Would you booster a 3 year old - Page 2

[burke-a-bee]

I'm so confused by this whole thread.
My DS is almost 5 and he's been in a backless booster for awhile now. What is the weight rec...40 #? Honestly if I waited until he was 40# he might be 10yo. He's very thin ( 32 #...5 pounds heavier than his 2yo sister) and tall. Once he rode in his sisters car seat and it looked so strange. He looked too old and long for it. Maybe someone can clarify.

[an_aurora]

Well, at 32 pounds my kids would still be RF. I recommend that all kids be rear-facing until the limits of their seat, and then harnessed until the limits of their seat. I would not consider a booster until at least 4 years old and 40 pounds, but I would not feel comfortable with a child riding in one full-time until around 6yrs, or until there are no harnessed options.

[burke-a-bee]

RF...rear facing????? Where do his legs go under his chin? He is the same height as my 6yo.

Originally Posted by an_aurora

Well, at 32 pounds my kids would still be RF. I recommend that all kids be rear-facing until the limits of their seat, and then harnessed until the limits of their seat. I would not consider a booster until at least 4 years old and 40 pounds, but I would not feel comfortable with a child riding in one full-time until around 6yrs, or until there are no harnessed options.

[an_aurora]

Yes, RF is rear facing. They cross their legs

[burke-a-bee]

Um er...then why do backless boosters say 30 pounds +? (I just checked..I have 6 backless boosters.)

[Kirsten]

As a general course of action - no. Mine were in Britax Wizards at that age.

Where are you going?

How far is it from home?

Is it a time urgent situation or something just for fun?

[artgoddess]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

I'm so confused by this whole thread.
My DS is almost 5 and he's been in a backless booster for awhile now. What is the weight rec...40 #? Honestly if I waited until he was 40# he might be 10yo. He's very thin ( 32 #...5 pounds heavier than his 2yo sister) and tall. Once he rode in his sisters car seat and it looked so strange. He looked too old and long for it. Maybe someone can clarify.

My four year old is in this car seat, and I anticipate he will be for another year at least. http://www.amazon.com/Britax-Maratho.../dp/B000F1QL20

[angelcat]

I would. I havbe a 2.5 yr old. One day, I had a firend drive us to the drop in clinic. We were in a a hurry and the firend said there was already a car seat in the car. He put her in, (he knows how to strap her in-He's strapped her into her car seat several times, so I wans't worried). Part way there, I look back to see hpw sh'es doing, and it turns out, she's in a booster, not a harnessed seat. She did fit fine, was sitting up well, not wiggling, belt positioned fine. I was surpirsed.

No, I haven't switched her to a booster yet. I'm hoping she'll fit in the spare harnessed seat I have til she is 4, and in her m,ain car seat til 5-6.

She is a big 2.5, btw, but I know that isn't the entire reason for a harnessed seat.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by tofumama

Over the head meaning the kind with the plastic part that usually buckles between their legs.

Oh, I think all overhead sheild seats have been discontinued- they're really quite dangerous.

IMO I would not be comfortable with a 35lb child in just a seatbelt and booster.

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

I'm so confused by this whole thread.
My DS is almost 5 and he's been in a backless booster for awhile now. What is the weight rec...40 #? Honestly if I waited until he was 40# he might be 10yo. He's very thin ( 32 #...5 pounds heavier than his 2yo sister) and tall. Once he rode in his sisters car seat and it looked so strange. He looked too old and long for it. Maybe someone can clarify.

At that age/size I would without a doubt have him harnessed. A backless booster is not enough protection for a child of that age and size IMHO.

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by an_aurora

Well, at 32 pounds my kids would still be RF. I recommend that all kids be rear-facing until the limits of their seat, and then harnessed until the limits of their seat. I would not consider a booster until at least 4 years old and 40 pounds, but I would not feel comfortable with a child riding in one full-time until around 6yrs, or until there are no harnessed options.

:



-Angela

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

Um er...then why do backless boosters say 30 pounds +? (I just checked..I have 6 backless boosters.)

