How long would you keep your child rf if size wasn't an issue? - Page 2

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by bobandjess99

I too hope to RF - straight-to-booster, so I'm shooting for 6.

Those of you who are planning to go RF-to-booster -- do you plan to use a harness booster? I guess I'd want them in the harness as long as possible, yk?

OP -- my dd was a little over 3, I think, when I turned her ff. She had reached the height and weight limits to rf in her seat and we couldn't buy another seat then. She just outgrew that seat ff and I got her a harness booster.

Ds is quite a bit bigger than dd was at his age, so I'm guessing he'll outgrow the same seat before 3, so I'm in the process of deciding what seat to buy him to keep him rf until at least 3yo.

I knew it was better to keep them rf as long as possible, but I didn't know about the higher limit seats when we bought dd's seats...or maybe they weren't even around yet? Now that I know better, I'll try to keep ds rf longer. I almost want to splurge for a new seat now and put dd back rf -- she's 3y8m and although she's big for her age she still has a pretty big head.

[DahliaRW]

Sunny - there is no data to indicate that and older child who is mature enough for a booster is safer in a harness. Most people who want to go rfing to booster believe that ffing harnessing is not idea (the Swedes for example believe that ffing harnessing is not as safe due to increased neck loads). I personally prefer my kids to be harnessed ffing as minimally as possible, and will move them to a booster as soon as they are mature enough (already did with ds1, ds2 is a year or two away yet).

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW

Sunny - there is no data to indicate that and older child who is mature enough for a booster is safer in a harness. Most people who want to go rfing to booster believe that ffing harnessing is not idea (the Swedes for example believe that ffing harnessing is not as safe due to increased neck loads). I personally prefer my kids to be harnessed ffing as minimally as possible, and will move them to a booster as soon as they are mature enough (already did with ds1, ds2 is a year or two away yet).

Okay. Thanks for the info. Maybe I should look at getting dd rf again.

[ChetMC]

My understanding is that when trains crash the rear facing passengers fair better than the forward facing passengers... no matter the age. I think I would rear face as long as we feasibly could.

I've heard that they had tried rear facing kids on school buses somewhere, but there were safety issues with the driver not being able to see what the kids were doing and problems with kids getting carsick. It was felt that the day to day issues with rear facing outweighed the benefits.

We turned our girls shortly before they turned three. I'm committed to safety, but not to the point of buying a new car when the only thing wrong with the one we had was that it couldn't hold three rear facing carseats.

[JennaW]

I'm really glad you asked, I have been wondering about this with my 27 month old, she is 21 pounds, at this point it seems like she could be rearfacing "forever". I am committed to keeping her RFing as long as possible although she is starting to show GREAT interest in FF. So I too was starting to wonder at what point I can feel okay about turning her if she starts to throw fits about being RF. Seems like most people feel 4 is pretty appropriate?

[GoBecGo]

If they made cars with all but the driver RF i would buy one. As it is i have a seat to RF until age 4 and i will FF then.

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by JennaW

I'm really glad you asked, I have been wondering about this with my 27 month old, she is 21 pounds, at this point it seems like she could be rearfacing "forever". I am committed to keeping her RFing as long as possible although she is starting to show GREAT interest in FF. So I too was starting to wonder at what point I can feel okay about turning her if she starts to throw fits about being RF. Seems like most people feel 4 is pretty appropriate?

I think 4 is ideal. I let ds2 go ffing at 3 because he was really fighting me on rearfacing and it was a way to keep the peace and not get frustrated and go crazy and annoyed as a mom every time we got in the car. That being said, he would have had to have been flipped in 3 lbs anyways.

[urchin_grey]

Well, DS is 5.5 (25lbs and 35" tall) and still RF'ing. We suspect he has a growth disorder. He hasn't even asked to FF (even though he was FF from 15m-2.5) and because of his suspected growth issues, I worry that his bone development isn't that of a 5.5 year old's. He's having a bone age scan (among other tests) in December though, so we will get to find out. If his bone age is delayed, then I will most certainly keep him RF until he outgrows the seat, or until he's big enough and mature enough to ride in a booster (he only has 3 more inches and 15 more pounds to gain LOL). On the other hand, if his bone age is in line with his chronological age, then I'd be okay letting him FF when/if he asked. I don't see that happening any time soon though because he didn't even comment the few times he had to ride FF last year after our sedan broke down and we were stuck with a tiny 2-door Eagle Talon until we bought our van.

[samstress]

dd doesn't mind rf at all, so i guess as long as we can. she's currently 3 1/2 and about five pounds shy of the rf limit on her seat.

[OkiMom]

My kids are big so Id be happy to make it to 3 1/2-4 rear facing just because of that. My not yet 4 year old DD is over 40 pounds (and 41 inches, like I said, shes big) so no seat would let her be rear facing even if I could convince DH to turn her back around.. which wouldn't happen since she throws up if she is sitting backwards and theres motion. My youngest is not yet 2 and is 33ish pounds (have to weigh her to find out exactly, shes big though)

If size wasn't a concern then I would like to make it to around 5ish then have them in a five point harness until 6ish then a booster. My girls are a bit of a set of trouble makers so I think they would need the transition time between the two so that they know how to act. As it is Im having to have a conversation with my oldest every time we drive that I dont' care if we are pulling into the parking lot she can't be undoing her buckle.

[Adventuredad]

I would never turn my kids FF before age 4. I feel that age 4-5 is a good point to switch to FF. RF is far safer even at that age but kids are more develped so it's a good tradeoff.

We are very fortunate here to have seats which easily keep kids comfortably rear facing for a long time. Most seats last until age 4 and 55 lbs. Britax Multi Tech and Britax Two-Way easily last to age 5-6 and have 55 lbs weight limit as well

[GoBecGo]

o/t but adventuredad, i don't know if you recall, i PM'd you way back about an RF that would fit in a mazda rx8...?

well, the baby arrived, we traded for a mazda 3 (got the td sport, so not too boring ) and got a BeSafe izi combo seat which isofixes in RF for up to 4 years thanks for the advice way back, it definitely made me go the extra mile to find a RF that fit.