Day 1 of booster training

[An Aurora]

I'd just leave her in the Radian as long as possible. Maybe by the time she outgrows it, there can be a better seat arrangement. Or, a new narrower booster

I agree. Buckling the Turbo in my very tight 3-across was a major PITA that didn't last long! She's harnessed full time (well, RF at the moment ) and I'm sending major "narrow booster" vibes into the universe in hopes that someone gets them and makes a narrow booster that's good for tall kids. She can probably squeeze into her CA for another year, but after that I'm hoping there is a new super fabulous, super narrow booster out. And, I'm also hoping that it happens before DS outgrows his CCO (which will be at least another year, baring any sudden massive growth spurts).

 

[trippsmom]

I've resorted to taping the belt stalk to the booster in one spot. Rigid belt stalks are a million times easier to buckle into, but not usually for installing radians.

This ^. Yes! 100%! To the booster and I do believe the only thing that might make my 31 degree install better is a non-rigid stalk.

I do have to buckle any booster in my 3-across though I normally do not do it if I can avoid it. I like to put J2 (6yo I keep) on the 3rd row and J1 (his 10.5yo brother) outboard on the 2nd row by dd and ds in just the seatbelt. When I go with this setup J2 can buckle himself and I just double check it before I put the seat down for J1 to sit.

 

[seamonkeys]

I agree, even our Parkway is a pain. I think mainly when the buckle stalk is a floppy one.

Oh, and that's why I'm not a fan of telling my kids when they'll get to move to a booster full-time. DS1 has been riding in a PW daily since 5.5 yrs, but it's only to/from school with DH. In my van he's still in the FR and for now prefers it over the PW.

 

[TXDani]

Our Compass B510 has armrest that flip up out of the way for buckling. It makes it a lot easier.

 

[babyherder]

I find the easiest way to buckle the TB is to pull the buckle way out and around the arm rest, then use one hand to hold the shoulder belt so it doesn't retract, guide both belts under the edge of the armrest, buckle, and then tighten/untwist as needed. I'm guessing that would be soooo annoying next to another seat but if there's room next to the booster I find it not fun but doable.

 

[amy&girls]

Our Evenflo Big Kid Booster has arm rests that flip up. Its the only thing that makes it work in our 3 across, b/c it allows me to move the scenera next to it a little closer, giving my other daughter room to buckle the turbobooster she rides in.

 

[DahliaRW]

Well, ds1 can buckle his turbo by himself, he never could a 5 point, so I find it easier. But I'm not doing 3 across!

 

[natysr]

I have a question about the headrest height. Jordan and Hannah are about the same size, but H's headrest is higher. Are the both *right*? Just want to know if I'm doing something wrong.

Here is Jordan's.

 

[Pixels]

Holly, is the outboard seatbelt anchor actually behind the booster? It looks like it is, significantly so.

 

[Pixels]

I have a question about the headrest height. Jordan and Hannah are about the same size, but H's headrest is higher. Are the both *right*? Just want to know if I'm doing something wrong.

Jordan's is right for him. It's just above his shoulder, and the shoulder belt is positioned properly.

Hannah's is, if anything, a bit high on her. See how she's leaning toward the center of the vehicle, away from the shoulder belt, and it's still close to her neck? I think it's okay overall, but it's definitely not too low.

 

[christineka]

Christine, assuming I can find an old style parkway around springtime, could I come over and try your parkway to see if it would work for us before I buy one from someone? If it's possible to come up w/ a good arrangment involving a booster for Hannah, I'd still like to let her switch full time when she is 6, but if it's going to be as obnoxious as this turbo, I'll keep her in the Radian longer.

I'm sure we'll have a playdate. I think we'll have one in a month or so. Lorismurph and chex have collections of parkways. (I'm thinking I might start collecting them too.) We could have some fun playing with different boosters in your car.

I wouldn't hesitate to tell Hannah you've changed your mind. She can move to a booster full time in other people's cars, but has to stay harnessed in yours until you get a bigger vehicle with more room, unless you can find a booster that she can buckle. I made ds stay harnessed until age 7 and then after a few times dealing with buckling, he begged for his harnessed seat back.

