History as only our favorite star of "Just Reflectin" can tell it. This time Smooshfoot shares his knowledge of the history of infant car seats: from the bronze Roman models, to rear-facing jackass units. Bill knows his history. It's just that his isn't like anyone else's. DadLabs ep 424.

BILL SMOOSHFOOT: Walking these hills has me just reflectin’ about history, philosophy, and children’s car seats.

Typical American hubris, the shortsightedness of our modern world to think that we invented the car seat. Native Americans employed car seats long before the white man hauled up on these shores. Fashioned of tree sap and natural resins with harnesses of natural hemp rope. These car seats could be seen bumping along the plains protecting young ones from potential Bison strikes.

The Romans, too, had car seats. We know this from inscriptions found on amphorae hidden for eons beneath the placid Mediterranean waters. Roman baby seats were made entirely of bronze -- which has surprising energy absorption characteristics. When emperor Commodus mandated that all citizens under ten annum or less than 52 libras had to remain in the back of the chariot, injuries to children plummeted.

Even I myself, hard to believe in my advanced age and decrepitude remember fondly the many hours I myself spent in a safety seat on the back of daddy’s jackass as we made our way into village for another bucket of grease. I remember my father fitting the tiny soft, hand knitted ball gag into my mouth for the long journey. So before we assume we know everything in this modern world. Car seats are not our exclusive modern domain. It’s good to do some reflectin’.