Call it global warming or call it climate change, weather is getting crazy. As I write this it is a cool and breezy 65 degrees. Last week was 90, and it will be 90 again next next week. In September. Taking kids too and from school means sometimes leaving one of the kids in the car “real quick” while I run to grab another one from the pickup line. We’ve all dealt with the irritation of feeling the sun beating on you through the car window. It feels ten times hotter for some reason and you’ll do everything to avoid it. If you have a baby traveling in a car seat, then the sun becomes an even bigger problem.
Did you know babies should be shielded from the sun as much as possible? Yes, all of us should stay shielded, but babies have much more delicate skin, making them more susceptible to damage from UV rays. They burn a lot easier and are more prone to suffering from serious problems. Not only that, babies can’t regulate their body heat very well so they’ll feel super hot and spend the whole car ride crying, and that isn’t a fun time for anybody.
In other words, you need to implement a few baby-proofing ideas in your car to shield them from the sun. You’ll typically have two routes to go down; check them out below and decide which one is the best for you!
Tint Your Back Windows
Tinting your windows will block a lot of sunlight from entering the back of your car. It’s beneficial as the tint is semi-permanent (it can be removed, but it will remain in place and functional for as long as you like) and you don’t have to remember to bring anything on your journeys. There’s also no need to adjust anything; the window stays as it is and the tint blocks out the sun’s rays.
Some of the facts and stats surrounding car window tinting are excellent as well. Depending on where you get the tint installed and how dark it is, you can get up to 40% solar heat reduction and over 99% UV ray reduction in the car. It means your back seats are the perfect place to have a small baby in their car seat. They’ll be shaded the whole time and their skin remains protected.
Buy A Car Window Shade
The alternative is to buy window shades for your car. They come in many designs and the idea is you stick a mesh material on the inside of your car windows and it blocks the sunlight. It won’t be as good at blocking the sun or reducing heat as tinted windows, but the best car sunshades are far cheaper than tinting your windows – and they’re not as permanent so you can get new ones whenever you want.
Car window shades come in loads of styles so you can find some with your baby’s favorite TV shows on or in cool designs you like the look of. This is comfortably the most accessible and convenient way of shielding your baby from the sun, but shades do have a few downsides. Apart from being slightly less effective, window shades also need to be washed and might not fit the window perfectly. So, there’s a bit of added maintenance and it can be harder to find the perfect size.
In reality, what you think of either option doesn’t matter – what matters is that you use at least one of them to keep your baby safe. Never drive the car with your baby in the back if you don’t have sun protection. They should be shaded at all times, especially on long road trips.
I Think Therefore I Dad 