiating more fragrance than traditional rose bouquets.

About:

April & Ashley is rooted in family-farm tradition, cultivating roses with a focus on quality, sustainability, and innovation. Roses from April & Ashley are curated and hand selected from farm to front door for both bouquets and rose bushes with more than 70 bush and 30 bouquet varieties available. With deep roots in Arizona, the company is proud to uphold farming practices that respect both the environment and the artistry of rose cultivation. Customers experience the beauty of larger, longer lasting, and more fragrant blooms direct from the source. For more information, visit aprilandashley.com.