how many of you use a NON-booster car seat for your 7+yo kids?

[muffinmom]

Apparently I've been out of the loop. My friend tells me that booster seats are not safe for kids...that children don't weigh enough and could still be thrown out of the car. She says they still need a seat that attaches to the car, with a 5-point harness.

 

I'd like to hear from some of you on this...FYI, my ds is 7.5, and my dd is 4 (she is still in 5-point harness).

 

Don't want to go to Crazy Town over this or any other safety issue, but I do want my kids to be reasonably safe.

[mrs.m]

Did you research this online? I have friends that "hear" stuff and pass it on and it's not true.

 

I heard 4yo and 40pounds for a booster seat. And then they really only need the booster seat for proper seatbelt placement.

 

And there is NO WAY that my 7yo or 4yo would ride in a 5 point harness.

[Scuff]

How did we all survive childhood? ;)

[Parrothead]

Dd has not been in a car seat since she was 5.

 

Anyone can be thrown from a car. If a average size adult drive fast, does not wear a seat belt, and hit something, he/she could be thrown out. I've scrapped enough of them off the highway to know.

[mrs.m]

How did we all survive childhood? ;)

 

;)

 

Muffinmom, it actually varies by state:

http://www.elitecarseats.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=car_seat_laws

[Momling]

I don't think it's just kids... as I understand it, even adults would be safer rear-facing in 5 point harnesses.

 

Driving may get a bit tricky though.

[Spy Car]

I don't think booster seats are safe. Not. at. all.

 

Our 5.5 year old is in a Radian 80, a 5 point latching seat, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Bill

[Tidbits of Learning]

I use a booster with my kids until they are tall enough and/or weigh enough not to need one. I used a 5 point harness until my kids were around 4 and then moved to a high back booster. Then we moved to a just seat booster around 6 or 7. When my kids turn 8, we let them just buckle up.

I have had a head on collision with 3 of my kids in the car and I do believe that their 5 point harnesses helped to save them. I was pregnant and lost the baby in this accident. My kids were 4,3, and 2 when the accident happened. When we replaced the car seats from the accident we bought high back boosters for the almost 4 and almost 5 year old and a 5 point harness for the 2 yr old.

There is a difference between the height and weight requirements for the high back booster and just the seat booster. My kids didn't weigh enough to be in just the seat booster until they were around 5 or 6. I wouldn't have put my 5 year old in a 5 point booster and I have been in a horrible wreck with my children.

I think though if it makes you feel safer then do it, but most 5 point harnesses have a height and weight limit. They really aren't meant to be used past 4 years old. I am sure they do make some for bigger kids, but I wouldn't have put my children into one at that point.

[BlsdMama]

I'm curious if we're talking about two different types of boosters?

 

For example the booster where it's just the little seat contraption that they sit in and a piece of plastic comes across their mid is NOT safe.

 

But from what I understand a high back booster (where it looks like a complete seat with a back/headrest/etc) is completely safe and sturdy for a 7yo.

 

Is it possible we're discussing two different types of boosters? Our 8yo does still ride in a high back booster. An adult seat belt would not otherwise fit her properly as she is petite and still fits well inside her h.b. booster.

 

:lurk5:

[MSNative]

I don't think it's just kids... as I understand it, even adults would be safer rear-facing in 5 point harnesses.

 

Driving may get a bit tricky though.

 

 

Tee hee. Now that's funny. :lol:

[RebeccaS]

I use 5pt harness seats on the three youngest kids. So, the 4, 5, and 6 yr olds are still in 5pt harness. My oldest, 8, rides in a booster, but it uses the latch system, so it's attached to the seat with that and won't move during a crash any more than a car seat would. Legally, she can be out of a car seat now, but she's not tall enough for just a seat belt. I would put her in a 5 put harness, but we can't find a seat big enough for her. She is overweight and won't fit in any seat we could find.

[LibraryLover]

My youngest is small. She was in the Britax Elite until she was 6. At 10, she still needs a backless booster to position the belt correctly. I don't know how we all survived childhood. I saw that Chevy crash video Reg posted yesterday. Yikes. The reason we stopped using the Elite was not because of her size; she fit in it fine, but because we were in a crash and I had to trash the carseats. The insurance would not replace the Elite, so we went to the less costly britax booster with the adjusting head-support, and then eventually went to the just the backless. A lot of our friends have older kids n boosters, so it was never an issue for us. She never thought she was too old etc. Many of her friends are/were in the same boat

Edited February 17, 2010 by LibraryLover

[Samiam]

My DS7 just moved to a booster seat...not the kind with a high back, but it's just a seat...it's more for placement of the seatbelt...making sure it crosses him at the proper points. Prior to that he was in a 5 point, HB Booster seat.

