School age kids and booster seats? - Page 2

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by jeca

Thanks!
I'm not interested in switching back to a 5 point harness we did it until they were five and now that they are all in school the high back booster is what works for us. I just didn't research it and now I would like to know what's the best out there since I'm looking for new carseats.

Oops, I meant Sunshine Kids Monterrey. That's a booster. The other 2 are boosters too

[wendy1221]

The SK Radian is a convertible, not a booster, but the others she listed are boosters. THe Sunshine Kids Monterey is another really good booster. AnAurora, I assume you meant to type Monterey, but are so used to typing Radian after Sunshine Kids, that's what you typed. LOL

[wendy1221]

LOL cross posting

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by wendy1221

The SK Radian is a convertible, not a booster, but the others she listed are boosters. THe Sunshine Kids Monterey is another really good booster. AnAurora, I assume you meant to type Monterey, but are so used to typing Radian after Sunshine Kids, that's what you typed. LOL

lol yes I did mean the Monterey, like you said I am so used to typing Radian!

[milkmommie]

My two kids, 8yrs and 5 yrs were in boosters and I never would have considered moving them to a five point harness either. Then I saw this...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

Now they're riding in Britax regents and even the 8 yr old likes it and says it's SO comfy. I couldn't imagine having the knowlege in this video, not using it and having something happen and being left with so much regret.
Just my 2 cents.

If you decide to get one, do it at hipmonkey.com and they give the proceeds to Kyle's foundation. http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/ they have boosters there too.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by mumm

What I've read shows that after the age of 2 kids are just as safe in a booster with a car seat belt as in a 5 pt harness.

Absolutely and totally (frighteningly) false.

EVERYONE is safer in a 5pt harness than a 3 pt belt.

And everyone is safer rf (just kind of hard to drive that way ). My dd was rear facing until she maxed out her seat at 3.5yrs.

-Angela

[Ironica]

Originally Posted by mumm

A rear facing 6 year old? If you have the link about that I'd be curious. I haven't seen a kid that old rear facing since the volvo wagons had that trunk seat that faced out the back window!

Any child who is within the rear-facing restrictions for their seat can ride rear-facing. So a six-year-old who is under 35 pounds and has an inch of shell above their head? Not common, maybe, but definitely possible. Hmmm... the 3rd percentile on the CDC charts hits 35 pounds at age 5y11m for girls, so yeah, about 2.5% of girls will get to age 6 without exceeding the rear-facing weight limit of several convertible seats. They might outgrow by height before then, of course.

[DoomaYula]

We have 2 Parkways for our 5.5yo twin boys, but they're mostly just emergency back ups. My boys are currently in Regents and I plan to keep them there til they outgrow them. They've sat in the Parkways like twice, and both times they didn't know what the heck to do. I don't think they're ready to be out of a harness. And I know I'm not ready!

[PassionateWriter]

Originally Posted by jeca

My DD's are 5 and 6 years old and are still in boosters at this point. Can anyone tell me what the top recommended or safety tested booster is for this age? At what age did you stop putting your DC in a booster or carseat. We have been using a high back graco so far. Just wondering what booster seats do you swear by.

we had a Britax Monarch that would have probably been good until around age 8 but we now have an Ollie CLek that my son is in at 10. I suspect he will be in it for at least another year...he's 4'6 and 70 lbs.

[hottmama]

I wouldn't consider 5-6 yr. olds "older kids" either. My son is 5.5 and still in a harness. I'm about to buy him a booster for carpooling (the SK Monterey, which goes to 120 lbs.) but he'll be in a 5 pt. harness in my car until 7, at least. He'll remain in a booster until he outgrows it-- I'll consider a backless booster in other cars around 80 lbs./8, but I think he'll be 10-12 before he is in just a seatbelt. He's 45" and 46 lbs. now.

[mamaverdi]

I still have my 8 y o who is 65 lbs in a booster. Granted, it's just an elevated booster, not w/ a back. The ones with a back do not fit him well, no matter what we've tried...w/a carseat tech. But w/o the booster, the seatbelt cuts across his neck.

My younger one is 4 and only about 35#. He is in a Boulevard.

