InventorSpot

Today's families are scattered all over the map, meaning plane trips to grandma's house are more common than ever before. Thanks to the Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES), flying is safer than ever for your youngster.

While our air travel conveniences have significantly improved over the years, planes still aren't designed for their youngest flyers. On most standard aircrafts, kids are provided with a seatbelt identical to adults - something that would be unheard of for a toddler in a car. So what's a parent to do?

Until quite recently, a parents' solution was to lug their car seat into flights, a huge inconvenience for both the family and strangers seated around them. The FAA and American Academy of Pediatrics makes it even more of a challenging situation, strongly recommending that you carry SOME sort of safety restraint such as a car seat. Not only is it inconvenient...it is all but mandatory.

A child tries out his new CARES flight gear!

CARES is currently the only FAA approved child safety harness on the market. Perfectly designed for travelers weighing between 22-44 pounds, CARES fastens directly to the airplane seat and works with the regular seat belt. What's more, its small and portable size makes it easy to take with you wherever you go. It will easily fit in your carry on, and won't cause any bulk or discomfort for neighboring passengers.

Recently chosen as a Good Housekeeping Good Buy award for 2008, CARES is available through their official website , and many other travel retailers.