School age kids in other people's cars

[ecoteat]

I've been thinking about the logistics of next school year when dd is in Kindergarten and the driving her to school and activities. So far, she's very rarely ridden in anyone's car but our own, and always in an appropriate seat. But it occurred to me that next year there may be times where she would ride in the car of someone else that doesn't have a harnessed booster. We'll shuffle seats as needed for now, but what about later? Does anyone have a kid that's getting close to the upper limits of their harnessed seat that uses a booster in other people's cars? Like if you have a second grader harnessed in your car, do you ALWAYS expect him/her to be harnessed in friends' cars?

[delightedbutterfly]

DD is in Kindergarten this year and there has only been one field trip so far and I was able to drive. The odd time she goes to daycare the daycare has a bus for school pick up and drop off... Because I am a SAHM her riding in another's car is almost never a possibility.

BUT

She did hit 41 lbs this summer so we bought a highback booster and use it in our second car and have been booster training her during short trips so that the odd time she *might* need to drive with another she knows how to sit in a booster.

I think you may be surprised at the lack of harnessed seats for other kindergarteners in your child's class. I know almost all of the kids in DD's class are in nothing more than a low back booster. There are a couple in a highback but of the kids I see being dropped off NONE are in harnessed seats. So I would start booster training in a HBB for those rare occasions she may ride in another car.

[Peony]

Once they hit K age I am perfectly fine with a high back booster in other people's car. I don't trust others to install seats and I might not always be there to do it myself. I can say that DD1 was harnessed until age 7 (middle of 1st grade) and rode in boosters with everyone else.  used to keep a spare booster in my car to put in other cars when she was still harnessed. Her school also does a fair amount of field trips by vans, all students through 2nd grade are required to be in a booster but they will not take the responsibility of installing a carseat, it must be a booster. 

[DahliaRW]

My kindergartener sits great in a hbb (and has for 1 1/2 years now) so he's in one full time in my car.  So it's really easy to put him in other's cars - we just move the booster.

[ecoteat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by delightedbutterfly 

I think you may be surprised at the lack of harnessed seats for other kindergarteners in your child's class. I know almost all of the kids in DD's class are in nothing more than a low back booster. There are a couple in a highback but of the kids I see being dropped off NONE are in harnessed seats. So I would start booster training in a HBB for those rare occasions she may ride in another car.

Oh, I'm not surprised at all. I was shocked last year at preschool to see how many kids were getting into boosters at age 2 and 3. So I have no expectation of other kindergarteners being harnessed! Of the kids who I know will be in her class next year and that I know what they ride in normally right now, about 5 are in boosters and one is still harnessed.

We have a hand-me-down Kangaroo Booster (Like this or this. Ours has the belt guides over the shoulders.). I've heard that since they don't have a firm plastic frame or any belts or attachments it doesn't expire. We've tried it a couple times for short trips and as long as I don't have a specific reason not to use this seat, it's been a decent solution for times when dd's riding in another car and it doesn't make sense to move her Nautilus or FP Safe Voyage.

Also, does anyone know off hand (I'm sure someone does!) if you can use the Nautilus as a booster while the harness straps are still attached? If a simple, quick transfer was needed, could I just tuck the harness straps aside and use it as a booster?

[MJB]

My kindergartner just switched to a booster but even last year in the 4s class when he was harnessed at home, he was using a booster in friends' cars. My oldest started using a booster in friends' cars in kindergarten and switched to one in our car in 1st grade. 

I try to go with the flow as much as I can without sacrificing my kids' safety. I think occasional booster use for a kid who meets the 4/40 guidelines is not something to get worked up over. 

[4Marmalade]

I am comfortable with my 5-1/2 year old dd (42lbs) riding in a booster occasionally.  We recently switched her harnessed seat in dh's car to a booster as she had outgrown the straps.  She remains harnessed in our main vehicle though because she falls asleep regularly.  There has only been one time (just last week) that she rode in a friends car and I was OK with her in a booster seat.