Do you let your child sit up front in the car?

[marcyinPA]

My oldest DS will be 12 in May. He's 5"1" and now rides up front with me from time to time. We just got a new van, and the airbags turn off if the passenger isn't heavy enough. In our old car, no way did he sit up front.

My youngest DS will be 8 in May. He's still in a booster seat, and will be for a long time. Here in PA, the law was 8 and 80lbs. Now I see billboards all over that say 4'9" is the magic number. He's only 48" tall, so he may be sitting in his booster until middle school at the rate he's going. He has never once complained about it, and he knows most of his friends do not use a booster anymore. He actually likes his seat, because he can see out the window when he's in it. Needless to say, he'll be in the backseat for a LONG time.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Only in DH's van, which doesn't have a backseat right now. He usually only takes DS out with him, and he's 7. He uses a booster so that the seatbelt fits him properly, and there's no passenger airbag.

ETA: most of the time the kids travel in our van, and they are all in various safety seats in the middle or back row, never in the front.

 

[bebelle]

My son is 13--oh, and 1/2--. He is small for his age and does not ride in the front seat of any car w/ or w/o air bags.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

My girls are still young and they are always going to be thin so I am not going to let them sit up front for a long time. I just don't think it is safe. And kids are kids. I know they want to sit up front but parents need to do the thinking for them and know when something is safe or not. Just because they may meet the weight limit or age limit, doesn't mean it is safe.

Just a note- my girls still sit in their 5 point harness. Another other saw that & said oh her daughter wouldn't tolerate that & she sits in a booster & implied that my girls still in sit in the carseat since they are like babies. I want them to be as safe as I can. I think the 5 point harness carseats are the safest. I don't allow my girls to dictate to me what they want or not want. I am the parent. It is my call. This friends' child must sit in the 5 point seat when she rides with me. She complained the first couple of times but I explained that is she wanted to ride with me, that was the rules. She never complained after that. I think that if my friend dind't give her the option, she never would have known that she could whine enough to be changed. All it takes is one careless person to take change your life forever.

 

[FLA NUT]

My 10 year old always rides in the back seat with a seatbelt and never questions it. His grandmother asked him if he wanted to ride in the front one day down the block and he said "no, I need to ride in the back".

It really bugs me to see people with small kids in the front, especially toddlers standing in the front seat or babies is someones arms. Don't people realize how dangerous that is?

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I let ride in front to get mail --down the driveway but not any other time...DD6, DS2 ot unitl they are 12 -13, don't have dd in booster have her in regular car seat (up to 100 pds) still having MAJOR issues with going to disney w/no car seats on ME!! what to do?????

 

[chrismom2005]

my ds six is in the back seat in a booster. in nh he doesnt need one anymore all you have to do is hit 6 and 60lbs which he is but i know the seatbelt wont fit him right yet. i see alot of 6 years riding in the front seat with no booster it makes me cring

 

[quiltymom]

The thing to remember here is that your child's bones are not fully developed until around the age of 14 (yes, I know that may be negotiable depending upon the child). Therefore, the impact of an airbag will have a negative effect on developing bones. This is also why there have been so many decapitations due to children being improperly restrained in car accidents.

I used to work for the trade association for the Big 3 automakers, and my department was one of the first to be alerted about any child being killed or injured regarding improper seating in a vehicle. Believe me, you don't want to know any of the details.

Therefore, my kids will remain in the back seat until 14 years old. Any child riding in my car will be in a booster seat until the proper age. I may not be the most popular mom on the block, but when someone's in my car, I'm responsible for them and I will take all precautions necessary. Safety is #1 in my car, not how cool you are.

 

[lulugirl]

Nope, backseat is safer so that's where they sit. My oldest is 7 1/2 (still in a booster), she won't be sitting in the front for a long time.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

No way. I have seen it and once in a while my kids ask why can't they and I tell them it's too dangerous. The law here is that you have to be in a booster until you are 80 pounds or 8 years old but my dd 9 is both and still uses hers. She's about 4 foot 6. According to the site below, kids should be in boosters until they are 4 foot 9, regardless of age or weight. I will keep my kids in boosters until they are 8, 80 pounds and at least 4 foot 6. They won't ride in the front until they are at least 13.

boosterseat dot gov

 

[PaulaSue]

H no, they will be at least 12 before I will ever think of it.

