Long-waisted and LATCH anchors

T

Tea

Guest
I'm the mom with the long-waisted kid. I went car-seat shopping again yesterday and found that my daughter's shoulders are too high by about an inch for both the Marathon and the Decathlon. The store did not have a Regent.

Question 1: Are the top strap holes on the Regent that much higher (i.e., can she fit it and will it be good for more than six months for the high price)? I hate to mail-order something that huge and expensive if it's unlikely to work because my trunk is kinda small and I can't return them easily. (I'm going to have to ask a friend to help return the one I've been using.

I bought a Parkway for the moment, but it seems flimsy. I'd heard rumors of a Britax that has steel reinforcement, and it obviously isn't this one. Also, this one doesn't have LATCH anchors on it. I'm just concerned that when she climbs in, it'll shift all over and be out of position.

My DD is six and I'm an older single mom (overworked and tired!), so I go for anything she can do herself, and I'm afraid with the Parkway I'll have to reseat it and refix everything every time. That's an awful lot of fussing when we go out to do a string of errands.

So, Question 2: Don't the unLATCHed seats shift around too much for a kid to be able to get in and out on her own?

FYI, I have a 2007 Toyota Corolla.

Tea
 
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CandCfam

New member
The Regent has a top harness slot height of 20 inches.

The Parkway is a wonderful booster seat with awesome true SIP. It's one of the best booster seats out there. Most boosters do not install in a vehicle, they just sit on the vehicle seat to boost the child into position to use the vehicle seat belt.

We had (haven't replaced it yet - it was in a rollover accident) a Parkway for out 4 1/2 Y/O for a infrequently used 2nd seat, and she could get in an out of it just fine. She could buckle it herself too, though we ALWAYS double checked it to make sure she buckled correctly.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
My kids have had NO problem buckling the Parkway properly in 2+ years we've had them now (got them at age 5 and 7)...it stays in place nicely when they climb in it, the shoulderbelt stays placed in the guide all the time... it's really a simple seat to deal with, one of my favorites for kids to do themselves and to give to grandparents or other carseat-novice caregivers.

:)
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
Just a couple of things to ease your mind.

Your daughter is 6, so she is more than likely ready for a booster (mature, heavy/tall enough, able stay correctly positioned in a seat belt). She should easily get in/out by herself and pull the seat belt snug - you'll still need to make sure she buckled the seatbelt w/o any twists and there is not slack in the lap belt.

The Parkway is a belt positioning booster (BPB). It functions differently than a harnessed seat. A BPB is what it says - a device to position a child so that the seat belt fits properly (low on the hips, across the shoulder/collarbone, knees bend). It will move around in the car when unoccupied (it's recommended that it be buckled even when not occupied).

As long as the booster sits flat on the vehicle seat, it shouldn't move around when DD is in it. You might also need to adjust/remove/turn backwards the head rest of the vehicle so that the PW can sit up against the seat back.

HTH
 

Amaris

New member
The regent should allow for lots of growing room if you wanted to go that way. My 5.5 year old just outgrew his marathon and we moved him to a regent. He is in the second slots up from the bottom, with 2 more slots to go. He will easily make it 2-4 more years in this seat, depending on growth spurts and torso growth rate. I do have pics on my camera, but I seemed to have misplaced my usb cord!! If I can find it and you would like I will post a few pics of him in the regent.
 

LuvBug

New member
the regent currently has the highest slots, so she would have room to grow in it. If you want to keep her harnessed then it is a good option. I have a newer version corolla as well and it fits beautifully in it.

If you and her are ready for a booster though, the parkway is very nice. If you think you want something more, maybe you could look at the recaro or monarch. The parkway should be very easy for her to learn to buckle herself, the others I have heard are not as easy. You should still always check her when she buckles.

How much does she weigh and how tall is she?
 

scatterbunny

New member
My 5.5yo has used a Parkway as a spare for a little over a year now. She still can't buckle herself without getting the belt twisted, and even then she fights with it for awhile. I have locking latchplates which can make it hard to slide the buckle, and my shoulderbelt is mounted far behind the seat she sits on, so I think that has more to do with it than her ability overall.

The Parkway does tip from side to side (not the base, that stays in place) when I turn corners, and while it doesn't bother dd (she thinks it's fun) it does bother me.

The only boosters that are secured to the vehicle in some manner are the Recaro Start (top tether) and the Jane Indy Plus (uses lower LATCH anchors).

The Regent should allow 3+ years of growth for a child who has outgrown a Marathon. My dd got too tall for a Marathon last summer, around her 5th birthday, and I would guess she could use a Regent at least until her 8th birthday, but hopefully longer.
 
T

Tea

Guest
YES, it's tipping or rocking a little. Makes me very nervous, because I've always LATCHed and always made it very solid. My DD can usually climb in and pull the seat belt out and get it ready for me so I just click it, and then she can get herself out. The tipping is making me nervous enough that I'm just about ready to put the old seat back in (the one that requires vehicle head support).

Someone asked re weight/height--She's about 42-43 lbs. and only about 47" tall BUT she's long waisted so all her height is in her top half and she's already about an inch too tall for the Marathon straps.

So is this tipping or rocking OK, or should I get it out of my car ASAP?

Tea:eek:
 

scatterbunny

New member
The tipping really is "okay". :) But I understand your feelings.

The Safeguard child seat (not the GO) and the Regent will be the only harnessed options to work for your dd. The Jane Indy Plus is a great booster choice if you want one that you can LATCH.
 

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