 

DS3 (about to be 4 in 3 weeks) is in a 5-point harness, more like a toddler style car seat, and it goes up to 80lbs. He will continue to use that until the car seat expires (just bought it last year), or he's about 5. Probably around 5 we will move him to a 5-point High Back Booster.

[muffinmom]

I don't think booster seats are safe. Not. at. all.

 

Our 5.5 year old is in a Radian 80, a 5 point latching seat, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Bill

 

I knew I could count on you, Bill! :D My friend was recommending that very seat.

 

Can you expand on your position? And do you think high-back boosters are not any safer (what about with a LATCH system?)?

[melissel]

Apparently I've been out of the loop. My friend tells me that booster seats are not safe for kids...that children don't weigh enough and could still be thrown out of the car. She says they still need a seat that attaches to the car, with a 5-point harness.

 

I'd like to hear from some of you on this...FYI, my ds is 7.5, and my dd is 4 (she is still in 5-point harness).

 

Don't want to go to Crazy Town over this or any other safety issue, but I do want my kids to be reasonably safe.

 

:lol: at Crazy Town!

 

At 7.5, I think you're fine with a high-back booster seat that has side-impact protection. No, it's not the world's most perfect, safest choice, but I highly doubt you'd get him back into a 5-point harness now anyway. From what I can tell based on my research, the main concerns with a booster seat are side impacts and "submarining," where the child slides UNDER the lap belt in a front-end collision. If you buy a good booster with side impact protection, that ups the safety factor. You can also buy a Britax booster with a between-the-legs belt that prevents the submarining, if you're concerned.

 

As for your 4-year-old, I'd keep her in a 5-point harness as long as you possibly can, because yes, they are indeed the safest option. We've opted to buy a Britax Frontier, which was pricy but which pretty much eliminates the need to buy any other car seat for years because its height and weight limits are so high and because it turns from a 5-point into a quality booster when DD reaches the 5-point limits.

 

I don't subscribe to the "how did we all survive childhood?" mindset, personally. If I did, I'd be riding around in a car with no seatbealts and my kids bouncing around in the back with no car seats, and my kids would be in public school because it was "good enough" for most of us. I think we're armed with knowledge and we've made technical advances, and we should use this to protect our kids. But yeah, I wouldn't go to Crazy Town over it either. Do the best you can with what you've got!

Edited February 17, 2010 by melissel

[tadbhoward]

The law is the minimum and is not that great to be honest. My kids are tiny so they are in 5pts still and will be for awhile. my 7.5 yo is only 38lbs and 46 inches. If I were to get into a high impact crash and she were in a booster the chances of her just slipping right out of the seat belt are high.

 

Here is a great site put out by people who lost their little boy in just such an accident. They have lots of info on there for anyone who is curious.

[muffinmom]

:lol: at Crazy Town!

 

At 7.5, I think you're fine with a high-back booster seat that has side-impact protection. No, it's not the world's most perfect, safest choice, but I highly doubt you'd get her back into a 5-point harness now anyway. From what I can tell based on my research, the main concerns with a booster seat are side impacts and "submarining," where the child slides UNDER the lap belt in a front-end collision. If you buy a good booster with side impact protection, that ups the safety factor. You can also buy a Britax booster with a between-the-legs belt that prevents the submarining, if you're concerned.

 

As for your 4-year-old, I'd keep her in a 5-point harness as long as you possibly can, because yes, they are indeed the safest option. We've opted to buy a Britax Frontier, which was pricy but which pretty much eliminates the need to buy any other car seat for years because its height and weight limits are so high and because it turns from a 5-point into a quality booster when DD reaches the 5-point limits.

 

I don't subscribe to the "how did we all survive childhood?" mindset, personally. If I did, I'd be riding around in a car with no seatbealts and my kids bouncing around in the back with no car seats, and my kids would be in public school because it was "good enough" for most of us. I think we're armed with knowledge and we've made technical advances, and we should use this to protect our kids. But yeah, I wouldn't go to Crazy Town over it either. Do the best you can with what you've got!

