car seat to Booster Seat

[3DisneyBuggs]

My "baby" will be 3 in February. I think he is ready for a booster seat but am not too sure. He is at least 38 inches tall but most say 3 years old and 38 inches.The straps on his seat are so tight he can't be comfy. I don;t want to risk his safety but a booster would be so nice and easy to get him in and out of now that freezing weather is here. I thought of the bigger car seats but he is always eyeing his sister's booster and wants to sit in it. I need help deciding what to get for him. Any ideas?we have the Roundabout now.

 

[mickeyminnie123]

A booster seat would be good now. Because my sister ds3 had the same problem! she got hers from here:

www.elitecarseats.com

and they also have cold weather accessories as well!

Hope this helps!

 

[JennsBabySky]

I'm sure you'll get many more detailed responses, but NO! Your "baby" is way too little for a booster. I didn't move my daughter until she had completely outgrown her carseat. Boosters are just not as safe as a carseat, so I want to keep my little one in the 5 point harness for as long as they fit! Personally, I had to move to the Marathon because my DD outgrew her Roundabout by height. There is nothing more precious to me than my children, so I'd rather cut a few extra coupons and save money on groceries and splurge on the carseat.

About the straps being tight -- if they are too tight, you can always adjust the harness so that it is appropriately tight. You should always be adjusting the harness so that it is the correct tension, so thereotically, it shouldn't be any tighter on your baby now than it was a year ago (it may be adjusted differently, but the tension should be about the same).

Sorry, but mine is a huge NO vote. My almost 4 year old really wants to ride in big sis's seat. He knows he can't so he doesn't really complain about it. I think he may be moving to a booster in grandma's car, but he probably won't be moving to a booster in my car for at least another year.

 

[bumbershoot]

It might be OK by law, but by safety it's a different story.

My guy is almost 40 inches, 35 pounds, and is 3.5, but he'll be in a 5 point harness until, well, until the Regent we're going to buy is outgrown. And that puppy goes to 80 pounds.

Really, we should ALL be in 5 point harnesses, but especially little kids who don't know how to sit properly in booster (sitting up straight, don't mess with the seatbelt, don't lean over) should be in them.

Speaking of that, I need to weigh him again and check out the limits on my Scenera and Roundabout, to see where he is in terms of *needing* a new seat!

 

[LisaNJ25]

It might be OK by law, but by safety it's a different story.

My guy is almost 40 inches, 35 pounds, and is 3.5, but he'll be in a 5 point harness until, well, until the Regent we're going to buy is outgrown. And that puppy goes to 80 pounds.

Really, we should ALL be in 5 point harnesses, but especially little kids who don't know how to sit properly in booster (sitting up straight, don't mess with the seatbelt, don't lean over) should be in them.

Speaking of that, I need to weigh him again and check out the limits on my Scenera and Roundabout, to see where he is in terms of *needing* a new seat!

I agree.. my 8yo just stopped using her booster and she is 85 pounds. I cant imagine putting my 40 inch 38 pound 3yo in the same one. She would be like a rag doll in an accident.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Definitely check your state requirements. In NC it is 4 years or 40 pounds - it is not height based. That being said, the PP's are right that children are safer in a five point harness. My almost 5-year old DD occasionally "forgets" to sit up straight - the threat of going back to a 5-point seat is always there for her to help her remember that she must sit up straight and tall if she is going to be in a booster.

Personally, no way would I put an almost three year old into a booster seat. The 4 year requirement is as much for physical strength and development as it is for the ability to listen and remember to sit up straight.

 

[Disneylush]

Just this week I took my 3 year and 4 month old to Babies R Us to find out what he should be in according to our state laws. We were able to take the seats off the shelf at BRU and try them all out on the mini-van beach seat in the store.

According to MN laws my son was ready for a booster and it was what he fit best in. We have used it for a week and he sits so much better in it than he did in his roundabout because he is comfortable. BUT he also behaves very well. He never tries to move the straps or get out. My 4 year old nephew on the other hand does not ride well, is very small and still needs to be in a 5-point harness.

You know your child the best and the professionals know your state laws and how your child should fit in the seat.

