Looping the CARES over the back of the seat and securing requires lowering the tray table on the back of the seat. As such, this is more easily and quickly accomplished if you board early. Take advantage of the opportunity for priority boarding because you are traveling with young children. It will not only make getting the CARES installed easier, it will also allow your young one to get acclimated to the surroundings and the feel of the CARES over the shoulders and around the lap.
It is suggested that once the passenger behind your child arrives and takes their seat, you let them know that you have installed the CARES and assure them that it will have no impact on their ability to use their tray table. This will likely avoid any issues with these passengers getting concerned and alerting a steward or stewardess, which would then require additional discussions and explanations. Should this nevertheless happen, please be reminded that the CARES is equipped with labels clearly identifying the product as FAA approved, which should defuse any such situations. Additionally, a short explanation and demonstration of how the product works and how it really has no impact on the usability of the tray table of the passengers behind should also go a long way in bringing such an exchange to a swift end.
The use of the CARES harness should be limited to window and center seats, much as the use of a car seat. However, unlike a car seat, the CARES harness fits neatly into a small bag until you need to take it out to install it on one of these window or center seats. No bruises to the shins, no pulled muscles wrestling the car seat into position. A quick loop and tighten and the CARES is ready for use.