OT: Outgrowing a booster seat

[samacita]

I know there are car seat experts on this board, so I'm seeking your advice. In our state, the law requires booster seats until age 8 and I know a mom who recently ditched their booster on her daughter's 8th birthday with great enthusiasm! I couldn't help but wonder if there are other recommendations about how long to keep a child in a booster. It seems strange that every other phase of the carseat lifecycle clearly specifies weight/height requirements but this one is by age. I'm happy to keep my DD in a booster as long as that's the safest option. Any input on what those guidelines are?

What do you all think?

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

I know there are car seat experts on this board, so I'm seeking your advice. In our state, the law requires booster seats until age 8 and I know a mom who recently ditched their booster on her daughter's 8th birthday with great enthusiasm! I couldn't help but wonder if there are other recommendations about how long to keep a child in a booster. It seems strange that every other phase of the carseat lifecycle clearly specifies weight/height requirements but this one is by age. I'm happy to keep my DD in a booster as long as that's the safest option. Any input on what those guidelines are?

What do you all think?

I live in Wisconsin and ours is age 8 also but there are height guidelines and I think weight. There is a 'test' you can do to see if your DD is good to go. I do not know the details. My now 11 year old was way too big for his booster at age 7. Both height and weight. My now 7 year old has the height but not the weight. Still have 6 months before he is 8 so we will see. I can't wait to be done with seats. I have a 5 yo too so I have a few more years.

 

[WDGPCFR]

I am a car seat tech in NY. The law here is the same as your location, 8yoa. The law is set as the minimum. We recommend that you put your child in the vehicles seat and have them sit all the way back. Now look at how they fit in the seat. Does the belt come across the shoulder properly? Do their knees bend naturally at the end of the seat? If not they should stay in the booster longer. My daughter stayed in her booster until she was about 9 1/2.

www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS is a site that can answer questions for you and direct you to a local car seat technician to give you individual service.

 

[samacita]

I am a car seat tech in NY. The law here is the same as your location, 8yoa. The law is set as the minimum. We recommend that you put your child in the vehicles seat and have them sit all the way back. Now look at how they fit in the seat. Does the belt come across the shoulder properly? Do their knees bend naturally at the end of the seat? If not they should stay in the booster longer. My daughter stayed in her booster until she was about 9 1/2.

www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS is a site that can answer questions for you and direct you to a local car seat technician to give you individual service.

This is very helpful. Thank you!!!

 

[snoopy5386]

They need to pass the 5 step test
http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

 

[Texashokies]

I believe it is the American Pediatrics Association that says 4'9" or 12 years to get out of the booster. My little 49" 10.5 year old will be in a booster until she is at least 12.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

They need to pass the 5 step test
http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

This is the standard I used, as well. My older son is very tall for his age, but the middle-row seats on my van are captains' chairs and very deep, so he was about 9 or so before he was able to move out of the booster. My youngest is 7 and wants to get out of the booster, but he doesn't pass the 5 steps, so the answer is no.

 

[darnheather]

I believe it is the American Pediatrics Association that says 4'9" or 12 years to get out of the booster. My little 49" 10.5 year old will be in a booster until she is at least 12.

Good that they put an age limit as my Izzy will be there with yours until 12. She just got a booster when she turned 7.

 

[Lisaren]

My daughter would have been in a booster seat until she was 13 at least. She still is a little short for the front seat, but since she is old enough to drive, I think we will continue to go without the booster seat.

 

[cheer25mom]

The 5 step test OR exceeding the weight limit of the seat, in our case 80lbs. There are some pricey ones the go up to 100lbs. As a fully grown adult, I still don't pass the 5 step test so it is not an absolute.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I believe it is the American Pediatrics Association that says 4'9" or 12 years to get out of the booster. My little 49" 10.5 year old will be in a booster until she is at least 12.

My DD is the same age as yours and is 57 1/2" tall. (She's at about the 75%)

Which is why, of course, that is makes a lot more sense to use the child's size (as opposed to age.) She also has a very long torso (can't wear one piece bathing suits etc...). She was able to pass the 5 point test at around 8 1/2.

OP - It was my experience that about 95% of DD's friends stopped using their boosters at age 8. (If not sooner). You really could tell, just by looking at them in the cars, who was ready and who still belonged in one.