I was just talking to my friend today and she said her girls fight over who sits up from, she has a 7 and a 11 year old. I was so sad when heard that. It is just another thing we differ on parenting wise. How could we be so close friends growing up and so different parenting?

 

[kaysmommie]

My 10 year old and my 12 year old are both over 5'5"! They sit up front. DS7 is only 4'11". Not yet for him!

My SIL, however is 4'8"...we allow her to sit up front if she promises to behave!

Wow you have tall kids! Your 7 YO DS is taller than my mom who is 4'10".
On topic, No I would not let DD7 sit in the front no matter how much she begs. Na Yes her frineds do it all the time in there cars with their parents. My DD weighs only 42 lbs. and is 45 inches tall so she will be in a booster for a while also. Some parents are just not worried about getting into a car accident and their small child dying because of a stupid decision. My children won't be riding in front until they are the right height and weight.

 

[barbmouse]

This is a very timely post for us. My dd is 13.5 and I just recently let her ride in front. She weighs about 90 lbs. She rides in the back with ds MOST of the time. My dks really don't know better and only recently my dd asked to ride upfront. She is going to high school soon..................... My ds doesn't even ask yet because he knows he is not old enough yet. He is also not ready according to height/weight. At least we have NEVER had the fighting about riding upfront that my siblings and I had growing up. that's worth something, right??

 

[TENIA66]

no. i let my dd, 5 at the time, one time ride up front and she opened the car door, going 70 miles per hour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! never!!!!

 

[WantToGoNow]

I let ride in front to get mail --down the driveway but not any other time...DD6, DS2 ot unitl they are 12 -13, don't have dd in booster have her in regular car seat (up to 100 pds) still having MAJOR issues with going to disney w/no car seats on ME!! what to do?????

I didn't realize there were any harnessed car seats that went to 100 lbs - I thought 80 was about the limit. What kind is it? I need to get a new seat for my dd3 who is 38 lbs. -- her harnessed seat only holds to 40 lbs. and she's no where close to being old/mature enough to ride in a booster. My ds5 (6 in 3 weeks) rides in a high back booster and I would actually like to re-harness him as well.

My ds did get to ride in the front seat -- one time. I was at a baby shower at church and he and my dad was messing around in the gym. Next thing I know, they are no where to be found. They went to the donut shop. He has a small pickup that has no back seat. I gave my dad a good lecture on letting him ride in the front. He wasn't even aware that children could be hurt by airbags -- but his truck doesn't have an airbag. I still don't want him in the front.

T.

 

[ptmmg]

just started letting my 14 yo son sit in front! I had to let my dd to sit in front when she got her license
my 5 yo still sits in a 5 point harness car seat as does my 3 yo!

 

[stczt]

Ds(12 5ft5 113lb.) has been sitting in front for years now. It gives everyone more room and less fighting when I am in the car with out Dh. I let the younger ones sit in the front when its just me one of them.

 

[all4fun]

I didn't realize there were any harnessed car seats that went to 100 lbs - I thought 80 was about the limit. What kind is it? I need to get a new seat for my dd3 who is 38 lbs. -- her harnessed seat only holds to 40 lbs. and she's no where close to being old/mature enough to ride in a booster. My ds5 (6 in 3 weeks) rides in a high back booster and I would actually like to re-harness him as well.

T.

I've done a lot of research on car seats and I don't think there is a car seat that harnesses to 100 lbs. that isn't a special needs seat for disabled people (like the Britax Traveler Plus). The Britax Regent goes to 80lbs, as does the Sunshine Kids Radian80 (same size shell and same height top slots as the Radian65 though).

Some combination seats and 3-in-1 seats convert from a 40lb limit harness to a 100 limit booster seat. That is probably what the pp was talking about.
Oh, there's one combo seat that harnesses to 65lbs - the Cosco/Safety 1st Apex (fyi it requires a tall vehicle seatback fully supporting it, in case you're considering it for your 3yr old).

hth

 

[ptmmg]

this is the car seat I have for my 5yo she is about 45lbs it harness to 60lbs then a booster to 100lbs

http://www.elitecarseats.com/SafeGu...&match_type=&gclid=CN3yobaGwIsCFQI2ZQoduXIY2Q


my 3 yo is in a britax marathon