HeidiKC Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 6 and 8 yr olds are both in 5 pt harnesses, and my 11 yr old is in a booster. I'm a former car seat tech, and my training taught me that every step UP in carseats is a step DOWN in safety. Does your 11 yo mind or do his friends give him any trouble? My 11 yo is a bit embarrassed that I still make him sit in the back seat (rather than the front). Is your 11 yo short? I thought that as long as they were a certain height (4'9" or 4'11"?) and their feet touched the ground that it was safer to sit on the regular seat? I'm not criticizing, just curious as I have struggled to keep my kids in boosters through age 9 or so. And I am DEFINITELY the last one I know with kids that age in boosters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2bdeutmeyer Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 DD isn't 5 yet (she'll be 5 in January), but she'll be in her Britax 5pt harness for a long while yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 At 5, we used a backless booster in one vehicle and a high backed one in the other. Ariel was too tall to fit comfortably in a five point harness at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 5yo is in a 5pt harness, and will be for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I have two who will be 5 and 7 next month. Both are in 5 point restraints though the older will probably have to be switched to a high back booster soon (she has an inch or so before she outgrows her Britax Frontier and seems to be entering a growth spurt). eta: Kids have to be in a 5 point harness until at least 40 pounds here, my older just hit that weight this year (at 6 and a few months) and my younger is only 35lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 5, almost 6, year old is in a 5 point harness. She has a graco nautilus. For the person who mentioned their child outgrowing their 5 point harness seat at age 3, if you want to keep them in a 5 point harness, you just buy a bigger 5 point harness seat. My dd went from a graco snugride (an infant seat), to a britax roundabout, to a graco nautilus. When she outgrew her britax roundabout (her first 5 point harness), we bought the bigger nautilus which can be used as a 5 point harness until the kid is quite large and then converted into a booster. That's the exact same path we took with my daughter, except she was about 2yrs 3 mos when she outgrew the Roundabout by height (and she was a 29 week preemie even!) so has been in a Nautilus since she then. We will convert it to a booster within the year I'm sure but I will feel ok with that at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Both of my dds were in backless boosters at 5. I didn't know any better. Younger dd is still in a backless booster at 9 and my 11 yr dd is actually as tall as me (5'4") so she, of course, just uses a seatbelt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My son moved from a 5pt to a hb booster all the time at 7, almost 8. He was in a hb booster some of the time from about 5 on, but mostly in a 5 pt seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Does your 11 yo mind or do his friends give him any trouble? My 11 yo is a bit embarrassed that I still make him sit in the back seat (rather than the front). Is your 11 yo short? I thought that as long as they were a certain height (4'9" or 4'11"?) and their feet touched the ground that it was safer to sit on the regular seat? I'm not criticizing, just curious as I have struggled to keep my kids in boosters through age 9 or so. And I am DEFINITELY the last one I know with kids that age in boosters. Once they pass the 5 step test the lap/shoulder belt system is fine. All the booster is doing is helping to properly place the lap/shoulder belts. Some 11 y/os don't pass the 5 step test. My oldest was just shy of 11 when he didn't need a booster in my Civic. He, however, still needed a booster in dh's car. He used a backless booster so others didn't even really know he used one- except close friends that had to use one too. I found teaching my ds about proper fit helped him understand the need for a booster. He didn't mind nearly as much when he knew the reasons. I also think the adults attitudes play a huge part. When you have parents standing firm on the decision, not complaining, not wavering, it's easier for kids to know that's just how it is. hth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HistoryMom Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 We follow the laws in our state. A 5-point seat is required until the limit of the seat in use (which for us was 40 lbs), then a booster (either backless or high-back) until either age 8 or 80 lbs. DD7 told me a few weeks ago that she wanted to go to Goodwill on her 8th birthday and hand them the seat, saying, "May I do the honors?" :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 DD4 & DS6 are both in highback boosters with 5 point harnesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tadbhoward Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I do not currently have a 5yo but my 7yo is in a 5-point. Her sister was in one at 5 as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwin Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 5yo is in a 5pt harness. He has occasionally ridden in a high back booster, but he does not have the maturity to sit properly for a long trip. I also think the high back booster is a bigger pain than the 5pt, because I want the seat belt locked, which means I have to rethread it through the shoulder belt path to unlock it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I also think the adults attitudes play a huge part. When you have parents standing firm on the decision, not complaining, not wavering, it's easier for kids to know that's just how it is. Yes, as with many things in parenting. There are many things I stand firm on, but my poor kids still "suffer" by not getting to see PG-13 movies, having no electronics or cable TV, having to sit in booster seats, etc. They do know that's how it is, but they sure don't always feel fine about it! I do hope someday they will - at least when they look back! I am also very thankful my kids are big and tall (at least the first two) when it comes to the booster seat thing. One of my friends has TINY kids, and I am shocked