When did you go from car seat to booster?

[clori]

I just curious. Does it reach a point in which older kids have maxed out of boosters. Basically at what point does a booster seat no longer offer protection? I'm talking about an older child who easily passes the 5 point test. My 4 year old is in a harnessed convertible carseat. I have just recently started to let my 8 year old use a backless booster though she used a highback booster before that. She doesn't fight me on the booster seat at all but simply wants to know at what point is it safe to stop using it. I

 

[cole6179]

I recently bought my 5yo DS a Graco Nautilus, and I highly recommend it. Its only $127 at Wal-Mart and will go from a 5pt harness (to 65 lbs) to seat belt to backless booster (100 lbs).

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8J00BRV&productID=1402&tab=features&CategoryID=&subCatID=

Its got little cubbies perfect for small toys and a nice cup holder too

Are these seats narrow? We have the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 and they are bulky. I would love a narrower seat to make more room in our car or to be able to pass my kids off to my SIL (3 bulky seats won't fit in her car)

My dd is 4.5 and still in a 5 pt for safety wise.

 

[Colinsmom]

I just curious. Does it reach a point in which older kids have maxed out of boosters. Basically at what point does a booster seat no longer offer protection? I'm talking about an older child who easily passes the 5 point test. My 4 year old is in a harnessed convertible carseat. I have just recently started to let my 8 year old use a backless booster though she used a highback booster before that. She doesn't fight me on the booster seat at all but simply wants to know at what point is it safe to stop using it. I

See all4fun's post above on page 3 - she lists out the tests for graduating from a booster.

Are these seats narrow? We have the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 and they are bulky. I would love a narrower seat to make more room in our car or to be able to pass my kids off to my SIL (3 bulky seats won't fit in her car)

My dd is 4.5 and still in a 5 pt for safety wise.

The Sunshine Radian is a wonderful narrow seat that harnesses to 65 lbs. My 51" son is just outgrowing his Radian, unfortunately!

 

[eclairemom]

The Britax is a great car seat and there is no reason to switch if you don't want to till the child reaches the 65 pound limit. However, if your seat is attached via LATCH 40 pound is the max recommended. So if you you haven't switched to using the seatbelt to secure your seat your not being any safer using the Britax than a booster if your kid is over 40 lbs.

 

[tonilea]

Disclaimer: I am pointing this out because I didn't know and when I polled my friends they didn't know either.

In most carseats, the 5 point harness only goes to 40lbs. I did NOT realize that about our previous car seat and it was only by accident that I discovered it just before DS was too big for the harness.

We replaced it with a Graco Natilus that the harness goes to 65lbs. DS LOVES it. They run about $130-$150 and can be hard to find, but we are very happy with ours.

One thing DH and I discussed before purchasing it was should be be in an accident and he were injured or worse - at least we would have no regrets about having provided a car seat that we feel will keep him safer, longer.

 

[thistle922]

All of the carseats that seat older/bigger kids are fairly new models. The Regent and the Nautilus have only been around for 2 years, I believe. So, there is no way they would be expired already.

My post was not directed at you particularly, it was in general. There are many (not on this board, but on others I frequent) who tout that they're extended harnessing their babes, yet they're using the same seats from infancy. That makes almost zero sense to me, since seats have expiration dates and if there's a 7yr old still in the same seat, more than likely it's expired and IMHO negating the point of extending the car seat usage.

 

[HeatherSue]

My post was not directed at you particularly, it was in general. There are many (not on this board, but on others I frequent) who tout that they're extended harnessing their babes, yet they're using the same seats from infancy. That makes almost zero sense to me, since seats have expiration dates and if there's a 7yr old still in the same seat, more than likely it's expired and IMHO negating the point of extending the car seat usage.

No worries, I didn't take it personally! If these people are using the same car seat from infancy to 7 years old, most likely the child is way too big (tall) for it, too! Seven years ago, they didn't make car seats big enough to fit an average 7 year old!

I was just pointing out that most people that have their older child in a 5 pt harness has a newer seat since they didn't make car seats that fit bigger kids until a couple of years ago.