 

[all4fun]

State laws are quite often bare minimums (and sometimes not even that). I tend to go by what the safety experts agree on which are closer to "best practice" and have more to do with the laws of physics rather than inconsistent state laws. JMO. My ds 4.5yrs is still in a 5pt harness seat because he's not 40lbs yet and like pp have said, a booster is just not as safe as a car seat with a 5pt harness. The BARE minimum recommendation for moving up to a booster w/adult seatbelt is 4yrs and 40lbs. Even 4yrs old is really too young for many kids. Also consider the iliac crest - the hip bones where the lap belt rests on adults - is not fully hardened/developed until a child reaches closer to 6yrs of age. The spine is also not fully developed until that age. A 5pt harness prevents the child from slumping in the seat and distributes crash forces more evenly across the body. In a lap/shoulder belt they can possibly submarine under the lap belt if they are not big enough which can cause serious internal injuries. There is more info about why a 5pt is safest HERE. And HERE is a link to a list of car seats you might consider.
There are several options in car seats that go beyond 40lbs now. You don't HAVE to put your "baby" in a booster just yet!

 

[liznboys]

I agree with all4fun, she always has excellent carseat posts!

But to add my opinion, I would most definitely not put your child in a booster seat. My 3rd son is 3.5 yrs old, he'll be 4 next March. He's a big boy and he rides in a Britax Marathon which is a 5 point seat. Safe and comfy in his 5 point harness, it's great. There are less expensive options out there too.

My 1.5 yr old is rear-facing in his Britax Marathon. My 8 and 6 yr olds are still in 5 point harness seats in our primary vehicle as well (they use Graco boosters in my dh's car.) Heck, if possible, *I* would use a 5 point harness seat belt if I could!

I've learned SO much about carseat safety over the past couple years. I used to think that whatever the laws were meant that it was safe. Maybe it is "safe" by some standards, and I respect others choices to follow that. But when it comes to MY kids safety, my standards are sky high.

 

[mickeywho?]

I run an annual car seat clinic - working with public health and local police. We are amazed every year how many car seats are not installed properly and how many siblings are sitting in boosters next to the baby - parents not even aware that the older one was not yet ready for a booster.
"all4fun" explained their thinking quite clearly. While law officers will tell parents "you may be within the law but...I wouldn't do what you are doing with my child" they tend to take their advice.
Have your son help pick his new car seat. Cover it in stickers and make it his own.
My youngest was the same - desperate to be a big boy like his brother and be in a booster. He was in a larger car seat until around 4.5 and then into a full-backed booster until he was over 6. At the booster age it has less to do with weight and more to do with height - but really hip to shoulder height while sitting and dependent on how the car seat belt fits. My eldest was in a booster in our car (honda crv) until over 9 but could ride in his friends car (hyndai santa fe) without a booster from around 8.
I was in a car accident a few months ago (kids not in the car thank goodness) and my seatbelt was what saved me from major injury. It was a side-impact so the airbag did not open. The bruise across my chest and shoulder was soo deep that it's just beginning to disappear now. I could only imagine what would have happened if it was not sitting right (would have injured my neck or would have cut into my gut). Lessons learned from my safety clinics! These are all things to think about when you look at how a child fits into a seatbelt. Is it along their shoulder bone or inching towards their neck? Is it over their hips or across their stomach? And never - ever - ever have a child in a seat with a lap belt only. Even if it fits well that belt will not protect from any upper body injuries. Most new cars have the shoulder belts now in the middle back seats for that reason.

 

[mickeywho?]

double post

 

[sharbev]

Just thought it might be worth pointing out there are different types of boosters that also may affect your decision.

My 4 yr old is in a booster, but we only considered the Britax Parkway. He was moving from the Britax Marathon. The Parkway was large and cushy and certainly more protective than those little $20 half seats you find at Walmart, etc.

So know what you are looking for, at and what each booster's safety record and restraints are.

 

[Melissa_E]

The Britax seats are terrific, I love them myself, but I couldn't afford the Regent or the Marathon when my daughter outgrew her roundabout. So I bought the Apex 65, it has a 5 point harness up until 65 pounds like the marathon and then can convert into a seatbelt booster.

One thing to remember is after 40-48 pounds you can no longer use LATCH depending on what your car and your car seat suggests.

 

[jessica52877]

I would NOT go to a booster at his age at all. DS will be 5 in 3 weeks, is 44 inches tall and just hit 40 lbs with winter clothes and it will be a LONG time before I move him to a booster. We own an apex, regent and also young sport (which only goes to 40 lbs but was perfect for him since he was so tall). I have bought all those within the last year, 2 recaros in fact, first in accident. I would give up anything I had to for my son's safety.

Check out www.car-seat.org . it has extremely useful info and also a link for the 5 pt test the child must pass in order to safely sit in a booster.

ETA: the recaro becomes a booster unlike no other and I tried it out in the driveway the other day, I just felt it was way too unsafe, too easy for him to slip right out of the seatbelt in an accident.

