When did you turn(or are you planning to turn) DC FF?
I feel like I'm in the same boat as you; I keep extending when I turn them. I learned of ERF when J was 2y3mos and 38lbs, when the MR was just coming out and the SLs were not yet heard of. I bought an MR to turn him, but only because I could justify having it to pass down to S (then 4mos, and a chub.) My goal at that point was end of summer, because we drive TONS in the summer, and my vehicle was less-than-safe. I was hoping he wouldn't hit 40lb by then.
I was actually ok with turning him at the end of the summer (2y7m) but he didn't want to give up the MR. (Pillow obsession...
) So, I kept him RF and I learned more here and considered my position on it, and the SL was announced, I realized that I really was not crazy about turning him at that point. So I made the decision that if he hit 40lbs before his 3rd birthday, I could justify a Radian; otherwise I would just suck it up and turn him. Luckily for me, he hit 39.6 a week before his birthday so I didn't have to change my mind, lol. (And then promptly went back down to 38.6, after I'd bought the Radian. He actually just hit 40 yesterday, at 3y2m.)
He will RF to 45lbs, or if he's less than that at 4, I will talk to him about it. Chances are he'll ride RF sometimes still, and FF in somebody else's seat sometimes, since I have more seats than kids at many points during my day.
OTOH, I watch another little girl who is 4y1m. I RFed her 95% of the time (I only have her p/t) until her 4th birthday, then had planned to turn her FFing. She's a total peanut; I weighed her at 32-33lbs but she's since dropped to about 30, and fits in a Scenera with room to spare. However, she turned 4 and I turned her FFing, and I had second thoughts about it. At the end of the day, she doesn't care (in fact, given her pick of any seat in the vehicle she will choose the RFing Radian) and she's safer that way -- even if only marginally so -- so why not?
The way I see it, we say the spine ossifies between 4 & 6. So at 4, it's only the "minimum" of that range... if nobody minds, why not shoot for six?
I'll probably turn C when she cares. If she doesn't, and it's convenient for me (it's six of one in my case, no puzzling or installation issues either way,) then why not?
My "dream" situation with my own children is to RF until kindergarten age, which is when I typically find my dck ready for boosters, and go the Swedish route of RF to booster. Eliminates the FF harness vs. booster debate, which plays on my mind a lot, simply because I don't know the answer to it. If it doesn't happen, my world won't end, though.
How young should a child be for you to buy a new seat to accommodate RF?
I wouldn't buy a new one at 4, unless my child really wanted to RF, and I could easily afford it. Less than 3, I definitely would. In between it would depend on the situation, and also if I had pass-down possibilities.
The fact that we have 4yos in MRs says to me that there are others who bought new seats at 3, so I'm not *that* crazy, lol.
At what age do you take child's opinion into account?[/QUOTE]
No less than 3; older 3/young 4 I definitely would. J was complaining last month about being RF, but I found out it had to do with 1) the fact that his dad was putting him in either just the belt or a NBB (!!!) and he wanted to ride "like a big boy," and 2) the fact that he wanted to ride in the middle row with the big kids. We talked about #1, a lot, and I convinced him it wasn't safe (which he then told his dad, lol.) #2 I can't do anything about right now, and truthfully turning him FF isn't an option because I need that RF Radian to work my 3-across. He hasn't mentioned it again, but I've been trying to figure out a way to make it work for him this summer (slightly different set of kids.)
If he was truly heartbroken about being RF, I would probably promise to turn him in the fall, and let him ride FF some now. I would be ok (not thrilled, but not panicked) with him FF now, but I really want him RF for the summer, again due to the amount of travel that we do. We're in the car for field trips almost daily, 30m-1hr each way, largely at highway speeds and often on unfamiliar roads.
I just go back to the "why not" of it. For your situation, if your DD doesn't mind being RFing *and* you can afford a new seat, then why not? I don't think it's overkill or overprotective if it doesn't cause any ill effects. If my child was upset, or was getting teased, or I couldn't afford it, or there was a convenience issue, then there's a reason why not and the 3-4 turning age carries more weight. In any of those situations, I would definitely turn them at 4, and be more inclined to as they got closer to 4. Before 2, it would take pretty extenuating circumstances for me to turn; between 2 & 3 I would still sacrifice a lot to stay RFing. After 3 I get more practical. At 4 it's all good, lol.
I'm not sure what you're looking at, but I would go with a Radian or CA for a "big girl seat," since they look more like that than the MR on its giant base. You could tell her "this is your new big girl seat, it goes backwards now but it turns around when you turn 4!" or whatever you opt to tell her. And I think outboard is a fine and reasonable choice... outboard RF is safer than FF center.
Sorry that was longwinded, I'm very good at using lots of words, lol...