 

Thanks for this...it was very helpful.

[mlktwins]

My twins (4.5) are in the Britax Regent with the 5-pt harness and I don't plan on changing anytime soon. I guess because my boys don't know any different (have never been out of the harness) they don't give me any trouble.

 

Mendy

[Saille]

My two youngest, ds 3.5 and dd6, are both in Britax Regent seats with five-point harnesses. My oldest, ds8, is in a Parkway. That's the last one he'll fit. It doesn't use latch, but it has the back height to protect his neck, and it positions the belt correctly. Dh has covered enough accidents that we tend to err on the side of caution.

[mirth]

We've opted to buy a Britax Frontier, which was pricy but which pretty much eliminates the need to buy any other car seat for years because its height and weight limits are so high and because it turns from a 5-point into a quality booster when DD reaches the 5-point limits

 

Interesting. Does the Frontier have as much ''butt depth" as a Regent? The Frontier may be our next purchase. I only seem to refresh myself on car seat news every 3 years or so.

[hsmom27]

Booster seats are not safe, IMO. My almost 8yo twin boys are still in Britax Regent 5-pt. harness seats. One of them will outgrow it before too long (he's a big boy), and I have to figure out what to do then. Children are definitely safer in a 5pt harness and RFing as long as possible.

 

And I find it very funny that people say they can't put their kids back in car seats. I put both of mine back in car seats after having been in boosters for a year. Mine weren't even upset because it's all in how you present it. I let my children have a lot of freedom, but when it comes to safety, I make the rules.

[Amy loves Bud]

I can only give you our experience. We were in a wreck when the kids were 6 and 4. The six year old was in just the booster with no back, the 4 year old had a booster with a back. They were riding in the back bench seat of our 2001 Honda Odyssey. We were traveling about 40 mph, and got rear-ended by a drunk driver going around 70. The kids were less than 2 feet from the point of impact. The van was totalled and we all walked away with no injuries.

 

So, in our case, the boosters did their jobs and allowed the seatbelts to do their jobs.

 

Now they are 9 and 11 and out of boosters. The two year old has the big Britax that is supposed to last until 5 yrs old (can't remember the name). We'll probably switch to a booster for her at that point, assuming it's in compliance with the law.

[Tree House Academy]

Here is my take:

 

There was a story about a child (4 years old) who was thrown from a van and died in a crash when he was just in a booster seat. The seat belt in the vehicle failed. Chances are, if the child had been an adult in the back seat during that crash, the seat belt would have still failed. It is a tragedy...but the fact is that we can't predict or prevent every little thing.

 

Now, my faith comes in here. I believe my kids are on "loan" to me and each day, they are in God's hands. He protects them in ways that I never could. I have made plenty of mistakes in my parenting that could have been horrible for my kids, but God was with us and they were fine. I also believe that when a person's time on earth is up...it is up. There is nothing you can do to stop it. Again, this is my faith and my not apply to others, but it surely helps me make my decisions.

 

That said, my 6.5 year old (who is small for his age) does ride in a highback booster seat. I trust my car's seat belts for my oldest son and the rest of the passengers and I have the same trust where my younger son is concerned. If not, I would likely need to just go ahead and purchase ultra durable bubbles for my kids to live in.

 

My 10 year old is not in a car seat. He actually rides in the front a lot with the passenger air bag off (it automatically turns either on or off based on the weight in the seat). He weighs 85 pounds and is 5'1" (taller than my grandmother ever was and only 5 pounds lighter!!)

Edited February 17, 2010 by Tree House Academy

[mom2jjka]

The easiest thing to remember is that every step "UP" in car seats is a step "DOWN" in safety.

 

Rear-facing is the absolute safest way any child can ride. It is now recommended that children ride rear-facing to the upper most limits of their car, seats (and most carseats on the market today will allow a child to rear-face until 30-40 lbs....which means that most/many kids can make it to 2 or 3 rear facing!)

 

Next safest is forward facing with a 5 pt. harness.

Race car drivers wear a 5 pt harness. WHY? Because they know that a) it is more secure - holding them into position better

and b) because it spreads the extreme crash forces more evenly over their body. There are 5 poins of contact (vs. just 3 with a 'regular' seatbelt which you would use with a booster.

 

When can a child ride safely in a booster - that depends on the child, and the manufacturer's requirements for that particular booster.

