What age/size to move to a booster?

[greenemami]

This has probably been asked 5,000 times-sorry for not searching first!

I KNOW that it is safer to stay in the five point harness until they outgrow the seat, but dd has hated the carseat her whole life up to this point.  The crotch strap just drives her nuts-the clothing she will wear in the car is strictly limited because she can't seem to get over the feeling of the clothes bunching up, etc..  It is just now that she will finally try wearing a dress/skirt in the car if we fold it up around her waist, but nearly every single ride in the car produces crying, yanking clothes down until they are practically off and general uncomfortableness, plus getting dressed is a process in itself as she chooses what she can wear in the car versus what she wants to wear!  It sounds silly to worry about her not liking certain clothes in the car versus her safety, but let me assure you it is seriously stressful to all of us.  I obviously will not put her in a booster if it is not safe, hence why I didn't switch her as soon as she turned 4/hit 40 lbs :)

I had planned to keep her in the FF car seat until she was maybe 6 or so, but am considering making the move closer to 5 since she is SO uncomfy.  (She has been in three different car seats, so I don't think it is necessarily the fit of a certain seat that bugs her) 

At what point is a high back booster considered as safe as a FF seat for older kids?  '(age, height, weight, maturity level?)

She is currently approx. 43 inches and maybe 40-45 pounds (haven't weighed her since spring), and 4.5 years old. 

Talk me out of it, talk me into it...all opinions welcome and thanks for the input!

[DahliaRW]

If she can sit properly in a booster 100% of the time at her age it is a perfectly safe choice.

There is no data that suggests a child that is old enough (at least 4/40) and mature enough to sit properly all the time is safer in a 5 point harness or a booster, it's totally a parental decision.

[chel]

You can also try out a booster for short trips. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Considering your dd has motivating factors it should go well.

[greenemami]

Oh, I'm so surprised-I really thought it was considered much safer to stay in a five point harness until it was outgrown.  I am a little nervous to move her into a booster unless I am ready to commit, just because I think going back to a harness will be a comlete disaster if that turns out to be necessary.  I am still trying to hold out until she is 5 just because she seems way too young to me to be in a booster and I'm not all that sure she can sit properly without wiggling, but this week has been wearing me down too so we'll see.  Thanks for the advice!

[octobermom]

I moved my oldest from her radian 65 to a high back booster at 5.5 years and into just a seat belt at 7 years.

Deanna

[chickabiddy]

Does your 7yo pass the 5-step test (100% is passing, not 80% or 60%)?

~ shoulder belt crossing between neck and arm, not riding up on neck

~ lap belt low on hips and thighs, not touching soft belly tissue

~ knees bending at edge of seat and preferably feet resting on floor

~ back and buttocks against seat bight (crease)

~ able to maintain seating position for the entire trip

Generally, kids start to pass this around 4'9" or thereabouts.  Some will pass earlier in the center of a sedan or the small third row of vans/SUVs, but I've never seen a kid truly pass before 4'5"ish.

[MacKinnon]

We started booster training with my daughter at about 4.5. My FIL had a shoulder injury that was making buckling difficult. She did very well, and used boosters off and on that next year. Around 5.5 we started using the booster more regularly in my car (previous to that it was other people's cars only) but as we got going with Kindergarten it was easier, and she sat very, very well on short rides. However, until just this past summer at 7.5 we always returned her to a harness for long rides, anything over about an hour because she got fidgety or fell asleep, etc. This summer we stopped doing that. However, my son is now 4y9m and this summer we started letting him be boostered to accommodate 3 across in Grandma and Auntie's car. They both have him for in-town stuff regularly, and with big and little sis, we couldn't fit three across. Something like a Radian wasn't an option because of the frequency these seats are moved. It's not uncommon for it to be three moves of seats in a day. As with his big sister, he is still harnessed in my car and in any other car for anything beyond town. He sits very well and knows he must stay still. I'm impressed, actually, he's done much better than I thought he would do. But he asks for his "big seat" for longer drives, he knows he'll fall asleep or be uncomfy and hates having to remember to hold still for a long time.

It's fine to move her, as long as she meets the minumums and is developmentally able to sit still for every ride, every time. I explained to my kids that in a car seat, the harness holds you in place and keeps you safe, but being in a booster is a big responsibility because YOU are responsible for keeping YOU safe. If the belt isn't on you correctly, or you're bent over, etc. the seat won't hold you in right and you can get very seriously hurt. I have them lean forward really fast and feel how the belt slows them down, then move it over and see the difference.

And yes, to echo Chickabiddy, please be sure the 7 year old in a belt referenced is able to pass the 5 step test. I have only ever seen one child in all the 5 to 8 year olds I've checked, that truly didn't need a booster, the majority of 8 to 10 year olds I see still need them to fit correctly.