What age for booster training?

DS is 4yrs and 3mos old, 37lbs (clothed..no shoes), 42" tall...is he too young for booster training? He listens very well when it comes to sitting properly but when I look at him, he just looks too small! The reason I am asking is because I need to get him a new seat soon but I really can't afford anything over $100 and its hard to find a harnessed seat for under $100.

If your only reason for wanting him in a booster now is cost, I would instead look at the Evenflo seats- the Generations 65 ($99) and the Maestro ($79) are likely both very good choices for harnessing your son.

I'd get a maestro. nicec seat, tall top slots, decent weight limit, good booster.

I think 4.25 can be an appropriate age to booster train, for some kids.
Why do you need a new seat soon?

my DD is the same age and weight as your child, just she is only 38in and I have been considering training her, so that when she is five maybe she can ride in our second car (all of like once every three months) in a booster. As that is probably when DS1 will outgrow his scenera RF and will need to move to her Maestro in there.

Libby is a tiny bit older, same weight, and a tiny bit shorter. I have asked myself this also. I am waiting until she reaches 40lbs. She follows directions great and I think she would do very well on short trips around town, but I really want her to have those 3 lbs on her first. I was thinking about getting a Maestro, but went with a Generations65 when BRU had the trade in in Feb. I really like it and it was a perfect seat for Grammy's car. In your shoes I would get either one of those.

4 years and 40lbs is always a good time to start booster training because you never know when an emergency situation is going to arise. You may not plan on keeping your child in a booster at that age but it is a good idea to have them become familiar with it. You may just take it out once every few weeks like we did at first to get used to it.

Qarin said:

If your only reason for wanting him in a booster now is cost, I would instead look at the Evenflo seats- the Generations 65 ($99) and the Maestro ($79) are likely both very good choices for harnessing your son.

Click to expand...

How long do you think he'd have in either of those seats..in regards to harness height? He is on the top slots of his MA with approx 2 inches before his shoulders are even with them (unfortunately it is going to expire in 6 months)

bobandjess99 said:

I'd get a maestro. nicec seat, tall top slots, decent weight limit, good booster.

I think 4.25 can be an appropriate age to booster train, for some kids.
Why do you need a new seat soon?

Click to expand...

His MA is expiring in 6 mos...:-(

I'll look into the Maestro..thanks!

agurlsride said:

His MA is expiring in 6 mos...:-(

I'll look into the Maestro..thanks!

Click to expand...

Okay well. I understand that everyone has different life situations, incomes, budgets, etc, but 6 months is a pretty LONG amount of time to be able to plan for a new seat.
In that case, if you wanted to harness him longer, I think you could propbably plan to go ahead and save up for a nautilus. They go on sale in the $140 range, sometimes less.
I still think the maestrro is a good choice, and given how short of a torso he seems to have, the gen 65 might be an okay choice as well. I'd probably try to see them all in person and decide which I like the best.

Do you have (or plan to have within a year or 2) another child? In that case, I would say that the EFTA might be a nice choice, since it can be used to harness your son for another year or so, and then you can buuy a nice TB or something, and give the EFTA to the new baby. They're on sale for like $115 right now, or less than $100 with some coupon and pricematching finagling, I think.

Now, all that being said, I think there is a certain percentage of children at age 4.75 (what he'll be when the Ma expires) that certainly are ready for boostering. In which case something like a turbo, vivo, or maybe that new probooster might be a good option.
Another option would be to get a used (from a trusted source of course) seat that has just enough life on it to be useful to you....even something like an Ma with a 18 months on it would get your child to 5.5-5.75ish, and most of us would be completely fine with a full time booster by then, unless behavioral issues arise.

what Bobandjess said. I came in to post the same thing.....but I couldn't have said it better!!:thumbsup:

I'd get the maestro... I really don't like to booster train until 5yrs old (aka... after the 5th birthday) and then not primary booster until after age 6.

I know 4 seems like they are just so much more mature... but you add a good couple more years, and the same thing happens each of those years... their heads are also more proportionate to their bodies, which is something I like to see, and their hips (at least to me) seem to feel more substantial where the lap belt rests.

BUT... when I say training, I usually mean in the secondary/tertiary car... on a more regular basis than the once-in-a-blue-moon trip.

if it's the latter case, then 4 and 40 is fine... especially if you can lock the shoulder belt. At least for my kids, who tend not to act up till the new experience becomes something that the newness has worn off of.

bobandjess-

I think it may be me jumping the gun...you're right about waiting, and actually my student loans will be dispersed in September so I can afford something semi-expensive (hopefully the new Recaro...lol).
I don't plan on having any more kids...I think 4 is enough for me.
I have had the Nauti once before for my youngest dd but I didn't really like it. The whole head slump thing was an issue.