The Monthly Buckle Up · November 2026
Grateful, Buckled, and Headed Home
An award, a nor'easter, holiday travel tips, and a brand new way to ride along with us
A Note from Jenn
Hi friends,
November always makes me stop and count the good stuff, and this fall handed us plenty. A nor'easter tried to cancel Seat Check Saturday and our community showed up anyway. You voted us Best Non-Profit on the Upper Cape (I'm still smiling about that one). And today, I get to invite you into something I've been dreaming about for a long time.
As we head into a season of road trips to Grandma's and full cars on Thanksgiving morning, I'm thankful for every caregiver who asks the question, double-checks the harness, and lets us help. That's what this work is all about.
We Won! Best Non-Profit 2026
Car Seat Momma was named Best Non-Profit in OnCape's 2026 Best of the Upper Cape Local Choice Awards. This recognition came from our community, which makes it mean everything. Thank you to every family, partner, and neighbor who cast a vote and cheered us on. We're proud to keep bringing free, judgment-free car seat help to families across Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts.
Seat Check Saturday: Rain or Shine (Mostly Rain)
When a nor'easter rolled in, the Mashpee Fire chief made the call to move Seat Check Saturday from September 26 to October 3. Plenty of events lose steam after a postponement. Ours didn't. Here's what you made happen:
Every one of those checks means a child riding safer this winter. A huge thank you to the people who made it possible:
- Mashpee Fire Department, our co-host, for opening your doors (twice!) and keeping everyone safe
- Cape Cod Five, our title sponsor, for believing in this event from day one
- The Rock Woodfired Pizza of Mashpee and Stop & Shop in Mashpee, for your generous donations that kept our crew fed and fueled
- Our volunteer technicians, for giving up a Saturday to help families
- Every donor and every family who came through the doors
Holiday Travel Tips
Thanksgiving and holiday travel means longer drives, different cars, and bulkier clothes. Keep these in your back pocket:
Follow the two-hour rule
Babies in car seats should get a break at least every two hours. Plan stops into your drive so baby can come out of the seat, stretch, and feed. It's easier on everyone (grown-ups included).
Coats off, then buckle
Puffy coats compress in a crash and can leave the harness dangerously loose. Buckle kids in with thin, warm layers, then add the coat backwards over the harness or tuck a blanket on top. Do the pinch test at the collarbone: if you can pinch the strap, tighten it.
New car? Reinstall like it's the first time
Grandpa's SUV or a rental car is a whole new installation. Check the vehicle manual, make sure the seat moves less than an inch at the belt path, and never assume it will fit like it does in your car.
Flying? Bring your seat
Look for the FAA approval label on your car seat. Kids are safest buckled into their own seat on the plane, and you'll have a seat you know and trust waiting at your destination.
Introducing The Buckle Up Club
Here's the thing I've been so excited to share. Most of our support comes from one-time gifts, and we're so grateful for every one of them. But families need us year-round, so we're building a community of monthly givers who keep Car Seat Momma rolling every single month.
Welcome to The Buckle Up Club. Pick the level that fits your life:
Thank you for being in our corner this year.
Chat soon,
Jenn
Jenn Christian
President & Founder, Car Seat Momma
CPST-I, Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor
508-776-9921 · info@carseatmomma.org · carseatmomma.org
