Check booster fit please....

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

Check booster fit please....added more pics

Added more pics in post #11

OK, so Madeline is 4 1/2 years old, 36 lbs and 41 inches. Her school is going on field trips this summer taking their little bus thingy (not a real bus, but a bus type vehicle). The director there is clueless about harnessed seats but knows how to buckle booster seats. So after much discussion between DH and I, I would rather Madeline be properly sitting in a booster seat than inproperlly in a harnessed seat (she cannot do the bottom buckle in any of her seats and I am worried they will loosen the harness and not tighten it back up - making it pointless).

So, I got the turbobooster out and tried her out in it last night, a trip around the block. She actually sat very still in it (and proclaimed she didn't like it, she wanted to be in her "princess seat" - her RF'ing RNXT). So, please check the fit on it.

If the fit on this is not good - I do have a Frontier I can put into booster mode and try it out....TIA

Angela · Mar 30, 2010

It's looks okay to me, the lap belt might be a bit high though. I'm new to this though, so I'm sure others can give you better pointers.

I, personally, with her only at 36 lbs would put her in the frontier and try it out in harnessed mode. See if the director would be willing to have you show her how to tighten it and such. If that's not an option, I would still use it, just in booster mode. I think it would actually be easier to haul the frontier around than the tb. I've always felt the tb is obnoxious to haul around because the back comes off. All my personal opinion though.

carseatcoach · Mar 30, 2010

It is hard for me to tell because of the way the shirt poofs, but the lap belt looks high.

I agree, though, that a properly used booster is better than an improperly used harnessed seat. Can you teach her how her harness should feel? Would she be willing/able to speak up if her harness isn't right?

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

ajtastad said:
It's looks okay to me, the lap belt might be a bit high though. I'm new to this though, so I'm sure others can give you better pointers.

I, personally, with her only at 36 lbs would put her in the frontier and try it out in harnessed mode. See if the director would be willing to have you show her how to tighten it and such. If that's not an option, I would still use it, just in booster mode. I think it would actually be easier to haul the frontier around than the tb. I've always felt the tb is obnoxious to haul around because the back comes off. All my personal opinion though.

OK - she rides harnessed in her RNXT rear facing (and her Frontier is in harness mode as a backup/seat for friends kids that ride with us). Her school director has already said she is not comfortable with harnessed seats and not going to remember (I love her, she's nice, but she's a touch flakey) to tighten things correctly and I'm also not sure if the FN would fit on the bus correctly. I really do appriciate her honesty with me on that. I would prefer her to be properly sitting in a booster than to be inproperlly strapped into a harnessed seat. 100% correct use vs who knows what....

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

chickabiddy said:
It is hard for me to tell because of the way the shirt poofs, but the lap belt looks high.

I agree, though, that a properly used booster is better than an improperly used harnessed seat. Can you teach her how her harness should feel? Would she be willing/able to speak up if her harness isn't right?

Madeline would speak up and she knows how it should feel and if the kid could do it herself - we wouldn't have a problem but she lacks the muscle involved with buckling the crotch straps. What I am worried about with the preschool class and kindy class all going on these field trips, if the director would listen or not with a bunch of kids having to be belted in....

I'll get some more pictures today in a different outfit :thumbsup:

carseatcoach · Mar 30, 2010

Yeah, if you think that the harnessed seat will not be used properly, then booster it is. I am just a little concerned about *that* booster's fit (which surprises me, because Turbos are usually good for little littles).

Angela · Mar 30, 2010

I agree that correct use is the most important and since the director isn't comfortable with it, I'd say just go with a booster. I do agree that the tb might be not the correct seat for her, fit wise, though.

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

chickabiddy said:
Yeah, if you think that the harnessed seat will not be used properly, then booster it is. I am just a little concerned about *that* booster's fit (which surprises me, because Turbos are usually good for little littles).

I know - I bought it to use for my friends kid - but ended up not using it and he rides in Madeline's frontier. A neighbor has had it because her booster expired and they couldn't afford another one - the got another one and gave that one back. I thought it would be a good fit, but I was questioning the lap belt also yesterday and kept telling myself that I was being too paranoid because I really don't want her in a HBB (like total denial she'll even *fit* into one).

AtTheSouthDam · Mar 30, 2010

I can't offer much help on boosters for little ones. My tiny one is still too short in the torso for a TB! But I have to say, I

your/hers taste in clothing! DD2 has that same shirt. We got orange capris to go with it

What about a vivo? It looks like those arm rests may pull the belt further forward so it would rest on her lap. Or, try lowering the armrests so the seat belt can't rise so high on them. I may not work but it worth a try!

Pixels · Mar 30, 2010

It's a bit hard to judge. Try lowering the arm rests, that may bring the lap belt down lower. I'm also not thrilled about the shoulder belt, but again, it's hard to judge. It looks like the shoulder belt is far to the side of her shoulder and it looks like the back needs to go up a click, but it also looks like she's leaning a bit toward the center of the vehicle, out of the shoulder belt.

Got the screws in?

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

Ok more pics...

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

Pixels said:
It's a bit hard to judge. Try lowering the arm rests, that may bring the lap belt down lower. I'm also not thrilled about the shoulder belt, but again, it's hard to judge. It looks like the shoulder belt is far to the side of her shoulder and it looks like the back needs to go up a click, but it also looks like she's leaning a bit toward the center of the vehicle, out of the shoulder belt.

Got the screws in?

Yeap the screws are in :thumbsup: added more pictures (and yes, the darn thing leans over.....it's trying to make nice with Marshall's TFP apparently)

babyherder · Mar 30, 2010

Something just doesn't look right. Maybe the shoulder belt? It just seems not on her shoulder enough. Or maybe the lap belt looks a little high? I can't put my finger on it but something says no. Could you try her in another booster (such as a vivo) for comparison, whatever you decide to do?

I agree that in this situation a booster is best. Your director is being honest, which as far as I'm concerned is huge deal! Good for her for being honest even though its not the answer you wanted to hear!

firemomof3 · Mar 30, 2010

I would move the headrest up a notch

She is awfully petite and she has a lot of wiggle room, I agree that the Vivo would probably be a better fit.

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

I don't have access to a vivo (and I think DH would divorce me if another seat showed up here

) - I will get the FN out of the 3rd row and put it in booster mode to try it out....I'll post pics when I get it done :thumbsup:

Laurette · Mar 30, 2010

I don't like the fit on her. Can you not drive her to the feild trip yourself. That would be what I would do. :/

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

Laurette said:
I don't like the fit on her. Can you not drive her to the feild trip yourself. That would be what I would do. :/

From what I understand, it's just the class and the teachers that are going. I know Marshall is a huge distraction with all the girls....and we have to fight them off of him (because he's the cute baby

) so on the field trips - I think he may be a distraction from learning while they are out and I won't leave him anywhere while he's still nursing.

Jennifer mom to my 7 · Mar 30, 2010

Remember, that this seat will be installed in a different vehicle, not op's car. THat may make all the difference in the belt fit.

babygirlsmom1005 · Mar 30, 2010

Jennifer mom to my 7 said:
Remember, that this seat will be installed in a different vehicle, not op's car. THat may make all the difference in the belt fit.

True - my DH mentioned that to me as well. I will see if I can do a install on their bus and see about how it fits there. I need to do some booster training with her, I will see about getting the FN into booster mode and trying that as well in the suburban and seeing if it is a better fit.

safeinthecar · Mar 30, 2010

The fit is OK, not perfect, as it is. I think if you lower the armrests and raise the back it would be a lot better.

Check booster fit please....

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