[g2:1228 class=”right”]Like most new parents, I’ve struggled with the complications of traveling with an infant. And I’m not talking about the diaper bags and all the other crap that has to be hauled around. The problem is car seats.
My son hates being strapped into a car seat. Under state law, the child seat has to be in the back, pointed backwards. For the child, it is sensory deprivation. He can’t see out the window. He can’t see or interact with the parent. Infants are programmed for constant interaction, grasping, and play — to be stuck there, strapped in, unable to move or look around, is pure torture. Meanwhile (as seen in photos below), other western nations consider a child’s travel requirements equal to that of any other transport user:
Child’s playground on Swiss IC2000 intercity train
Kid-friendly rail transport in Finland
In the US, TV and computer games have become standard car features, to pacify kids while Mom drives (Chrysler advertisement)