 

[andre149]

Turbos in tight backseats are a nightmare... I have never loved mine. When I was nannying, S (who was 8 and very used to/well behaved in a booster) freaked out because she accidentally unbuckled the MA instead of her seatbelt in the parking lot. She felt horrible because she had undone the "baby seat"... I had to explain to her that it was no big deal since we were parked... but then she showed me how it happened and I can't blame her, her little hands couldn't even get to the buckle for her seatbelt. I tend to like TB for their ease of use and price, but in a 3 across I would see if something else worked better

 

[Holly]

Holly, is the outboard seatbelt anchor actually behind the booster? It looks like it is, significantly so.

I think so, isn't it supposed to be there?
Here is a better shot of it today.

We ran a few errands and let her use the booster. Once we got home, I but her radian back in.

 

[babygirlsmom1005]

I think it's all boosters. We are booster training Mali as well, and she did great the first few rides, but as soon as the novelty wore off, she started wriggling and flopping around way more. So just be prepared to have a few little regressions before she 'gets it'. DD has asked to be RF again, so she's RF in my car and in the Turbo in DH's car which she rides in once or twice a week, for the 10 minute ride to school.

Madeline was doing really well booster training (and rides RF'ing otherwise) - until she threw a wall eyed fit at Wal-Mart and the only thing I had in the Suburban was her HB Turbo (Wal-Mart is a 10 min. drive from the house)...I had to pull over multiple times to re-position her and get her sitting in it correctly - since then, it's been out of the truck and she's not allowed to ride in it until she's older (she'll be 5 next month). That ride home scared me enough to where I told her it was off limits until she was older.

 

[Splash]

Evenflo big kid flips up, but the turbo is a better seat IMO. Did you try it next to the MA? probably a bit easier.

 

[Holly]

Evenflo big kid flips up, but the turbo is a better seat IMO. Did you try it next to the MA? probably a bit easier.

I haven't but the next time I try it out in the car, I can try that. I want her to be in the driver's outboard seat when she is in a booster because that way, she wouldn't be able to unbuckle the other car seats accidentally. So I'll have to move the RA50 to the middle (or I could try it with a RN RFing in the middle if that would be different than the RN FFing).

I had planned to get a Parkway SG for her when she's in a booster full time because I've heard that it's pretty narrow and the SG feature sounds nice and a little reassuring to me since Hannah is tiny. Now that I've tried a booster and realize what a pain it is, I want to try out the ones that don't have arm rests or that have flip up arm rests and see if those work better. I don't think I'll be ready to buy something new until around the spring.

I definitely want to have the Turbo Booster just be a spare. I can forsee her needing to be picked up from school by someone else from time to time and we do have the FPSVD but I think it would be easier to use the Turbo, especially if she is riding with a friend who already uses a booster. The FPSVD is in dh's truck anyway, I like to keep it there and installed so one of the girls can ride somewhere w/ him (we're getting the tether anchor put in soon, the dealership has the part, we just need to make an appointment).

I still like the looks of the Parkway SG but will go with whatever will be easiest to buckle. We might just keep using the RN until we can get a van though.

 

[NannyMom]

It's been my experience that the Radian RF and FF are the same booster wise. The Marathon might work better because of the way the side is cut out, and higher up (lol, if that made sense).

 

[Pixels]

I think so, isn't it supposed to be there?
Here is a better shot of it today.



We ran a few errands and let her use the booster. Once we got home, I but her radian back in.

I was referring to the point where the lap belt is attached to the vehicle, on the outboard side. That shouldn't be behind the booster.

 

[joolsplus3]

I have a question about the headrest height. Jordan and Hannah are about the same size, but H's headrest is higher. Are the both *right*? Just want to know if I'm doing something wrong.

Here is Jordan's.

I'd prefer it closer to his neck, rather than so close to the edge of the shoulder, I'd probably move it up a notch, personally :twocents:

 

[mcomommy]

We booster trained DD1 so she can use our Vivo in Grandma's car and she did really well but it is harder to use it because she can buckle and unbuckle herself in her Nautilus but not the booster. She is going full time in the booster when she turns 6 and I am not looking forward to it, but she really wants to move up and is almost outgrown her Nautilus so we don't really have a choice.