Most booster seats have a MINIMUM requirement of 4 years and 40 lbs. Would I put a 4 yr old in a booster? No way.

a child should not sit in a booster until they are mature enough to sit upright with out leaning/fidgeting, etc EVERY time they ride in the car. (Most 4 yr olds I know are nowhere near ready for that!) And, with some boosters there is a danger of 'submarining' under the seatbelt.

(Britax does have a new booster with a strap between the legs that hooks to the seatbelt and prevents the child from submarining)

 

I prefer to see kids harnessed until about 6 or 7, and then - if they are mature enough they can be moved to a high - back booster (preferably one with good side - impact protection in the head and trunk area.)

For older children (I would say 8 and up) any booster that allows for proper placement of the seatbelts will suffice.

 

And to answer the OP...

My 7 yr old rides in a Britax Regent, my 5 yr old is in a Britax Frontier, my 10 yr old is still in a booster, and my 12 yr old JUST got out of hers.:)

 

 

Here's my blog article about booster seats.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CPSTblog/511023/

Edited February 17, 2010 by mom2jjka

[Melinda in VT]

My 4yo has outgrown his 5-pt harness car seat, and I'm having trouble figuring out what to buy next.

 

I'd prefer to keep him in a 5-pt harness, but I need something that

 

• is approved for planes flying out of Canada and the US
  
• can be used with only a seatbelt
  
• doesn't cost a lot (this is DH's requirement)
  

 

 

Anyone have suggestions?

[Spy Car]

I knew I could count on you, Bill! :D My friend was recommending that very seat.

 

There is also a newer seat from Radian (Sunshine Kids) since the "80" that (from what I understand) has more side-to-side head support, but I haven't seen it. All these Radian seats have an internal steel frame. Built like tanks (and are heavy). They are also streamlined (unlike the bulky plastic Britax seats) so many cars can get 3 across in the back.

 

I can't over-praise these seats.

 

Can you expand on your position? And do you think high-back boosters are not any safer (what about with a LATCH system?)?

 

My position is, I went to purchase a "booster-seat" when the time arrived. I was a "know-nothing" at that point. But when I saw booster seats (the basic kind) in the store, I said" "Really???"

 

It made no sense to me. At. All.

 

They are not affixed, and depend on the belt to hold a child (and the seat in). Well, my son is maturing out of being a "wiggle-worm" but for any number of reasons (falling asleep, wanting to move around) I had no faith in that idea.

 

We had a great saleswoman. Only after I'd expressed my feelings of extreme doubt about the safety of these boosters did she really open up with her opinion. And I was pointed at the Radian.

 

Quite a difference in price. So I delayed making a decision until I did some research. It didn't take long to feel convinced my instincts were correct.

 

My wife was still kind of balky. There was the cost factor, and ALL my son's friends from nursery school were moving into boosters: What's the fuss?

 

Rather than run through all the statistics, I showed her a highly-emotional youtube video about a family who had lost their little girl to an accident when she was thrown from her booster. My wife was in tears after she watched that movie, and said let's go buy the Radian.

 

A couple weeks later she and my son were rear-ended by a moving truck on the freeway by a driver who failed to notice traffic had stopped. My son was in the car. In his new seat. I've never been happier that I shelled out for the better seat. Mercifully, he and my wife were unharmed.

 

Let's say I don't regret the decision.

 

As to the high backs, I'm no authority. If memory serves (it may not) I thought there was a weight limit to the LATCH systems. It seems common-sensical that a seat that can be secured to the car is going to be a whole-lot safer than one that rests on top of a seat and relies on the seat-belt to hold both child and seat in place. But I simply don't have enough knowledge about the high backs to make an informed judgement.

 

Best wishes for finding a seat you are comfortable with.

 

Bill

Edited February 17, 2010 by Spy Car

[melissel]

Interesting. Does the Frontier have as much ''butt depth" as a Regent? The Frontier may be our next purchase. I only seem to refresh myself on car seat news every 3 years or so.

 

I'm not sure about the butt depth (:D) compared with the Regent, but I have a very tall, long-legged 7.5 year old, and she was perfectly comfortable in her Frontier, so there must have been plenty of seat room. If you go to the Britax site, you should be able to get the detailed specs on both seats. The only reason we switched out was because DD4 outgrew her seat in DH's car, so we moved DD7's Frontier over and bought her a new Monterey booster for my car (I wasn't happy with the seatbelt vs. guide situation in my car anyway, so it worked out all around).