 

[HeatherSue]

Oops, double post!

 

[mom2aredhead]

The Britax is a great car seat and there is no reason to switch if you don't want to till the child reaches the 65 pound limit. However, if your seat is attached via LATCH 40 pound is the max recommended. So if you you haven't switched to using the seatbelt to secure your seat your not being any safer using the Britax than a booster if your kid is over 40 lbs.

Thanks, but no, it's attached with a seatbelt and tether. I have a Ford Explorer - probably one of the worst cars EVER to try to install carseats in. (Anyone want to buy it...cheap?? LOL! ) There are no lower anchors in the center seat and if I put the car seat on either side I'd need to remove the headrest which is a hassle, so we're OK there. Good to know though - I recently popped his seat in my MIL's car with the LATCH straps - I'll use the seatbelt from now on.

 

[luvmy3]

The Britax is a great car seat and there is no reason to switch if you don't want to till the child reaches the 65 pound limit. However, if your seat is attached via LATCH 40 pound is the max recommended. So if you you haven't switched to using the seatbelt to secure your seat your not being any safer using the Britax than a booster if your kid is over 40 lbs.

I didn't know this, thanks for posting that info. My ds will be 5 in November, he is 36 lbs and he uses the Wizard. We do have it installed using the latch system. I do have another 5 point harness seat, a Graco, for him but he doesn't want to switch right now. The Wizard is so heavy compared to the other one we have, If we must start using the seatbelt to secure it, I think I will have to switch him to the Graco.

It is interesting that children are safer using a harness over a seatbelt, but that its Okay for the seat itself to be secured by the seatbelt. I guess I need to go do some reading up on that.

 

[hrsmom]

Both of my children are still in 5-pt harness car seats. My DD is currently in a Britax Marathon, though I will be buying her a Regent soon and my DS will move into her Marathon (his current seat expires in December and her Marathon is only a year old). My DD will turn 5 at the end of the month, she is almost 44" tall, but I know she's safer in a 5-pt then if she were in a booster. I honestly don't care what anyone else thinks about an older child being in a car seat. If people want to think we're weird or whatever, so be it.

 

[LilGMom]

My oldest stayed in a five point harness until he hit the limits for the seat and then he was moved to a high-back booster. My youngest will be in his five point until he reaches the limits for the seat and I dread moving him out of it.

 

[Tiger926]

My just turned 5 year old, very long torsoed daughter has 2 Radians and a brand new Britax Frontier (just 2 days old!) and she will be in a harness until she has outgrown them. We are the ones out of family & friends who harness past 4 and are proud of it. Most of our family/friends (finances are not an issue) buy cheap booster seats at 4 as they can't be bothered to spend the extra time, nor money, to extended harness. As extremely vigilant and well researched parents, we know that harnessing is safest, and so we have spent a ton of money on car seats for this reason. We know that government laws are just bare minimums and that every step up in a carseat is a downgrade in safety. We have never, nor will we ever put a price on our children's safety just for convenience. As an example - our baby turns 1 year old on Friday. Do you think I'm front-facing him just because he's 12 months old? Absolutely not! He will stay rear-facing for as long as possible.

To the people who are worried about kids being made fun of - we have taught our daughter that car seats are safest, period, end of story. Based on some of the adult responses on here about older kids still being in car seats, I would venture that kids get their car seat attitudes from their parents - if parents think it's 'weird' than the kids will too. In our household it's nothing to be questioned and my daughter is so good about it that she spots all of the car seat misusage around her - she seems to be more on the ball with car seat safety than most adults around her and we are very proud of this. Our friends/family who complain about car seats drive cool SUVs or sport cars, but their ignorance of car seat safety may seriously harm or get their children dead one day, and that is not a price we are willing to pay as there are so many harnessed car seat options available out there.

Good luck to the OP - hopefully, you keep your child in a harness until he has outgrown it.

Tiger

 

[all4fun]

Thanks, but no, it's attached with a seatbelt and tether. I have a Ford Explorer - probably one of the worst cars EVER to try to install carseats in. (Anyone want to buy it...cheap?? LOL! ) There are no lower anchors in the center seat and if I put the car seat on either side I'd need to remove the headrest which is a hassle, so we're OK there. Good to know though - I recently popped his seat in my MIL's car with the LATCH straps - I'll use the seatbelt from now on.

