S/O how many 7 year olds in a booster seat? - Page 2

[medaroge]

Originally Posted by One_Girl

I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.

I have thought about this as well. Why is it ok for a child in one state and not another state? Also, when you travel through states I guess you need to look at the laws of the state you are traveling through? The studies are available equally to all states, so it does make me wonder! Anyone know what state has the most stringent and which has the most relaxed laws?

[rainyday]

Originally Posted by One_Girl

My dd is still in a booster and she will stay in one until she is eight. Our state only requires a booster until kids are six, but I have held on because I like Washingtons 8/80 law. There seems to be a lot of opinions about which height/age/weight makes kids safe so I am going to go with what dd and I have always agreed on. I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.

I think unity among researchers and unity among lawmakers/state laws are two different things!

My ds at almost 8 is still in his hbb, and pretty much all the kids in his class are in boosters of some sort, many of them hbb.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I have just allowed my 7 1/2 YO DD to move from a HBB to a no-back one, which actually seems to be a better fit for her. Most of her classmates still use some sort of booster, and a couple of them are still harnessed. Most of the moms keep a stash of no-back ones in their cars for playdates so that we can make sure everyone is safe.

My DS grew out of his booster sometime after he turned 8. He's not particularly tall but he is, um, round, and it got to narrow for him to sit comfortably in.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by chickabiddy

I'm 41 and 5'5" and don't pass in all cars: it's very rare that a 7yo would pass consistently. Kids who don't pass need to be in boosters to protect themselves -- adults have a little more leeway because they have mature hipbones to hold the lapbelt down and prevent seatbelt syndrome.

ETA that my 8yo is in a highbacked booster 99.95% of the time and a backless booster the other 0.05%.

This. I'm 5'1" (61") and I am fine in my Subaru Outback wagon, but I used to have an old Plymouth Gran Fury in which I could not see over the dashboard unless I sat on pillows or phone books

Originally Posted by jake&zaxmom

DS1 will be 10 on June 1 and he's still in a booster. To the best of my understanding, to be safest in a seatbelt alone they are supposed to be able to sit all the way back in the seat and have the bend of their knees be at or past the edge of the seat so that their feet can be flat on the floor. DS1 isn't able to do that in the car that we drive the most. (He can do it in our truck and does not use a booster in that vehicle) Here in North Carolina, I think it's legal to ditch the booster when the child is 4'10" and 80 lbs OR 8 years old.

I'm in NC, too. I've seen mixed things about what is correct and what isn't, as far as laws go. Here in Asheville, there are lots of billboards that say "4'9" is the law" but then I've heard the 8/80 rule, too.
Your "understanding" is a good indicator, I think! I haven't heard that till I read this thread.

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys

ftr, i am pretty much the only booster seat user i know. a friend just let her kindy boy ditch his, and it became an issue when they had to ride in my car and i made her dig it out of her garage or they couldnt come with me.

Yep, that would be me, too. I don't let adults ride with me unless they buckle, nor do I let kids ride w/o a booster, no matter what the rules are in their parents' cars.
It amazes me when parents say things like "he just won't stay in the booster" or "refuses to"...hey, sorry, but who makes the rules? I know it's not a Mothering standard, generally, but in no way am I going to compromise, or practice consensual anything, when it comes to safety.
Well, I'm not a consensual mom anyway, but even if I were. Not for safety issues.

My ds is 9y3m, is 4'4" and 59lb. Very tall and skinny, but no way tall enough for a belt alone. He's in a HBB. I think it's a Graco (forgot ), the one with the memory foam seat and the place where you anchor the belt at the child's shoulder area. We do road trips and no way could or would he sit for a whole trip like it says in the post with the 5 stipulations.
I can't remember when we ditched the 5-point, but he was way old compared to other kids his age. I ditched it when the head rest wouldn't go any higher for his height.
He uses a LBB in other people's cars, but I just scored another HBB for carpooling (free, even!)

Suffice it to say, he'll be in that dang booster, in whoever's car, till he's 4'9" at least. He's always going to be skinny and I doubt he'll hit 80lb till he's at least 12 or more!
Thankfully, he's very safety-minded, plus doesn't care what other people say, so yay.

