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In my van, my 7 year old uses a convertible seat with the harness removed. She likes the arm rests and the way it has sides so she can nap without tipping over. In my husband's truck, she uses a backless booster seat because the convertible seat kept falling over when we'd turn a corner, even though the seat was properly installed. She says it's a lot easier to buckle her seatbelt with the booster seat, but it's not as comfortable as her other seat in the van.
She's turning 8 next month so legally she won't have to use a booster seat, but she's only 3'9" so she will be using the booster seat for a few more years.
In my van, my 7 year old uses a convertible seat with the harness removed. She likes the arm rests and the way it has sides so she can nap without tipping over. In my husband's truck, she uses a backless booster seat because the convertible seat kept falling over when we'd turn a corner, even though the seat was properly installed. She says it's a lot easier to buckle her seatbelt with the booster seat, but it's not as comfortable as her other seat in the van.
She's turning 8 next month so legally she won't have to use a booster seat, but she's only 3'9" so she will be using the booster seat for a few more years.
This is why the laws for this are not really working. Kids come in all different sizes at age 8. Some grow out of the seats way earlier, and some are small and still need the seats...not all parents will keep them in the seats though, citing the law.
The video above is convincing me to keep the car seats we have. We have twins and I've had to buckle them both in & unbuckle out myself every single day and while it's a pain, I have accepted that it's part of getting into and out of the car.
I think we'll get booster seats for my wife's car for the rare occasion we drive it together. Moving these car seats with the latches is such a headache.
I think we'll get booster seats for my wife's car for the rare occasion we drive it together. Moving these car seats with the latches is such a headache.
Don't forget to look in your car's and car seat's instruction booklets, LATCH might only be rated for 40 pounds even though the car seat could be rated for a higher weight. After your child exceeds the weight allowed for LATCH, you need to use the seatbelt method of installing the carseat. It won't reduce the safety of the seat, it will just be different. Also, you shouldn't use both LATCH and seatbelt methods in conjunction with one another because the stresses on the carseat isn't tested like that in a crash.
That being said, we moved DD to a highbacked booster when she was 5ish. She was ready for it maturity, height, and age wise. We kept her in the booster until she was 4'9".
Also, car-seat.org has great forums where you can ask any kind of carseat question and get responses by people trained in carseat stuff. These people know everything. It's where I always go with my questions on this topic.
We've had the Britax Marathon Classic since they could do rear-facing and the specs on it say it goes up to 65lbs. At 5 years old, they aren't even 40lbs yet. In considering a gift, I came across booster seats that seem to be the same except it's missing the bottom base (ie. Harmony - Dreamtime Deluxe Comfort Booster Car Seat, Silver: Car Seats : Walmart.com). And of course you can remove the back as well. But what's the point when: 1) it gives the child a lower seating position (can't see out the window as well), 2) it has no apparent safety benefits for a small child, and 3) it's also going to take up the whole seat regardless. Honest questions - just trying to understand how it would benefit us if we switched to a booster. Maybe it's for 8+ year olds who get too big? But then aren't they legally allowed to sit in a regular seat and perfectly safe with a shoulder belt already? That leaves me with maybe portability?
The point of a booster is to boost them up so the seat belt hits them in the right place. That is the safety benefit. When my kids were younger I had these seemingly perfect car seats that converted to boosters and went up to 40 (?) lbs. What I didn't know at the time is that car seats expire. I believe they have a 5 year expiration. The seats expired before they reached the weight limit. Keep them in a 5 point harness as long as you can. It is safer. If your current seats are older than 5 years, consider moving on to a booster. They'll need that until they're at least 8 by law in most states. Longer if they are short.
My daughter has been in a booster seat for probably 2 years now. She is 6 1/2 but she has always been tall for her age. She is over 4ft tall and mostly legs. She still sits in the back seat of my van but if she rides in her father's truck she rides with the airbag turned off. I have wondered how long she will need the booster seat. The seat belt is still a little high on her when she is out of the booster so I will probably use it till she gets to be a little taller.
I agree with some of you, all kids grow at different rates so what might work for one 3 year old may not work for another. Read all of the information on your child's seat and go from there. When we had questions, we would either ask her pediatrician or law enforcement( they can at least tell you the laws in your state).
I will do everything I can to keep my daughter safe.
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