Just thought I'd post this link here that talks about LATCH limits. Not all vehicle mfgrs recommend stop using LATCH at 40lbs. Ford's is actually 48lbs. Just to clarify, because sometimes it is ok to go past 40lbs w/LATCH and sometimes it really is a lot easier to get a good install with it vs. the seatbelt. The seatbelt is just as safe though, if that's what you have to use. (we actually switched to the seatbelt install when ds hit 40lbs because our vehicle mfgr doesn't even give a Latch limit). There's a link in the above link with a list of vehicle mfgr weight limits.

hth

oh and tiger926...great post. I couldn't agree more.

 

[WantToGoNow]

We also have 2 seats that harness to 65 lbs. (Apex 65) and dd4.5 and ds7 are both riding in Turboboosters. I would recommend you use a high back instead of a low back though as it provides some side/head impact protection in an accident - and it provides somewhere for them to prop their head when they fall asleep in the car.

Just remember that every step down in car seat is also a step down in safety. 5-point harnesses are the safest for all children that can fit into them - there's not really a reason to stop using it if your child fits. Hbb are next - offering the side/head impact; then the low-back boosters that basicially offers nothing but raising them up so that the seatbelt fits at the right spot. Lastly, is using just the seatbelt which is completely unsafe for a child that cannot pass the 5-step test (check the AAP website).

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just wanted to add to this. Just because your child does not reach the weight limit in a carseat does not mean he/she should still be in it. If they are too tall for the seat they need a new seat as well. There are height and weight requirements. You have to check with the seat directions to see what yours are. This makes me nuts with people who use those infant bucket type seats and the kid is obviously too big for it. Another pet peeve of mine is when parents don't tighten the straps. I cannot tell you hpw many times I see a kid in a carseat and the straps are hanging off of them. What is the point of the seat then? It makes me want to give the parents a kick in the behind. Seriously- how stupid can you be?

 

[LisaNJ25]

My 2yo is 41 pounds.. no way I would put him in a booster. I bought him the Graco Nautilus. He will be in the 5pt harness until 65 pound. My 3y0 is 39 pounds. Same thing with her. I have to pick up another Nautilus soon for her.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

My 2yo is 41 pounds.. no way I would put him in a booster. I bought him the Graco Nautilus. He will be in the 5pt harness until 65 pound. My 3y0 is 39 pounds. Same thing with her. I have to pick up another Nautilus soon for her.

My son was tall enough and weighed enough to be in a booster at 2 years old too. I would not put him in one so I bought the next size Britax for him.

 

[mom2aredhead]

Just thought I'd post this link here that talks about LATCH limits. Not all vehicle mfgrs recommend stop using LATCH at 40lbs. Ford's is actually 48lbs. Just to clarify, because sometimes it is ok to go past 40lbs w/LATCH and sometimes it really is a lot easier to get a good install with it vs. the seatbelt. The seatbelt is just as safe though, if that's what you have to use. (we actually switched to the seatbelt install when ds hit 40lbs because our vehicle mfgr doesn't even give a Latch limit). There's a link in the above link with a list of vehicle mfgr weight limits.

hth

oh and tiger926...great post. I couldn't agree more.

Thanks. Since I pretty much have to use the seatbelt in my car, the only time I'd be using LATCH is if the seat were in someone else's vehicle like grandma's or a rental. I'm going to assume 40 lbs to be the limit for all of them and just start using the seatbelts across the board...Could you imaging me asking about a specific car at the rental counter in MCO

 

[Renee845]

We definately transitioned sooner than we should have but my dd hated her car seat and it got to the point where it was safer to put her in a booster rather than her take off the harness. That being said, what about a booster with the back rather than just the seat? I think most of them can then change to a back-less one. I personally feel more comfortable with her being in a whole seat. She is going to be 5 in Aug, however she is still only 32 pounds so I am not sure she even meets the weight requirement for the next stage up.