Is your 8yo still in a booster?

[holden]

DD8 (she just turned 8) is still in a booster seat in the car. I was surprised to read online that she (technically) doesn't need one. She is 47" and 48lbs. I was curious about other kids her age. I'm planning on keeping her in one until the shoulder strap hits her in the right place (a height issue, I guess), but by law she's doesn't need to be in one.

What do other parents do? Is is a weight factor or a height factor? Any advice would be appreciated.

thanks!

 

[vgrandy]

My 9yr old daughter is 4'3 and 56lbs and still in a no back booster. In Mass it is recommended until 4'9.

Victoria

 

[MNdisneymom]

My son turns 8 in a few weeks...He's short, like your daughter. (Although maybe an inch or so taller?!? Haven't measured him in a while.) I just took the top off of his booster so he's not in the high-backed booster anymore. Could that be an option for you? I will keep him in the booster *much* longer than is legally required, because he is such a little guy, and it's so much safer. (Not as safe as a full car-seat, but that just wasn't working for us anymore, for other reasons.)

I was amazed to discover that the 3 year old twins who live down the street (and who *might* be 40 inches tall, but not over it...) are using low-backed boosters already. To each his own, I guess, as long as the kiddos are safe.

 

[holden]

Very interesting. If I read the PA law correctly, it's only required until age 8. No height requirement. A height requirement makes more sense to me.

Because she's tiny, DH and I joke about how she'll be in a booster until she turns 16!

 

[holden]

My son turns 8 in a few weeks...He's short, like your daughter. (Although maybe an inch or so taller?!? Haven't measured him in a while.) I just took the top off of his booster so he's not in the high-backed booster anymore. Could that be an option for you? I will keep him in the booster *much* longer than is legally required, because he is such a little guy, and it's so much safer. (Not as safe as a full car-seat, but that just wasn't working for us anymore, for other reasons.)

I was amazed to discover that the 3 year old twins who live down the street (and who *might* be 40 inches tall, but not over it...) are using low-backed boosters already. To each his own, I guess, as long as the kiddos are safe.

I don't know if the back comes off the booster she's is currently in (it's a Recaro). She doesn't mind the seat, so I guess we'll leave it as is for now. Like you, I plan on keeping her in there. DD3 is still in a carseat and will stay in there until she reaches the weight limit (40lbs - she is 30lbs now).

 

[bellebud]

I thought the general recommendation now (even though it's not *law*), is 80lbs. I always do what's safest, not what is on the law books for that day.

btw, my ds9 is still in his booster (backless)... he's about 65lbs and... I don't know how tall he is, but he's a skinny stick and 65lbs, so he's not short (clear as mud, huh?)

 

[Jessica14]

I totally agree that you do what's safe not what the law says. I think that NY has height and weight restriction as well as age and at almost 8, my DD will still be in a booster. The strap doesn't hit her correctly.

As per the NY state DMV website:
" Booster seats are for children who have outgrown convertible or toddler seats. Booster seats are for children who are four to eight years old, weigh 40 to 80 pounds, and are less than four feet, nine inches in height. You can use a booster seat until an adult seat belt correctly fits the child without use of the booster seat. Always use both the shoulder and lap belts with a booster seat. Never use only the lap belt with a booster seat."

Interestingly though, we were looking into the boosters for our rental in WDW last month. FL says that neither of my kids needed them while NY said both did. We brought them because heaven forbid anything happened, we would have known that we did what we could to protect them. It was bulky to carry them around, but worth it.
Jessica

 

[bellebud]

I want to add a story here... about 13 years ago, I met a couple who had just lost their 9yo daughter. She was in the backseat of the car in an accident. No booster seat, but her seatbelt was on. I don't think there were any real recommendations for boosters back then. Anyway, the seatbelt killed her. Internal injuries. Things like that accident is why they've developed booster seat laws. So go for the 'safest', not the law, which is always the MINIMUM.

 

[dizneechic]

My 9yo ds is also still in his high back booster (as are my other 2). He's 56" and 58lbs. Our law as a pp stated here in MA is 57" with no weight requirement, but surrounding states where we travel have different laws (one up to 80lbs) so it's best just to leave them in them so there is no argument when they have to sometimes use them and other times not.