 

[samacita]

You all have provided great advice. Thank you SO much! My newly turned 7 year old is 49" so I doubt she'll be 4'9" in a year or pass the 5 step test by that time. I am definitely keeping this info handy so that we can be sure to keep her as safe as we can. Thanks again!!!!

 

[star72232]

In Ontario the law is 8 years or 80lb or 4'9". My DD is 8, but only 4'5" (and she is tall for her age!) and just under 65lb. She's still in a booster, and will be until she can sit on the seat and the shoulder belt doesn't cut into her neck. Age means so little with car seat laws, height and weight are so much more important!

DD did try out the seat without the booster yesterday. She realized how uncomfortable the seatbelt was, and was quite happy to then use the booster.

 

[SEA333]

My daughter would have been in a booster seat until she was 13 at least. She still is a little short for the front seat, but since she is old enough to drive, I think we will continue to go without the booster seat.

LOL

My older son was 8 years and two days old when our state instated their new law that mandated car seats for 8 or 80lbs from the previous 4 and 40 lbs law they used to have (this was in 2008 - man, I LOVE having a kid who is as old as the year is....makes it sooo easy to remember when things happened! LOL)

Anyway, DS was always a head taller than everyone else his age, so he could pass the 5-point test alluded to here at about 6 1/2 years old. He was about 65 lbs at that time, too, so he has really been out of a carseat since he was about 6. (legally!) Some of his friends with later-in-the-year birthdays went back into the booster when the law went into effect in 2008, but most didn't since they hadn't been in boosters since they were a lot younger.

DD and younger DS were in boosters a lot longer, obviously, since they were 2 and 4 when the 2008 law went into effect. Younger DS is just under 8 now, and really only uses his in the Sienna that we drive on weekends. The babysitter takes him to and from school, which is about 4 blocks away through the neighborhood car-seat-less. We're fine with it, and so is she.

I can say with 100% certainty that he will not be using a car seat when he is 12. DD is 9 and hasn't been in in one in for the past year or so. She is pretty tall, too, and weighs 80 lbs currently.

 

[wallawallakids]

We waited until our kids were 4'9" as well. So my oldest two just got out of boosters last year as a 10 and 9 year old. (My now 10 year old is a giant. He is already 5'1" and I am only 5"3! Yikes! ) I plan on having the twins stay in the boosters until they are 4'9" as well. I am thinking they will be slightly older (maybe 11?) when they exit boosters based on their current hight compared to what my older two had for hight at their age. Good luck!

 

[cheer25mom]

I see a lot of "wating till they are 4'9" " here, but not a lot about taking weight into account. I think a lot of people forget about that with bossters. They are NOT safe once a child exceeds the weight limit, which is 80 lbs in a lot of cases. I would definitely be mindful of that as well. My child is a competitive athlete and exceeded the 80 lb weight limit before she was 4'9". She isn't a big kid, still wears a girls size 10-12, so I imagine there are other kids out there who are not 4'9" but exceed the weight limit of their seats.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I see a lot of "wating till they are 4'9" " here, but not a lot about taking weight into account. I think a lot of people forget about that with bossters. They are NOT safe once a child exceeds the weight limit, which is 80 lbs in a lot of cases. I would definitely be mindful of that as well. My child is a competitive athlete and exceeded the 80 lb weight limit before she was 4'9". She isn't a big kid, still wears a girls size 10-12, so I imagine there are other kids out there who are not 4'9" but exceed the weight limit of their seats.

Good reminder.
My DD reached the weight limit first. She's a dancer so I'm sure that contributes.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I'm happily ditching the booster seat at age 8.

 

[ChitownFamily]

I'm happily ditching the booster seat at age 8.

Why? Happily & why at the age of 8? I'm truly & sincerely interested in your answer.

 

[wallawallakids]

I see a lot of "wating till they are 4'9" " here, but not a lot about taking weight into account. I think a lot of people forget about that with bossters. They are NOT safe once a child exceeds the weight limit, which is 80 lbs in a lot of cases. I would definitely be mindful of that as well. My child is a competitive athlete and exceeded the 80 lb weight limit before she was 4'9". She isn't a big kid, still wears a girls size 10-12, so I imagine there are other kids out there who are not 4'9" but exceed the weight limit of their seats.

You are right but most booster go much higher then 80lbs. Our current booster with the back is up to 100lbs, with it as a backless booster it is 120lbs. So weight is less of an issue then height for most children.