 

Booster seats are not safe, IMO. My almost 8yo twin boys are still in Britax Regent 5-pt. harness seats. One of them will outgrow it before too long (he's a big boy), and I have to figure out what to do then. Children are definitely safer in a 5pt harness and RFing as long as possible.

 

And I find it very funny that people say they can't put their kids back in car seats. I put both of mine back in car seats after having been in boosters for a year. Mine weren't even upset because it's all in how you present it. I let my children have a lot of freedom, but when it comes to safety, I make the rules.

 

I think it's great that you were able to get your kids back into 5-points. However, when we tried to switch my sensory-sensitive kid back into the 5-point harness in her Frontier, she felt trapped and started to panic. If you find that very funny, then my apologies.

[ChristusG]

I think that 5 point harnesses are much safer. Most kids will wiggle around and wear a regular safety belt incorrectly. Plus, a regular car seat will give more padding and protection on the sides during an accident. My 5 year old DD (who will be six in 2 months) is still in a 5 point harness and will be in one as long as possible.

[melissel]

If memory serves (it may not) I thought there was a weight limit to the LATCH systems.

 

There is indeed a weight limit for the use of the lower anchors--usually 40 or 48 pounds (you need to check your car's manual). When your child passes that limit, you need to install a car seat with the seat belt, though you can still use the tethers (the ones in the floor). However, for many of the newer booster seats, you can still use the anchors (in the seat crevice) to anchor the seat itself, and then the seat belt is only restraining the weight of the child, rather than the weight of the child plus the weight of the seat.

 

Again, you need to check your car seat manuals to know whether this anchoring is allowable in booster seat mode. It seems like many of the older car seats simply never tested this scenario, so some manuals don't even mention it. Some, like Graco, didn't mention it in their original manuals but released additional information OKing it later. Most of the newer, higher-quality booster-only seats include LATCH locks for this reason (like our Monterey).

[StartingOver]

I have a carseat that goes to 65 lbs in a 5 point harness. I will keep the kids in it till then. After that it is a higback booster until their shoulders are to high. Then becomes a backless booster. The issue with older kids is that the seatbelts are mad for adults. I feel boosters are safe. But I will keep mine in a 5 point as long as possible.

 

We have the Nautilus.

[Aggie]

Our 8.5yods is still in a 5pt harness. Granted, he is off the charts short, but still, I don't see him being out of the 5pt for quite a while.

 

As for the "how did we survive" question....I know for a fact that I wasn't in the car near as much as my dc are. Even counting the school bus rides I had, my mileage as a kid is way below that of my dc. My mom did have one accident and both of us dc went bouncing around the car like superballs.

 

Do we have any statistics for how many dc died in traffic accidents before car seats? When I was 4-8, cars were heavier, people weren't talking on phones, and my family didn't travel very far at all.

[Mom-ninja.]

Can you expand on your position? And do you think high-back boosters are not any safer (what about with a LATCH system?)?

 

Keep in mind that the LATCH can only be used up to a certain weight. You have to check your vehicle information. Most vehicles say 48lbs is the max for LATCH. Also, read the car seat instructions for max LATCH weight.

 

You can go to car-seat.org and find tons of info if you're interested about different seat options.

 

My 6 yr old uses a Britax Marathon and an Apex in DH's car. My 9 yr old uses a Britax Regent and a Graco Turbo Booster in DH's car.

[courtney.byrum]

My 4yo has outgrown his 5-pt harness car seat, and I'm having trouble figuring out what to buy next.

 

I'd prefer to keep him in a 5-pt harness, but I need something that

 

• is approved for planes flying out of Canada and the US

• can be used with only a seatbelt

• doesn't cost a lot (this is DH's requirement)

 

 

Anyone have suggestions?

 

The Frontier I believe is FAA approved, the Graco Nautilus is as well (we've used those on planes). Frontier harnesses to 80 lbs then becomes a high back booster, Nautilus to 65 lbs then becomes a high back booster or a no back booster.

[courtney.byrum]

There is also a newer seat from Radian (Sunshine Kids) since the "80" that (from what I understand) has more side-to-side head support, but I haven't seen it. All these Radian seats have an internal steel frame. Built like tanks (and are heavy). They are also streamlined (unlike the bulky plastic Britax seats) so many cars can get 3 across in the back.