at how young she lets them skip the booster altogether. I don't get that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My just-turned 6-yr-old is in a backless booster, and my almost-9-yr-old is in nothing, but we have clips in our minivan that are part of the seatbelt system that lowers the shoulder belt so that it sits properly on the on the shoulder of a taller child or very short adult. If we had a vehicle without those clips, my 6 yr old would be in a backed booster and my 9 yr old would be in a backless booster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 6 yr old is in a 5pt harness car seat. If it were up to me my 15 yr old would still be in 5 pt harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 By the way, I am virtually positive that if anyone ever did the research to verify it, they'd find that wearing helmets in vehicles would prevent death and injury in auto accidents. I sometimes wonder if I should invest a helmet company's stock for the day when then it becomes vogue to take that safety precaution. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Does your 11 yo mind or do his friends give him any trouble? My 11 yo is a bit embarrassed that I still make him sit in the back seat (rather than the front). Is your 11 yo short? I thought that as long as they were a certain height (4'9" or 4'11"?) and their feet touched the ground that it was safer to sit on the regular seat? I'm not criticizing, just curious as I have struggled to keep my kids in boosters through age 9 or so. And I am DEFINITELY the last one I know with kids that age in boosters. He is very good about it. I have shown him videos of crash tests of a boostered dummy vs a dummy only in a seat belt. After seeing the dramatic results - he understands why he needs to be in a booster. He is a bit on the small side (He's 4'9", but he only weighs around 60 lbs.) The biggest reason he is still in the booster is because , the lap portion of the seatbelt belt rides up over his abdomen when he does not use it. A few of his friends give him grief about it...just like a few of his friends give him grief about homeschooling. ;) We have told him that, just like homeschooling, mom and dad have decided this is what is best for him - this is just the way our family is. Thankfully, he accepts that without too much of a fuss. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketgirl Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 My husband is an accident reconstructionist for the state patrol. So many stories :( Don't rush getting your kids out of the 5 point restraints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 He is very good about it. I have shown him videos of crash tests of a boostered dummy vs a dummy only in a seat belt. After seeing the dramatic results - he understands why he needs to be in a booster. He is a bit on the small side (He's 4'9", but he only weighs around 60 lbs.) The biggest reason he is still in the booster is because , the lap portion of the seatbelt belt rides up over his abdomen when he does not use it. A few of his friends give him grief about it...just like a few of his friends give him grief about homeschooling. ;) We have told him that, just like homeschooling, mom and dad have decided this is what is best for him - this is just the way our family is. Thankfully, he accepts that without too much of a fuss. :) The bolded is so extremely important. The lap belt can cause so much damage when not placed low on the hips and thighs. I wish I could make every person that ever transports a child understand that. Crash forces, even in low impact crashes, are GREAT. Little bodies aren't made to withstand the trauma. The 5 step test (6 steps if you add feet on the floor) is really the ONLY way to know if the child needs a booster or not. Laws, weight, age, and height can't judge how the belt system fits. As a side note, please use lap and shoulder belts. Lap belts are only good for installing car seats, not people. My husband is an accident reconstructionist for the state patrol. So many stories :( Don't rush getting your kids out of the 5 point restraints. Bless his heart. I can't imagine such a job. Just the stuff I come across in my work as a CPS tech is more than I can handle sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritsumei Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 My 5yo (well, he'll be 5 in a month) rides in both a 5 point & a backless booster. I'd prefer to get another britax something for him, but we can't afford it right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 My girls are 6 and 7, but are both still in their high-back boosters from whenever they were big enough to be put into them. (3 or 4 years, maybe???) They can now have the backs removed, per weight requirements, but they still want something to rest their heads on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firestar Academy Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I didn't vote b/c I don't have a 5 year old, but my 8 year old is in a 5 point harness. It is a britax. My older daughter was in the britax until she was 10, then a highback and currently a back less (but I need to get her a new high back) she will be 12 in december. I have a friend trying to get her cps certification so she tells me what to buy for my particular car/child. SHE dis the 5 check thing on my older and told her she wasn't ready to be out of the booster and that was that. Robin in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferLynn Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 DD5 is tall and moved to the high-back booster at 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritsumei Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 . The 5 step test (6 steps if you add feet on the floor) is really the ONLY way to know if the child needs a booster or not. Laws, weight, age, and height can't judge how the belt system fits. I've never heard of this "5 step test." What is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I've never heard of this "5 step test." What is it? 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! From: http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm I like for their feet to touch the floor too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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