[nola79]

My 7 year old ds is still in a booster. He is 4'5" and around 55 pounds, so he'll be in one for awhile, the law here is 80lbs, not sure the height.

[Swandira]

I have a 7-year-old on the small side of average, and we're in Washington, so he needs to be 8 years old and 80 pounds before he gets out of the booster. It's going to be a while; he's about 47 pounds now. I think he'll be a great height before he reaches 80 pounds. Fortunately, he doesn't complaint about the booster seat. I do know a few people, even up here, who disregard the booster law -- one of my daughter's preschool classmates (4 years old and 60 pounds) rides in the back seat with no harness or booster! Her mom mentioned to me that she resists the safety seat, so she lets her ride without it. Yikes!

Nealy
mama to T (7), L (4), and O (12/12/08)

[Irishmommy]

My almost 10 year old is still in one. She's about 4 foot 2, maybe, low 50lbs.

[jillmamma]

My 7 year old is still in a HBB (Graco Turbobooster), and will be for a long time yet (he is like 50ish lb and close to 4' tall).

[TEAK's Mom]

My 8 year old is still in a HBB (Sunshine Kids Monterey) and she is the only 8 year old I know still using a booster of any kind. This is ironic because dd1 is huge (99% for height) and none of these kids come above her chin. Since AK has an 8 year or 80 lb law, people seem to think that they should toss the booster on the eighth birthday.

I had a parent get mad at me for putting an 8 year old in dd2's Britax Regent. This 8 year old was shorter than dd2 (who is 5.5) and I had to lower the straps.

[Sharlla]

Originally Posted by One_Girl

My dd is still in a booster and she will stay in one until she is eight. Our state only requires a booster until kids are six, but I have held on because I like Washingtons 8/80 law. There seems to be a lot of opinions about which height/age/weight makes kids safe so I am going to go with what dd and I have always agreed on. I wonder why there isn't more unity among researchers on this. It would make it easier to have something that many of them agree on.

What if she is 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit her right?

[mumm]

My daughter is in a booster.

For her 7th birthday party we had 5 guests/kids go to the theatre with us. We drove and let parents know that we would need their car seat/booster. Of the 5 kids who came, only 2 usually use a booster. The others us nothing. I was suprised.

[LynnS6]

Well, the law where we live is 8 years or 80 lbs. Since I don't know may 7 year olds who are 80 lbs, most should be in a booster. However, I found that we were a rarity. Most kids moved out of boosters in 2nd grade. We just moved ds out of a booster about 2 weeks ago. He's 4'9" and 70 lbs. dripping wet. He turns 9 today.

[DanielleT]

In my province the law is 80lbs or 9years old...

[nutritionistmom]

The law here in Ontario is 8 or 80, but 10 yr ds still rides in a booster. He is only 65lbs and maybe 4 feet. His best friends are all still riding in boosters, but they are all small like him.

[voicegrrl]

My almost 9 year old DD is in a no back booster. I don't think she's 80 pounds but can't remember at the moment. I'm frustrated because her step-mom told her recently that she doesn't need to be in a booster anymore and my ex took the twins out of their 5 pt seats at 4 and put them in hbb then has them in no back boosters and they just turned 6. I still have them in a britax marathon. Most of my daughter's friends don't use boosters anymore which I find appalling.

[Maiasaura]

Britax Marathon!! THAT'S the 5-point that we used to have! Couldn't think of it before...

[One_Girl]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

What if she is 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit her right?

I am far past 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit me right. I am not going to make an issue out of it. We have a clip that I can use to adjust the seat belt so it is a better fit. She is tall and looking forward to being able to not sit in a booster seat and since there are so many different opinions about this issue I am going to stick with a middle age and height which she will have by 8.

[A&A]

in Utah it's the law to be in a booster until age 8.

[bnhmama]

My 7 year old is in a high backed booster and will be until he outgrows it. He just got out of his marathon probably a year ago. (If that.)

I'm anal about it. He doesn't ride anywhere or with anyone without it.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

What if she is 8 and the shoulder strap doesn't fit her right?

Then she still needs to be in a booster. VERY few children are able to pass the 5 step test at age 8. Most kids need a backless booster until somewhere between 10 and 12.