Is your 8 yr old in a booster car seat?

[Bren's Mom]

I kept mine in the seats until the limits because I was afraid that if I ever did get into an accident I could be charged with 'Child Endangerment'. I don't know how strictly the booster seat laws are, maybe each community is different, but here in Pa the Police seem to be a bit high strung for me to chance anything.

This seems like such an odd statement to me.

Wouldn't a mom want to keep her kids in boosters until they didn't need them (until they passed the 5 step test) because their KIDS will be safer and not suffer terrible injuries or death in an accident from an ill-fitting seat belt? As opposed to being worried about being charged with child endangerment? Your priorities seem a little 'off' to me.

 

[madmom1030]

My oldest dd will be 10 in a couple of weeks and still uses a booster. I am not sure when I will let her out. She doesn't complain, so I will probably leave her in until she starts to complain. She is close to the weight and the height but does not reach them yet. Younger dd7 is never going to be out of her booster. The poor thing only weighs 48 pounds and is still not 4 ft. People at school always think she is in kindergarten not second grade.

I have a family member who complain about them putting the booster in their car. Say that the girls are to old and that they wil be just fine. I just tell them they take their booster or they don't ride with you. I don't care if your kid was out of his at 4, I am following the height and weight guidelines not the age guidelines.

Erin

 

[taximomfor4]

Funny story - last March, when my dd turned 8, she actually thought she didn't need the booster anymore, and told my parents this, who live in town, and drive my kids places. Poor little thing - she's about 4'2", and 52 pounds, and will be in a booster forever. Even dd13 was bigger at this age, and she was in hers until the age of 10. Ds11 was out at 8, only because he was 4'9", and 80 pounds.

Hey, my middle dd is almost 12 yrs old is 4'2" too. I don't know WHAT to do about the booster seat. I mean, she is in MIDDLE SCHOOL!! (She fits ok in the very back row in the minivan without the booster. In dh's car, she sits in a backless one so her friends can't see it through the car window.)

 

[maelstrom]

My brother and I would tease our mom every now and then b/c she is 4'10 1/2 or 4'11 (not sure which) and just made it over the height limit for booster seats prior to NY's recent change to 8 years old.

I'm also 4'11" and thought it was ridiculous that as a 24-year-old adult who drives, I'm just two inches over needing a booster seat.

 

[mrsv98]

Our DD is almost 8 and a half and its starting to be brought up that everyone else in her class isn't in a booster seat. In Illinois where we are, I think its 8 yrs old and 80 lbs. Well, DD is 49 lbs. Seriously, she'll be 16 before she weighs 80 lbs. I'm just curious if everyone else takes them out of the booster at 8?

That is the joke in our house, DD will be taking her driving test in a booster seat! Seriously, she will be 10yo in April but only weighs about 63 pounds and is not even 4'5" so she is still in a booster. I keep checking to make sure the seat belt is in the right position but she definitely still needs it. Luckily she doesn't mind so it isn't an issue but I worry about one more thing to give me an attitude about...

 

[newddmommie]

I'm also 4'11" and thought it was ridiculous that as a 24-year-old adult who drives, I'm just two inches over needing a booster seat.

I'm right there with you. I'm 4'11" and 27. Here i thought my friends were kidding about me needing a booster seat.

 

[HM]

--

 

[KirstenB]

Hey, my middle dd is almost 12 yrs old is 4'2" too. I don't know WHAT to do about the booster seat. I mean, she is in MIDDLE SCHOOL!! (She fits ok in the very back row in the minivan without the booster. In dh's car, she sits in a backless one so her friends can't see it through the car window.)

I'm so glad someone else has an older kid still in a backless booster. Our dd will be 12 in April. She got very self conscious when she was about 9, but the shoulder strap was still hitting her too high, across her neck. I told her what would happen in an accident, and it was not negotiable that she wear one.

Strangely enough, this year I told her she could stop using it, and she said she'd keep it. She said she likes it because she can see stuff easier up high.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

I think TN has one of the strictest carseat/booster laws in the country. A booster is required until age 9, unless they are at least 4'9" (I believe that is the law...don't quote me). I know that it is age 9.

I have a very big, stocky, 8 (almost 9) yr old boy, and he is still in a booster. He will be 9 in March, and is about 4'7" and 93 lbs. Boosters only go to 100 lbs (at least all I've ever seen). I will keep him in the booster until he is 100 lbs, just b/c I don't think the seat belt straps quite fit right. So...even after he turns 9. But it probably won't be for long after that...since he is so close to 100 lbs.

Of course, my DS who is almost 3...is still RFing in his car seat. But he is a peanut...

 

[KirstenB]

I can't imagine being 8 years old and having to use a booster seat. Your poor children.

My kids were out of theirs at ages 5 and 6.

My poor children will live, literally.

 

[freckles and boo]

I can't imagine being 8 years old and having to use a booster seat. Your poor children.

My kids were out of theirs at ages 5 and 6.

First of all, my kids really don't care. Second, it is the law here in Illinois. And third, it keeps the seat belt off their necks. That is the whole point. Don't feel sorry for my kids. Feel sorry for the kids who end up hurt by ill-fitting belts or for kids whose parents can't be bother to buckle them up in the first place.

 

[ReneeA]

I can't imagine being 8 years old and having to use a booster seat. Your poor children.

My kids were out of theirs at ages 5 and 6.