Because that is the minimum weight you can use the boosters with children who have gotten too tall for the car seat (as determined by where their head comes to on the seat back, NOT on how long their legs are). You'll be a billion times better off buying a taller car seat than buying a backless booster if your child is only 30 lbs.

Remember, switching your child from rear-facing to front-facing isn't a milestone--it's a downgrade. Switching your child from a 5-point harness to a booster seat isn't a milestone--it's a downgrade. Switching your child from a booster to an adult seatbelt isn't a milestone--it's a downgrade. Every.single.one of those transitions means your child is more likely to die in a car crash.

http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm has information that everyone who might ever have a child in their car needs to read.

(Note that "can ride rear-facing" does not mean should ride rear-facing. If you've got a car seat that says your child should only face rear-facing until their legs don't touch the back of the seat--you need to destroy that seat and get a new one since it's too old to provide effective protection in a crash.)

If you've still got doubts about RF verses FF, watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8

(Oh, and if you're worried about the legs looking "squished" think about how kids usually sit--they curl their legs up. Having their legs dangling out in front of them is both uncomfortable and can cut off circulation.)

[alegna]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

Um er...then why do backless boosters say 30 pounds +? (I just checked..I have 6 backless boosters.)

Because they can sell them. Just because it's legal, sadly does not mean it's safe.

-Angela

[burke-a-bee]

I clicked on someone's link in their sig here: (http://www.usa.safekids.org/skbu/cps/toddlers.html). Should I follow this one because it says over 1yo and 20 pounds forward facing.?
But someone recommended my 5yo be rear facing.

[artgoddess]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

I clicked on someone's link in their sig here: (http://www.usa.safekids.org/skbu/cps/toddlers.html). Should I follow this one because it says over 1yo and 20 pounds forward facing.?
But someone recommended my 5yo be rear facing.

that is the MINIMUM recommendation.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

I clicked on someone's link in their sig here: (http://www.usa.safekids.org/skbu/cps/toddlers.html). Should I follow this one because it says over 1yo and 20 pounds forward facing.?
But someone recommended my 5yo be rear facing.

That site is misleading and phrases the recommendations very poorly. The reason that "Over 1 year and Over 20 pounds" is emphasized is that some misguided people think that turning forward facing is something to be happy about and will turn 15 pound one year olds "It's his first birthday!" and 20 pound 8 month olds "She's finally big enough!"

There are threads stickied to the top of this forum that have this information and any Google search about "using carseats" "carseat safety" and the like will produce dozens of websites with this information.

If you've got a 5 year old who can still ride rear facing (under the weight limit of the seat, head an inch below the hard frame of the seat) then if you worship a deity you should be offering thanks to that deity in whatever manner is most appropriate to your religion for the blessing the deity has bestowed upon you.

Having to stop RF is a reason to cry.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

That site is misleading and phrases the recommendations very poorly. The reason that "Over 1 year and Over 20 pounds" is emphasized is that some misguided people think that turning forward facing is something to be happy about and will turn 15 pound one year olds "It's his first birthday!" and 20 pound 8 month olds "She's finally big enough!"

There are threads stickied to the top of this forum that have this information and any Google search about "using carseats" "carseat safety" and the like will produce dozens of websites with this information.

If you've got a 5 year old who can still ride rear facing (under the weight limit of the seat, head an inch below the hard frame of the seat) then if you worship a deity you should be offering thanks to that deity in whatever manner is most appropriate to your religion for the blessing the deity has bestowed upon you.

Having to stop RF is a reason to cry.

Yes, this. Thank you.

[burke-a-bee]

Originally Posted by an_aurora

Yes, this. Thank you.

Oh yes it was from your Sig.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

Oh yes it was from your Sig.

The link in her sig is not the link you posted.

From her sig link (bolding mine):

Use a rear-facing car seat to at least age 1 and 20 lbs. Use your rear-facing car seat longer if the seat has higher weight and height limits.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by burke-a-bee

Oh yes it was from your Sig.

Yes, the exact quote from my sig says:

Use a rear-facing car seat to at least age 1 and 20 lbs. Use your rear-facing car seat longer if the seat has higher weight and height limits

ETA: thanks Sapphire, we cross-posted