Carseats / Booster Seats

My 6 yr old daughter was in a 5-point harness up until just a few months ago. She has always been petite so I thought why move it if we don't have to...it never bothered her, until the straps started getting a little tight. ;-) I noticed this past school year that a lot of the kids had the backless boosters and I've considered getting one for field trips since they are so easy to move in & out but I must confess that I am neverous to actually use one. So for now, she is still in her big Graco car seat using the seat belt...which she thinks is "so grown up".

Our boys are in Britax Frontier 85, oldest is 5 1/2, 49" and 50 lb. He asked couple of times why he has to be in the carseat like a baby.Well one time we were at the friend's house and my husband's friend saw the new car seats and said "wow, those look like race car seats(they are red:)), do you know that race car drivers use 5 point harness because they are the safest?" We have not heard any complaints since then:)

My son will be in his 5 point harness until he out grows it. He knows this is the safest place for him and he is fine with it. He is just about to turn 4 so we will see what he thinks when he is just about to turn 6. LOL

I am a CPST (car seat tech). My daughter is 5 1/2 years old and still rides in a harness 99% of the time (Graco Nautilus and Britax Frontier). She is on the top harness slots on both and will stay in those until she reaches the height limit. She is booster trained for rides with my father-in-law, but she is safer in the harness.

Personally, kids don't get a vote in my book until around age 6. Then if they are mature enough to sit in a booster without reaching, slumping, etc. I would consider letting them ride in a booster with vehicle seatbelt.

Our daughter moved out of her Britax Roundabout when she hit the weight limit at 4 years of age. She then moved on to the Britax Frontier; still a 5 pt harness. She'll be in that until she's married. Just kidding :)

Make sure you check your car seat, there are only a couple that truly harness to 80lbs. If yours is a combo seat (harness and booster) DOUBLE CHECK THE MANUAL as it likely will only harness to 40lbs and then booster to 80lbs. Unless you have a Britax Frontier.

Now that being said, my now 8.5yr old is still in a high back booster seat. He's 53" tall and 65lbs, but still can't fit the belt properly without a booster, and he prefers it. He sat in a Britax Regent 5pt harness until he was almost 8, his choice, he was more comfortable.

My youngest son is almost 5 and still in a 5pt harness, the Britax regent, where he will remain for at least another year.

our daughter isn't here yet (we are adopting a3yr old from Ukraine) but she will be rear faced because she has CP, and will need the extra support of rear facing until we can get her fully assessed on her abilities and weaknesses.

My oldst never had a problem being in a car seat, still doesn't.

We moved our oldest at 3 and 35 lbs. but the laws were different then and there wasn't all of the rear-face/extended car seat pressure then either. A booster is just plain practical by kindergarten, when a child will start having independent after-school playdates with friends. Pretty much everyone seemed to use a booster then. It was just expected when you'd send your child on a playdate that you'd give the other parent a booster for your child or use an extra of your own. If someone handed me a full-blown car seat, I would have been floored.

Our daughter is 4 and 41 lbs. but we're keeping her in her car seat a little longer. We know more now and also it's likely going to be a real hassle converting her convertible/booster combo to just a booster (based on how awful it was to just install the thing as a convertible). Will likely keep in her the car seat until just before kindergarten and then switch over.

My son (4 1/2) rides in a 5 pt harness (Graco Nautilus) when he's with me, but we do have a highback booster (Graco Turbo booster... a very highly rated booster) we send with him for play dates etc. so that the Nautilus is not constantly being reinstalled.

Check that your seat actually DOES harness past 40lbs. Most of the time a seat that says it goes to 80lbs is harnessed to 40 then a belt positioner to 80. Just something to check. I like the Nautilus it harnesses to 65lbs then is a high back then a backless booster.

HTH

T.

I have a will be 7 yr old in 6 days and he is 49 1/2 " tall and 56 lbs my car seats are 5 point harness that holds to 65lbs, he has had no issue with this untill the sitter started driving him places with out a seat at all. She is not long a sitter of ours, but he now has the issue and I excplain to him this is the safest way to travel. If he mentions that his friend do not ride like this I just tell him that I am not their Mommy and if they were my child they would. I just want the best for him and for him to be safe. If they know nothing but the car seat and do ot figt it too bad the I say leave them in it as long as they fit with in the limits the manufacturer states for the seat.

Not all kids are the same sixe and therefore need different rules as well.