It's the law now...parents don't have much of a choice. In Michigna, the law is 4'9" tall OR 9 years old. My DS is 8 and out of the booster. Of course, he's been over 4'8" for a year now.

 

[HM]

My poor children will live, literally.

Why is that confusing? My kids just didn't have to be in their seats as long. If all kids are doing the same thing, it may not be a big deal now, but back then a booster to ride in a car at age 8 would have been weird. We are very big advocates of car safety and never drive without everyone buckled up.

 

[mom2grace]

DD will be 9 in May (3rd grade) and she is still in a booster. Most of her class is not, and the school no longer requires boosters for field trips (parents drive).

DD is 48lb and 4'4" and won't meet the weight requirement until she is an adult, she grows very slowly and I hope her body fits the regular seat by 5th grade.

She doesn't really complain, and I finally do remove the boosters for her friends who are big enough. Last year when they were turning 8 years old (the age of 'maturity' here) I did make all of the kids who rode in my car wear one since I didn't know how old they were. None of them complained.

We have a minivan and the booster allows my kids to be able to look out the window, and they love that benefit.

 

[brockash]

Our DD is almost 8 and a half and its starting to be brought up that everyone else in her class isn't in a booster seat. In Illinois where we are, I think its 8 yrs old and 80 lbs. Well, DD is 49 lbs. Seriously, she'll be 16 before she weighs 80 lbs. I'm just curious if everyone else takes them out of the booster at 8?

My ds just turned 8 last year, and I finally let him get rid of the booster seat. He's only 67 lbs., but I still let him get rid of it. I told him for long car trips he'll have to have it, but not on a day to day basis. I don't know, part of me wonders if it's the right decision, but then I think about when I was a kid and I was out of a carseat by 4, so

 

[disney1990]

My nine year old granddaughter is still in a booster seat. She prefers it so that she can actually see out the windows.

 

[ZPT1022]

My ds just turned 8 last year, and I finally let him get rid of the booster seat. He's only 67 lbs., but I still let him get rid of it. I told him for long car trips he'll have to have it, but not on a day to day basis. I don't know, part of me wonders if it's the right decision, but then I think about when I was a kid and I was out of a carseat by 4, so

The statistics prove that you are more likely to be injured within a certain mile radius of your home- ie, your day to day driving around town and such. Just a thought


My kids are all still in boosters at 5,5 and 8 and they will be in them for the for as long as they need until they fit correctly on the seat and with the buckle. DH and I are considering taking the back off of the oldest's booster and letting her just use the backless portion, but we'll have to see how everything fits when we get our new car this weekend.

We have had some relatives give us a hard time about it but we just point out that it's a- the law and b- the safest thing to do, so why would we not do what was safest for the kids? If it's really a problem then the kids don't need to drive with anyone other than DH and I

 

[jodifla]

It's the law now...parents don't have much of a choice. In Michigna, the law is 4'9" tall OR 9 years old. My DS is 8 and out of the booster. Of course, he's been over 4'8" for a year now.

It's 8 in Michigan, not 9

http://www.michigansafekids.org/newlaw.php

Children must be in a booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4’9” tall.

Children must be in a seat until they reach the age requirement or the height requirement, whichever comes first. For example:

* If your child is 8 years or older, but under 4'9" tall, the law does not apply.
* If your child is under 8 years old, but over 4'9" tall, the law does not apply.

Remember: In both of these cases, your child may be safer in a booster seat but it is not required by law.

 

[Bren's Mom]

My ds just turned 8 last year, and I finally let him get rid of the booster seat. He's only 67 lbs., but I still let him get rid of it. I told him for long car trips he'll have to have it, but not on a day to day basis. I don't know, part of me wonders if it's the right decision, but then I think about when I was a kid and I was out of a carseat by 4, so

The best thing to do if you're not sure if your child still NEEDS the booster for SAFETY is to do a 5 step test with him.

http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

The 5-Step Test.

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too!

If your son fails the 5 step test there is absolutely nothing wrong at all with telling him that mommy didn't know better, and now she does, and she's making a different decision for HIS safety. Period. He'll live...literally!

 

[auntie]

We have a good friend that should still be in a booster, at age 44 .


When our kids were younger the age was 4 so, no, they were not in boosters at 8. My sister has all of her kids in boosters still, they are small but her oldest is in 8th grade. My sister doesn't get why my niece doesn't want her to drive carpool . I keep telling my sister that my niece is going to look silly doing her behind the wheel training strapped into a booster seat (which she will start a year or so from now). The other 2 are 5th and 2nd grade.

This made me laugh. I'm way passed dealing with car/booster seat issues (thank goodness). I do have an 18 year old high school senior.

We used to laugh because your supposed to be over 150 lbs to sit in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with airbags. My son used to complain that he had to sit in the back seat of our SUV.
He is very tall..(now 6'3")..but...he's very thin. He used to complain to me that at the rate he gained weight..he'd be driving from the back seat! (he barely makes the weight recommendation now!).

I don't blame your niece for not wanting to be driven to school in a booster seat. Driving an 8th grader ... (almost in high school!) to school in a booster seat (even if they don't weigh 80 lbs.) is really setting that child up for being tormented by it's classmates. I mean a little common sense should prevail.

I think it's probably been easier for your sister to put all three kids in booster seats rather than dealing with any issues/jealousy from the younger two that still require the seats.
I sure hope that by September when your niece is in high school your sister gets rid of the booster for her.