 

I can't over-praise these seats.

 

 

 

My position is, I went to purchase a "booster-seat" when the time arrived. I was a "know-nothing" at that point. But when I saw booster seats (the basic kind) in the store, I said" "Really???"

 

It made no sense to me. At. All.

 

They are not affixed, and depend on the belt to hold a child (and the seat in). Well, my son is maturing out of being a "wiggle-worm" but for any number of reasons (falling asleep, wanting to move around) I had no faith in that idea.

 

We had a great saleswoman. Only after I'd expressed my feelings of extreme doubt about the safety of these boosters did she really open up with her opinion. And I was pointed at the Radian.

 

Quite a difference in price. So I delayed making a decision until I did some research. It didn't take long to feel convinced my instincts were correct.

 

My wife was still kind of balky. There was the cost factor, and ALL my son's friends from nursery school were moving into boosters: What's the fuss?

 

Rather than run through all the statistics, I showed her a highly-emotional youtube video about a family who had lost their little girl to an accident when she was thrown from her booster. My wife was in tears after she watched that movie, and said let's go buy the Radian.

 

A couple weeks later she and my son were rear-ended by a moving truck on the freeway by a driver who failed to notice traffic had stopped. My son was in the car. In his new seat. I've never been happier that I shelled out for the better seat. Mercifully, he and my wife were unharmed.

 

Let's say I don't regret the decision.

 

As to the high backs, I'm no authority. If memory serves (it may not) I thought there was a weight limit to the LATCH systems. It seems common-sensical that a seat that can be secured to the car is going to be a whole-lot safer than one that rests on top of a seat and relies on the seat-belt to hold both child and seat in place. But I simply don't have enough knowledge about the high backs to make an informed judgement.

 

Best wishes for finding a seat you are comfortable with.

 

Bill

 

I'm so glad you had a great seat in the case of that accident! Hopefully the seat was then replaced after the accident by the insurance company.

 

My 4.5 and 5.5 yr olds are both still in 5 pt harnesses. They both have a Graco Nautilus and we also have a Britax Regent which DS will use again when he hits 48 lbs as I can't get a 'good' install with seat belt in our van with the Nautilus.

Many of his friends ride in boosters but he knows why he is still in a 5 pt harness and has no complaints. We take many long (14 hr) drives each year and there is no way he's ready for a booster on those trips.

[Tap]

For those of you looking for a larger car seat this is the one we have:

 

Graco Nautilus

 

3-in-1 multi-mode Car Seat for longer use 20 pounds to 100 pounds

Extended 5-point harness for children 20-65 pounds

Converts to High-back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds

Converts to backless booster for child 40 pounds to 100 pounds

Steel reinforced frame for durability

 

Amazon sells it for under $150 and at the time I bought it Target also sold it in stores. DD3 is the size of most 5yo at 40+ lbs and sits very comfortable in the 5pt harness. It has 4.5 stars and over 500 reviews at Amazon. It is not a lightweight seat as it has a steel frame so I wouldn't want to carry it around a lot.

[Sputterduck]

I don't think booster seats are safe. Not. at. all.

 

Our 5.5 year old is in a Radian 80, a 5 point latching seat, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Bill

 

 

:iagree::iagree:

[Melinda in VT]

For those of you looking for a larger car seat this is the one we have:

 

Graco Nautilus

 

3-in-1 multi-mode Car Seat for longer use 20 pounds to 100 pounds

Extended 5-point harness for children 20-65 pounds

Converts to High-back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds

Converts to backless booster for child 40 pounds to 100 pounds

Steel reinforced frame for durability

 

Amazon sells it for under $150 and at the time I bought it Target also sold it in stores. DD3 is the size of most 5yo at 40+ lbs and sits very comfortable in the 5pt harness. It has 4.5 stars and over 500 reviews at Amazon. It is not a lightweight seat as it has a steel frame so I wouldn't want to carry it around a lot.

 

I like the look of this one, but I'm concerned about the positioning of the crotch strap. I think I'll need to drag DS out to the store to sit in the car seats.

[Tap]

How did we all survive childhood? ;)

 

The ones who didn't make it through childhood are the ones I think about.

[nmoira]

I don't think booster seats are safe. Not. at. all.

 

Our 5.5 year old is in a Radian 80, a 5 point latching seat, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Bill

My 8yo is still in a 5pt harness, though she's about to outgrow the seat. However, I'll admit to having a high backed booster for her use in other people's vehicles, as her seat is just too heavy and time consuming to install.