We have the graco high back boosters. I also have 2 extra backless in my van that anytime we have the kids friends along we require they use - even if they don't use them in their own families car unless they are clearly much taller than my oldest ds. Safety and sticking to the law isn't something that's negotiable for us.

 

[Arenita]

My niece is well out of her booster, based on the height requirements in Texas. HOWEVER...my 84yo dad, who topped out at 5'6", is now shrinking considerably. I told him that if he shrinks much more, we're going to have to get booster for him! I got one of his real good belly laughs with that one!

 

[wlake]

I believe the law here in CT is 6 years and 60 pounds. My DS is 8 1/2 and not even 50 pounds, so he's still in the high backed booster. We're thinking about switching him to a backless one when he starts 4th grade next fall simply because of the "baby" factor.

 

[abcboys]

My middle son will be 9 in March. We got rid of his booster seat a few months ago. I'm sure he doesn't meet the recommended height requirement. He is about 4'3" and 55-60 pounds.

 

[TinkPearl]

My 7 year old DS is 65 lbs an still in a carseat......he's even still in a 5 point harness (Britax Regent, goes up to 100 lbs I believe) He'll be in that for as long as possible, big stickler on carseat safety.

 

[mjkacmom]

My dd9 (almost 10) is in a backless booster, and she weighs about 58 pounds, and is about 53 inches. My twins will be 8 soon, and are smaller than she is, and are in boosters. My rule is 80 pounds, or 4'9", and I stuck with it with my 2 oldest. Dd14 was 10 when she graduated, and ds12 was actually 8 (my state is 8 and 80, and he did weigh 80 pounds, and was 4'9", when he turned 8).

We joke that dd9 will be taking her driver's exam in a booster!

 

[pennymom]

NJ law is boosters until age 8 AND 80lbs. DS9 is still in a backless booster and will be until he hits 80 lbs. and 4'9" so that the regular seat belt fits properly. I would never take a child out of a booster until the regular seat belt fits properly...it is scary how much damage a seat belt can do if the child is not yet big enough for it to fit correctly.

 

[robinb]

The law here in WI is "Age 4 to age 8, between 40-80 lbs., and no more than 4 ft. 9 ins. must be in a booster seat."

My DD was out when she was almost 9 because she was going into 4th grade. So yeah, I took her out early for social reasons.

 

[tartemis]

I would make my decision based solely on height and weight requirements and not age. With things like rear-facing, I think age comes into play even if the child meets the height and weight recommendations for forward facing because babies/toddlers are so less developed then a young child. But if my 5 or 6 year old is tall enough and heavy enough we are ditching the carseats.

BTW, I have to laugh at the inital post. My just turned THREE year-old is 44 inches and 52 lbs! We actually have a booster for her as our "back-up" carseat for my parents' car because I didn't want to have to deal with switching around our Britax and she rarely rides with my parents and only for short distances.

 

[Mama Mouse]

I tend to be opinionated on this subject but I'll keep it short.

I want the seatbelt to work properly. Therefore I will keep my son in whatever booster neccessary until the seatbelt fits properly since we know that it will not protect him if it doesn't fit properly. He'll be 8 next month and is still doing great in his belt positioning booster. (high backed) I kept him in his Britax Marathon until he grew out of it. (When he was almost 7.)

I get some flack for it but I will never understand this. Why anyone would even care or be in such a rush to move MY child out of something that helps keep him safer is beyond me.

 

[arihillfarm]

My daughter was in a booster until she was 9.

-Astrid

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My 10yo is still in a booster. She is short.

My 8yo is still in a booster, she is even shorter.

Both are in backless boosters.

The 10yo on occasion will do without on short ventures. Like the time daddy went away for a week a few hours away for work and inadvertently forgot he had her booster in his car. We have 3 boosters. One is kept in his car and the other is floated back and forth if 2 children are traveling in his car. Well, he totally forgot. I wasn't going to stay home for days. But she is still usually in her booster.

8yo is way too short to allow that.

My almost 4yo is still in his car seat as well. Her turns 4 in March. He is close to being outgrown for it. (too tall, he sizes about a year older for both height and weight--always has.)

I'm going to guess that by age 8, he won't require a booster. But only time will tell.

My infant will remain rear facing until 18-24 months of age.

I don't make safety decisions based on what my kids' peers or my peers will think.

Not that you asked about the rest of the family.