Average height of an 8 year old?

[jacksonsmom]

I am not sure what the actual law is here. I think it is 6 year or 60 pounds, but to tell you the truth I am really not sure.

That being said my DS is still in a booster seat. He will be 7 years old in August. He is big for his age though. At his last phyiscal (last summer) he was already 50" and I KNOW he has grew some because it seems like he keeps outgrowing his pants! He also weighs around 55-58 pounds.

I have been thinking of taking him out of the booster seat but I am not sure. I was going to get his dr's opinion on the matter during his 7 year old check up in August. I would not be surprised if he is close to 53" right now. Yes, he is one of the tallest kids in his class, always has been. He was 23" at birth so he was born tall

 

[AC7179]

My philosophy is better safe than sorry............and hopefully it my kid's friend's parents have the same philosophy it wouldn't be an issue!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

When I took DS to the pediatrician Monday for his checkup, they said that his 51" and 55lb. are both 45th percentile. That means he is almost average--and he is 8 years old. I'm sure they'll be revising the guidelines soon and Graco and the other companies will be reaping the $$$ benefits. With the older guidelines he was almost out of needing a booster 2 years ago when we got into an accident. The insurance guy told me to get rid of his booster and buy a new one, but he was so close to "not needing one" anymore....now I'm supposed to get him back in one because of new rules? And of course no resale shop around here will touch a seat or booster with a 10 foot pole, so no way to get one for less than full price.
As for the front seat, my kids do not ride in MY front seat until they are 12. DH's company vehicle has a sensor with the airbag that can tell how much the person in that front seat weighs--they only ride in that vehicle if they are on the way to school, about 2 blocks away, so I don't have a problem with that. His 2001 avalanche does not have a sensor or a shutoff.
Robin M.

 

[michboro]

My son just turned 8 and he is 54 1/2 inches tall and 79 pounds. Here in NJ you only have to use booster seat until 8 yrs of age or 80 pounds.

 

[FreshTressa]

My concern is that my son, 8, seems more secure in the seat belt than on the flimsy booster. It slips and slides around on the seat and the belt never seams that tight across my son. He is not 80lbs, but does not ride in a booster. His head goes above the headrest in it and it is just not comfortable at his height. (he is tall).

DD on the other hand at 7 still needs one.

 

[PattnFmly]

My older DS just turned 7 last week and we just went to the pediatrician. He's 50 1/2 inches tall and 86 pounds. Yes, he does still fit in his booster - just barely. I too have been concerned lately about where his head is hitting the headrests. Haven't tried him without the booster since he never gives us a hard time, but do want to try him soon, especially with the headrest thing. Don't need any backward snapped necks!

 

[barkley]

my ds is 9 and weighs less than 50 pounds, but he is too tall to safely ride in any of the commercialy available booster seats (the kid is built like a soda straw, tall and hollow). we used one until it became apparant that in the event of a crash he would end up very badly injured (his head was almost touching the top of the car).

both and and his sister (shy of 12) wear seat belts and are not permitted to ever ride in the front seat of a car. i keep waiting for the state to initiate a law regarding keeping kids in the back seat-there have been way too many fatalities involving kids and passenger side airbags (heck when mine deployed in a minor accident the bulk of my injuries were from the air-bag, bruises, contusions, cracked ribs-and i'm 5'6").

 

[kathi29]

Gotta love the 80n lbs thing. My dd is 5'3" now, at almost 13 yo, and is JUST over 80 lbs. If I put her in a booster, her head will be all the way above the headrest. THAT doesn;t seem very safe!

At 5'3" and 13 yo, she doesn't need a booster. But for tall children, or in a vehicle where the seatbacks are low and the head rests are nonmovable or non-existent, you would use a high back booster.

 

[lucyblondecat]

I just accompanied my sister and her son to the doctors. He is 7 and is 51 inches tall (and 51 pounds!) He's one of the taller kids in his first grade class, but not the tallest. Some of the girls in his class are close to 5 feet tall!

 

[paigevz]

My son BEGGED me to get out of his booster just before he turned 8, towards the end of 2nd grade. He was nowhere near 80 lbs..........just attaining that at age 10.

Now, at age 11, he is 55" and 88 lbs. No way would I try to put him in a booster! If he follows his 25th percentile growth curve, he'll not be 4-9 until age 12.

My just turned 4 year old is 43" and 65 lbs. Of course he uses a booster, but he will reach 80 lbs likely before his 8th birthday. Likely he'll be 4-9 by age 9, if he follows his 95th percentile growth curve.

That means that most kids would be between 9-12 when they are tall enough not to booster...........that's middle school age. I think it's highly unlikely many middle schoolers will ride in booster seats.

 

[luv2nascar]

My DD is very tall she will be 11 on 7/10 and is at least 5'4". She is taller than her grandmother who is 5'1". I let her ride in the front seat sometimes. She was way too big for a booster seat at 8. She is 120#now. My youngest is small and will probably be in a booster seat till 8. It depends on the child's actual size and height.

 

[ReggieB]

It seems to me in my neighborhood that adults seem to be lax with seatbelts and kids, let alone booster seats. Which is kind of sad. I have a friend who lets her DD ride up front (12 is the law here, she's 8) and with no seatbelt. She isn't the only one, I see few kids with belts on. My DS5 is in a booster, state law (MD) is 6 and/or 50lbs, though I could be wrong on that. We are thinking of switching to one of those small booster seats (without backs, they just elevate you) The seat belts always cut into my neck and I'm 5.4', not huge but still. My poor son will be stuck in a booster seat until 20 if I think he needs to be, luckily he understands at the moment.


Just checked the law. MD is 40lbs AND 6 years old. Seatbelts really don't fit right, some poor kids are going to have some serious neck injuries.

 

[Va-bear]

My very tall 7 year old will ride in a booster unil he's 4'9" - no options. I really don't get all these parents saying " my kid would never do so and so..." MY kid gets some choices but not about MAJOR safety issues. National boards study these thigns - its all real.... and for your own safety. Tell them nicely why, talk to them with intelligence - they will get it. )Heck, a little embarressement could be ggod for the kid ! )

SAFETY FIRST!!!

 

[disneymac]

The 4'9" recommendation is from the American Academy of Pediatrics, it's not a law. The laws are all different in each state. They all seem a little arbitrary to me. My DS8 is now tall enough to ride without a booster and DD5 will use hers until she is 4'9". There are some things that are negotiable in our family, but this is not one of them. BIL is living with a head injury due to a car accident. It's not pretty.