Turbobooster for 4y/o?

I've posted a few times about the dilemma i've been having, but here it is again.

I watch a little boy full time. He turned 4 the beginning of Dec. He is 34lbs, about 39.5 inches.

His mom moved him to a HBB on his birthday, and i told her i wasn't comfortable with having him in a booster in my car. So he stayed in his Marathon in my car until it just expired. I convinced her to buy him a new harness seat, but she bought him a Cosco HBB/harness which SUCKS, and he barely fits in. So i convinced her to return it.

I know a booster is not IDEAL in this situation, but she doesn't have the money to buy an expensive seat (newly single mother getting NO help from dad), and i know I don't have the money to buy a seat for him.

She said he sits still and straight in her car in the booster he's in (which is another cosco HBB, i'm sure it doesn't fit him well) I told her i would be willing to TRY him in a HBB in my car and see how he fits, and if he can sit still and straight with the temptation of my 12 month old next to him.

So i suggested a turbo booster, because i've heard good things about it on here and it's around the same price of the Cosco seat she bought, and is going to return.

What are the chances that a turbo booster will work for him? Is it a good choice in this situation? What would YOU do? Would feel comfortable in a booster IF he can pass the test?

And...what are the things he needs to pass to be booster safe?

In this situation, I would not feel comfortable recommending the Turbobooster because he is just barly 4y/o and not yet 40lbs.
Is it possible for her to afford the Maestro? Its $74 at Sears:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04988642000P?keyword=evenflo+maestro&sLevel=0

A Turbo will likely be a good fit for him, and if he's used to being boostered, he may be okay.

How often do you drive him? I admit I'm a little uncomfortable with the "better" seat in a lesser-used car. I feel that if you are insisting on certain seats, you should provide them, and that will let her get a better seat for her primary vehicle.

I would i probably drive him more often then her at this point, except weekends.

I have him 7:30-5 M-F, and we go out every day.

I would not recommend a Turbobooster. I think a Maestro is your best bet.

Just out of curiousity, I tried my 34 lb, 40" tall, 4.5 yr old in the high back Turbo yesterday. It was pretty much a perfect fit...and if he was mature enough and weighed 40 lbs, I'd be okay w/it in my mil's car. BUT I'd prefer to keep him harnessed wherever possible--my mil has major trouble w/the carseat buckles and worries she won't get it buckled correctly, so a booster may be safer in her car.

And right now, they are $45 and get a $20 gift card back, at Target.

hths

henrietta

Does anyone know how high the harness positions are for the maestro? Would he, at 39.5 inches fit harnessed for a while?

If he fits in a Marathon by height, he'll have a year or two in the Maestro, probably.

Does anyone know how high the harness positions are for the maestro? Would he, at 39.5 inches fit harnessed for a while?

Click to expand...

I convinced her to buy him a new harness seat, but she bought him a Cosco HBB/harness which SUCKS, and he barely fits in. So i convinced her to return it.

Click to expand...

Well, if he fit at all in the harness of a Cosco combo seat, he'll have years left in the harness of the Maestro (Cosco combo seats are only @ 15" tall...) I'd think he'd get to 6, unless he's long torsoed, but I could be wrong, but at least long enough that he'd be more mature and over 40 lbs.

Which slots was he in on the Marathon that expired? The Maestro has another inch or so over the MA (according to those here that have measured it! LOL)

henrietta

Henrietta, he was SLIGHTLY over the 2nd to top slots, harness was on the top slot. So he had a little while left in the Marathon, right?

Oh, yeah, he had time in the Marathon. He'd fit a Maestro for sure.

while I would PREFER a harnessed seat like the Maestro for him, I do think the Turbobooster will fit him perfectly... heck, My own daughter fit before she was 3... and she was smaller than the boy in question... even scarier was how well she fit in an old-style Parkway.... I let her sit in them when I'd move seats around and had her outside with me, so she wouldn't be able to dash in the street.

If he fits in the Turbo (and he most likely will) and stays sitting in position the whole time, then he is safe to ride in the seat. He would be safER in a harness, but you do what you can do, right?

That said, if he rides with you more often he has more opportunity to be wiggly, slump, etc. Would you be willing to sell the cover from your expired MA to help fund a new seat for him? I see Britax covers go for quite a bit, so if the mom has the $45 it would cost for a TB, and you can sell the cover for $35 you would just be able to cover a Maestro.

Henrietta, he was SLIGHTLY over the 2nd to top slots, harness was on the top slot. So he had a little while left in the Marathon, right?

Click to expand...

Probably over a year, maybe even closer to 2 depending on how fast he grows.

GL!

henrietta