Two Questions!

I have a question about comparisons.

I have finally convinced my SIL that keeping her 4-year old harnessed a little longer would be a good thing. She just turned 4, is 40lbs and 41 inches.

I pointed her in the direction of the Marathon, but the price scared her away a little. (As did the Wizard and Husky prices)

I then through out the Airway as an option, but everything I have read about that, makes me question its ability as an EVERY day kind of seat? Is there anyone here that uses it as their regular seat and can give an honest opinion.

I guess that I know she doesn't want to spend the extra money, and if it comes down to money or getting a Booster (since they are cheaper), I'd rather her go with the Airway, since the 5-point is the better option.

So what do I do? Keep on pushing the Britax option, or go for the Airway (which I haven't heard as great of things about)? And for those of you that suggest the Britax option...which one do you suggest...the Marathon? Wizard? Husky? I'm a little worried about the Husky being about to fit in her car, so that option might be out.

Another thing...they switch car seats ALOT in and out of cars. They usually only buy one seat and between her car, her husbands, the babysitters, and mine, its often like musical chairs.

If I could convince her to spend the extra money, would it be an even better option to just buy two Airways instead of one Britax and at least keep one properly and permanently installed in her car, and use the second one for all the other car switches?

Alright I'm rambling. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks.

At 4 and 40 pounds, a booster should be really ok. I like the Parkway for younger kids, since it has great sleep and side impact support. It's very light and easy to move from car to car, and, truth be told, it is SO much easier to use correctly than the Airway, there's just no comparison. I'd constantly be worried that they wouldn't use the Airway right, since it is a bit of a beast (hard to install with a seatbelt, very twisty straps).
The Graco Turbo Booster is also a fine choice for a kid that size, and the new versions have deep and protective headwings.
If it turns out she's just NOT able to sit properly in a booster seat, then push for the Marathon or Husky, and the price will be easier to swallow when she sees her kid leaning dangerously out of her seatbelt so much.
Keeping her harnessed in her current seat beyond 40 pounds is NOT a safe choice, so it's time for something new very quickly.

Good luck!

There's also the Kid-Y & RydeRite or even the 86-Y harnesses from E-Z-On It needs a top tether anchor, which our dealer installed free & the 86-Y cost us about $47 dollars total with tax & shipping....

See, the thing is that my neice is not at a place where I would trust her to stay properly in her booster. That's what worries me.

I love her and thinks she brilliant, of course, but I dont feel that she has that sort of capacity just yet.

That vest option does look interesting. I will look into it.

Alright I checked into the Harness that the PP gave, and its looks great, but they aren't "into" tethers at all.

Let me set the scene. The husband and sitter haven't thought that car seats were necessary once she was out of her INFANT seat. So often my SIL will catch on of them driving around with her unrestrained, and its been this way since she was a toddler.

That's why I'm leary about the Harness because I know they will all consider that "too much work". Sad, but true.

Also, the booster seat. I don't think any of them (wife included) would mind one bit if she wasn't sitting or leaning correctly. They'd just assume that as long as she was close to sitting in it, it'd be alright.

Again, remember this is a family who doesn't think that car seats are necessary at all beyond infanthood.

So I want something simple yet safe. Still looking. Thanks again for the replies. I'm reading them all.

If she carries her height in her torso, I would strongly suggest the Husky. What is the primary vehicle the seat will go in? What percentage of the time is she in the main vehicle versus the others? The Airway would make a fine second seat, IMO, as long as those using it were instructed on installation/use, and as long as they felt comfortable with it. We personally hate it, though. I'd suggest a Parkway, Bodyguard or Turbo Booster as a spare seat, since those would be so easy to switch between vehicles, but if she's really not capable of staying put, then that's not a great idea.

The 86-Y really is extremely easy to use ... after getting it set up the 1st time, thereafter you only have to slip it over the kid's head & buckle like usual with vehicle belt ~ if they're used to having their 4 y.o. buckle up without help, the E-Z-On is probably the safest/easiest/cheapest way to go {even though it doesn't offer head support} if the child is not capable yet of sitting still properly in a booster. Could you perhaps call a dealer & ask about having the tether anchor installed so they are saved the "work" of doing so? =/ Otherwise, my favorite booster is the Parkway, but if these folks are like one particular person I know {& it sounds like they are}, a backless booster might actually be better ... so that the head wings are not wrongly positioned ~ too low, in the instance that I've had experience with, causing the child to lean forward with the shoulder belt laying across the armpit

If they let her sit in the car unrestrained now, I think the booster is the better option. While a 5 point would be more protection, you really need to ask yourrself whether they would even use it. At least with a booster seat the work for the parents is minimal, and a 4 year old should be able to learn how to buckle and unbuckle herself. If she is into the Disney Princesses I would encourage the Princess Turbo Booster. This way the little girl will WANT to sit in the seat, and my guess is compliance is the real issue we are talking about here-both on the part of the child and the parents. I find my 4.5 year old DD (43 in/40 lb) does great in the high back boosters, but just awful in a backless one. Currently she rides in a Wizard about 99% of the time though.

Also, what state are they in?

Perhaps there are existing restraint laws that can"help" them make the decision? I know that this will most likely not be the case, but it's worth a shot....
Beth~mom to Elliot(12/00) and Ian (05/04)

I agree. I have tried and tried to not be pushy and "holier than thou" with this issue for the past few years. But its hard when there is a child's safety involved.

I do love the tether/harness situation, but what I'm worried about is that it would need a tether in every car that she's in, right?

That's easily 4 or 5 different cars per week, and I can guarantee that safety conscious parents such as these would gladly install them in all those vehicles. (Can you read the sarcasm?)

Scatterbunny...could you tell me why you hate the Airway! I'm interested in an honest response.

I love all those boosters that you all suggested and I've passed them on to her. But my SIL actually called me today to tell me that her husband said that if they are planning on getting a booster, than they just shouldn't get any seat at all. (He says he feels that boosters are basically just fancy seats, doesn't see the point of them at all). So he told her that if she got a "real" carseat, as he calls them (such as the MA or Wizard) that he'd be more okay with that.

We'll see.

Unfortunately here in Texas, children only have to be in a carseat/booster until 4. There is a law in the making, but hasn't been passed yet, so I haven't been able to use that excuse yet.

Do they have email? This is a pretty good article with video > http://www.gm.com/company/gmability...passenger_safety/releases/booster_020304.html

A booster probably is the best option since it can be moved from car-to-car.

There are actually LOTS of articles expressing the very real & devastating impact on families who don't use boosters ~ I always wish I could get more people to read them without thinking of me as a lunatic ... it just really stinks when you can't reasonably convince another parent of what's safest for their child!