 

[Elmo888]

I wouldn't go with a booster either. I have a 3 yo, too, and there is no way that I would put her in a booster. She still fits in her convertible seat, although she has almost outgrown it by shoulder height. I have an older DD, and I moved her when she was 3.5 and 40 lbs to a booster, but I have learned that it is better to leave them in a 5-point as long as possible.

I just bought a Sunshine Kids Radian from elitecarseats.com. There are two different versions - one goes to 65 lbs. and one goes to 80. I bought the 80 because, judging from my older DD, DD3 has a chance of outgrowing the seat by weight before height (tall skinny kids outgrow seats by height instead of weight, and if this is your case, you could go with the 65 which is less expensive). I went with this over the Britax Regent, which also has a high weight limit, because the Radian is narrower. I need to be able to fit 3 kids in the back seat. If you have a big, wide vehicle or bucket seats in the second row or a third row, I would consider the Regent.

Good luck!

 

[lil mermaid]

I agree with the previous posters.


Your son is too young and too small for a booster. My DD is 3 1/2 now and we won't put her in a booster for a long time.

 

[thepeach80]

6 is my bare minimum to use a booster full time. My son is 42#, 41" and 4.5yo and still harnessed w/ no problems in his seat. My other son will be 3 in less than a week and is still rear facing. He won't be using a booster for a long time considering he'll still probably be rfing at 4.

At 6 a child's spine is generally fully fused and the iliac crest in the pelvic area is formed. This is what keeps older children's and adult's seatbelts resting on their hips instead of riding up on their stomach. This makes using a seatbelt safer (still not as safe as a harness) b/c it at least fits better then. It's also less likely they'll suffer severe neck injuries at 6 as opposed to 3 in a booster. It's also a maturity issue. I personally know no 3yo who could sit in their seat correctly the ENTIRE time they're in the car, but we spend a lot of time in our car.

It's safer to use a harness, there's no debating that, so why risk it?

 

[pantherlj]

My 5 year old is still in a 5 point seat. Most seats go to 40 pounds - make sure to check the max weight on your current car seat. My 5 year old still squirms a lot so I wouldn't trust her in a seat belt just yet. I will switch to a high back booster when she hits 40 pounds - probably 1st grade.


I have a friend that has her almost 8 year old still in a 5 point (Britax but not sure which one - goes to 80 pounds). She hates it and gets a few questions from her friends in Brownies but nothing horrible She is getting a booster for her 8th birthday LOL

 

[tanyaandallie]

Reason not to put your 3 year old in a booster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04
www.kyledavidmiller.org

Here is a list of seats that your 3 year old could graduate into.....

Convertible Seats

Britax Marathon, Decathalon, or Boulevard (MA/DC/BV). 17 in top slots, RF 5-33lbs, FF up to 65lbs in 5 point harness. Awesome seats, allow for rf tethering, has lockoffs to replace locking clips, very easy installs, many bells and whistles that make them easier to use correctly every time, lasts most kids to age 5-6y/o. 220+

Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe (FPSVD).17 inch top slots, RF 5-33lbs, FF up to 55lbs in a 5 point harness. Made by Britax, sold under the FP name- basically a stripped down Britax Marathon. Great seat, awesome price $129 (regular 199$), and will last most kids to age 5-6 y/o.
DISCONTINUED —Be sure to check date of manufacture before purchase as many people have been getting seats with older dom.

New Evenflo Triumph Advanced RF to 35lbs; FF to 50 lbs. Max harness height of 17". The new Triumph has the infinite harness adjuster too.. no rethreading the harness! Much nicer than the old Triumph! Much taller shell than the old Triumph too! Priced at 150$

Sunshine Kids Radian. 18 in top slots, RF 5-33lbs, FF up to 65lbs in 5 point harness. Great seat, only second to Britax because it has some compatibility issues in some vehicles when installed with seatbelt. Really good seat otherwise, allows for RF tethering, lasts most kids to 6-7y/o. 8yr lifespan (most have a 6yr) $175+ www.skjp.com has the manual available for viewing. The Raidan 80 is basically the same seat with an 80 lbs weight limit, same top harness slots and comes with a bunch of padding, nice for an infant. The extra 15 lbs is really not necessary unless you have a heavy child.