[gardening momma]

I'm curious if we're talking about two different types of boosters?

 

For example the booster where it's just the little seat contraption that they sit in and a piece of plastic comes across their mid is NOT safe.

I've never seen a seat booster that has a little piece of plastic that you put across the child's midsection--you use the car's seatbelt. The booster is supposed to raise the child up to the correct height for a car seatbelt.

 

The law is the minimum and is not that great to be honest. My kids are tiny so they are in 5pts still and will be for awhile. my 7.5 yo is only 38lbs and 46 inches. If I were to get into a high impact crash and she were in a booster the chances of her just slipping right out of the seat belt are high.

In my state, your 7.5 yo could not legally use a booster seat if she was still 38 lbs. She'd have to be 4 yo and 40 lbs to use a booster.

[Halcyon]

here in fl where i live, a CRAAAAZY number of parents allow their 5 year old to sit in the front seat, no car seat, nothing, and an equally CRAZY number let their kids ride ni the back with no car seat or booster. My 7 yo uses a booster, but we're thinking of switching him to a more high quality seat, and my 4 `1/2 yo uses a 5 point car seat and will for at least another year or two. He's barely 40 lbs, fwiw.

[mom2koh]

DD who is 6 is still in a 5 point harness. I will not allow her into a booster until she hits 40 pounds (she's 32 pounds right now).

 

Her brother, DS 3, will probably hit that first but I still want him in a 5 point as long as possible (until he's 6 if he can still fit properly).

 

To me, my kids are precious gifts to cherish and protect at all costs. I am a certified, card-carrying member of crazy town!:lol:

[tadbhoward]

 

In my state, your 7.5 yo could not legally use a booster seat if she was still 38 lbs. She'd have to be 4 yo and 40 lbs to use a booster.

 

Yes, in our state there is only a booster recommendation. The law states that only children under 6 have to be in a car seat.

[Cera]

My 5.5 year old is still in a 5 point harness and will be for quite a while. She is only 39 pounds so she doesn't meet the 4 years and 40 lbs rule yet anyway.

 

We bought the Britax Frontier because it was available near us in a girly color. I have since heard that there will be a new version out in late spring that has a higher top harness height.

 

We will keep both of our girls in a 5 pt harness for as long as possible.

[bbsweetpea]

My oldest will be 7 in April and still is in a 5 pt harness. She will be until she outgrows the car seat.

[rafiki]

.

[mom2jjka]

I've never seen a seat booster that has a little piece of plastic that you put across the child's midsection--you use the car's seatbelt. The booster is supposed to raise the child up to the correct height for a car seatbelt.

 

 

I think she was referring to the old shield boosters - ALL of which have been recalled because of the risk of ejection/death

 

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/shieldbooster.aspx

[gardening momma]

I think she was referring to the old shield boosters - ALL of which have been recalled because of the risk of ejection/death

 

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/shieldbooster.aspx

Ok...the only kind of seat I've seen like that was a carseat, and I ~think~ it also had a 3 point harness, but I could be wrong. It was either my sister's or SIL's, and I remember being a little surprised to see it. It was several years ago. Hopefully they don't use it anymore.

[jujsky]

I'm curious if we're talking about two different types of boosters?

 

For example the booster where it's just the little seat contraption that they sit in and a piece of plastic comes across their mid is NOT safe.

 

But from what I understand a high back booster (where it looks like a complete seat with a back/headrest/etc) is completely safe and sturdy for a 7yo.

 

Is it possible we're discussing two different types of boosters? Our 8yo does still ride in a high back booster. An adult seat belt would not otherwise fit her properly as she is petite and still fits well inside her h.b. booster.

 

:lurk5:

 

That's what I'm wondering too. We just switched DD(5) to a high-back booster. DS (6) has been in one for a year. I didn't even know they made a 5-point harness system for kids that age.

[gardening momma]

Here's a website with carseat & booster laws by state, in case anyone's interested. Ohio (where I am) changed their law a year ago to increase the age a child needs to be before they can get out of a carseat or booster. The new law states that a child has to be in a booster seat (at the least) until age 8 (and I think also at least 4'9"). The old law only required the child to be in a carseat until 4 years and 40 lbs--there were no requirements for any kind of child restraint system after that age & weight.