[jeca]

Originally Posted by milkmommie

http://youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

Now they're riding in Britax regents and even the 8 yr old likes it and says it's SO comfy. I couldn't imagine having the knowlege in this video, not using it and having something happen and being left with so much regret.
Just my 2 cents.

If you decide to get one, do it at hipmonkey.com and they give the proceeds to Kyle's foundation. http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/ they have boosters there too.

He was 3.5 and would have still been in a harness here but I agree it is something to think about.
My oldest DD will be 7 in september It will be hard to get her back into a harness.

[goodheartedmama]

Originally Posted by mumm

A rear facing 6 year old? If you have the link about that I'd be curious. I haven't seen a kid that old rear facing since the volvo wagons had that trunk seat that faced out the back window!

What I've read shows that after the age of 2 kids are just as safe in a booster with a car seat belt as in a 5 pt harness. I feel safer keeping my kids in the 5 pt harness much longer, but haven't actually seen that it is either helpful or hurtful so I go with my gut.

What in the world have you been reading that said THAT?

[jeca]

Ok so I have been looking at all the carseats even the harnesses but it wouldn't work. I don't have $250+ per child to get them new harnessed seats. I was thinking more along the lines of $100 each and nothing in a harness fits that budget. $500 just wouldn't work right now.

[hottmama]

Originally Posted by jeca

Ok so I have been looking at all the carseats even the harnesses but it wouldn't work. I don't have $250+ per child to get them new harnessed seats. I was thinking more along the lines of $100 each and nothing in a harness fits that budget. $500 just wouldn't work right now.

The Graco Nautilus is ~$150.
How old and what size are your kids?

[jeca]

Originally Posted by hottmama

The Graco Nautilus is ~$150.
How old and what size are your kids?

One will be 7 in september she is 46 inches tall, not really sure on her weight right now but it's over 40 pounds since she is heavier than her last physical and she was somewhere around there then. The other is 40.5 inches and turned five in march.

[wendy1221]

Originally Posted by jeca

Ok so I have been looking at all the carseats even the harnesses but it wouldn't work. I don't have $250+ per child to get them new harnessed seats. I was thinking more along the lines of $100 each and nothing in a harness fits that budget. $500 just wouldn't work right now.

I think your older dd probably won't fit in a harness long enough to make it worth the extra money, unless she's short or has a short torso. She's old enough to be in a high back booster and be very safe in it, imo. There is nothing wrong with the Graco high back booster she's in, it's not a bad one at all. However, for your 5 yo, I WOULD consider getting a Nautilus. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=8112222 Free shipping to your local store, where you can also return it w/ no problems if it doesn't work out. And if you still would like a nicer booster for your older dd, I still recommend the Parkway that my ds has. They have been discontinued, which is why they're so cheap right now, though, so I don't know what colors are left. Maybe not any that would be appealing to a girl, but you could match your car and point out that your car seat isn't girly. There's also this one, which looks like it has excellent side impact protection. http://www.albeebaby.com/recaro-vivo...eat-blush.html

Good luck with your decision!

[Eman'smom]

My two "older" kids are almost 5 and 7 they both ride in Regents in our van and have quite a growing ways to go.

As for boosters, we have Compass B510's ( I think I'm blanking on the exact numbers but the fancy ones) they are about 100 bucks a piece and go to 100 pounds, they also have an adjustable back to accomodate different height kids.

[jeca]

Any thoughts on this? Or a website where I can find out the crash specs on it?
http://www.albeebaby.com/sa1stap65boc1.html
It says the harness can be used up to 65 pounds if I'm not mistaken. I

[hottmama]

Your oldest is about the same size as my 5.5 yr. old (46", 45 lbs.) A harness would definitely be safer and would last her a good while (my son has a 16" torso and the Nautilus has 18.5" top slots, so that's about 2 years-- probably more for your daughter since she's so petite), but I also think a good high back booster is safe if she sits up straight, with the belt tight, and stays awake, all of the time. I really like the SK Monterey, the Britax Monarch, and the Recaro Vivo boosters. The first two are about as expensive as the Nautilus, though.

Your younger one should definitely be in a harness, at only 40". I'd get a couple Nautiluses and put them both back in harnesses. Walmart.com (I know, evil, but if money is the issue here, your kids' safety is worth shopping there) has them for $127.