Recaro Como & Signo. Recaro makes seats for NASCAR and has made car seats for the European market and a few for the US market for years. RF to 35lbs, forward face to 70lbs, and has 19" top slots. Bottom slots of 9" so not ideal for newborns.
The outside width of the seat at its widest point is approx. 19 ½” to 20”.
The Como & the Signo are basically the same shell the biggest difference is that the Signo has an infinitely adjustable harness (where the Como has to be re-threaded) and the Signo's latch straps are on a bar - similar to Britax (on all their models) - so you don't have to re-thread the latch belt if you're going from rear facing to forward facing.
Early reports on the Como – The top of the seat is super narrow. Older kids seem to be very cramped in the shoulder area.

Como is $249; Signo is $289
Como is set at 2nd week of August
Signo is 3rd week of September

The Graco Comfortsport, Evenflo seats, and the Alpha Omega 3in 1 types are very small seats that are usually outgrown the same time as the 40$ Scenera. You don’t get much for your money. While they are safe there are just other options that offer more for the same cost.



Forward facing only seats (child must be over age 1, and 22#’s)

Safegaurd GO. Harnesses to 60#’s, becomes a no back booster after. Top slots are 17 to 17.5 inches, needs adjustable headrest behind it for support. Requires top tether anchor. Child must be 30#’s to use. Retails for $179
Britax Regent (used to be Husky). KING of car seats is right! Harnesses to 80#’s. Top slots are 20 inches. Requires a top tether after child is 50#’s. Retails for $220-$260. Not good for children under 2yo. Requires college degree to read the manual.

Ride Safer Vest. A vest that comes in two sizes, Small 35-60#’s, Large 50-80#’s. The vest can be used with lap only belt. Requires top tether anchor & headrest. Retails for $89-$99. Great for 3 across situations in small vehicles! Tether strap HAS to be used if child is under 6 yrs old. http://www.safetrafficsystem.com/

FF/Harness Combo Harness/Booster Seats

Cosco/Safety 1st Apex. Only higher weight Combo (FF harness/Booster) seat that harnesses to 65#’s. Top slots are 17 inches high. Requires adjustable headrest or a very tall vehicle seatback behind it for support. Then becomes a very nice BUT VERY WIDE booster that doesn’t fit small children well.. This seat is outgrown totally when the tips of the child’s ears reach the top of the vehicle seatback. (Fully extended it has a back height of 32.5in tall) The new blue/black and all the brown ones have EPP Foam in the headrest. Retails for $99-150.

Evenflo Generations/Bolero: 80-110$ depending on model. FF ONLY to 40lbs with harness. Great harnessed seat/ great booster mode. Open belt guides. TALL 16.5in top slots. Adjusts tall in booster mode too! Flip up armrests make kids happy & make it easier to use in booster mode too!
(The Bolero is the dressed down version of the Generations. It lacks the piddle pad).

Evenflo Chase & Graco Cargo. Harness to ONLY 40lbs ff, 17in top slots. Makes ok, at best, booster. Smaller closed belt guides.. but this can be ok if your seat belts lock & you lock them every time. The Chase is about 60$. The Cargo with front adjuster is about 90$.
The Chase is good for kids/parents that keep forgetting that chest clips go on the chest!

Avoid most other combo seats... VERY low top slots or seatback heights all with 40lb limits.. Just not worth the cost. This includes all the Eddie Bauer, Cosco, Dorel, and 3 in 1's. While safe & decent seats the harness mode doesn’t offer much grow room.

 

[Dannielle_1]

Britax Marathon, Decathalon, or Boulevard (MA/DC/BV). 17 in top slots, RF 5-33lbs, FF up to 65lbs in 5 point harness. Awesome seats, allow for rf tethering, has lockoffs to replace locking clips, very easy installs, many bells and whistles that make them easier to use correctly every time, lasts most kids to age 5-6y/o. 220+

I just wanted to comment on this point. I have a Britax and had it initially installed by our local fire department/certified carseat "guy" and just had it checked again the other day (after I had troubles reinstalling it this time for whatever reason). Anyway, during the initial install and reinspec, they DO NOT recommend using these lockoffs, but to continue using the metal locking clips. The fireman said he can NEVER get a good install with the lockoffs and looking at where they fall on my seatbelt, there is no way they would even shut. Several of the firemen checking out my seat said they had Britax and they don't use the lockoffs and they will not install any with the lockoffs. They just do not "trust them." Just an FYI, heads up.

I feel very fortunate that the fire department in my area has certified carseat techs and that you can call up year round and schedule an appointment; no need to wait for a special clinics. They told me that they rarely get a carseat in that is installed correctly. Kinda scary.

Oh and I agree with everyone else. Keep your child in a 5 point harness as long as possible. My son's almost two and still rear-facing. I'm keeping him that way until he hits the 33 lb mark. He doesn't mind being backwards as he knows no other way.