How will I know when HBB is ok?

DS is 5.5 yrs old, 45-46lbs and 47" or so tall, and he rides in a Regent. I've always planned to leave him in it until he doesn't fit, since I know he is sitting properly when in a 5pt harness. I have no worries that he may slouch or lean or otherwise be out of proper position in the event of an accident, like is possible once they move to boosters. But i know he doesn't "need" to be in a harness til he's 8yo or more, so Im wondering when and how I should go about seeing how he handles short trips in a HBB. My ILs bought a seat that harnessed to 40lbs and then turned to a booster when DS wasn't even 4 yet, and I told them he would not be allowed to ride w/ them after he hit 40lbs, cuz I didn't want my newly 4yo in a booster. Its been 1.5 yrs now, and Im wondering if I should be letting him try out that seat as a booster? (so far I've had him in a RSTV when he occasionally travels w/ them). I just don't know. I'm not comfy w/ him out of the harness in his main seat, so it's hard to make myself think it's ok at all yet. Should we be taking some booster test runs? I would want to be w/ him obviously to watch that he is riding properly. So I don't plan to let the ILs take him in the booster til Ive done so myself and seen it was ok. I just dont know when it will be.
When did U let yer dc start riding in a hbb occasionally? How did the transition go?

If you are going to be taking him out of the harness (even for just short trips), I would recommend looking into a dedicated high back booster, rather than a convertible seat that converts into a booster. I see that you mentioned that your IL's bought a seat that converts into a booster. Would you happen to know the name? The majority (if not all) convertible seats that convert into boosters make very poor boosters. Some of them are on the "Do not use as a booster" list that was put out a couple months back. With that said, I probably wouldn't allow him to ride in that particular booster, simply due to a poor fit.

Also, I would definately try some trial runs! :thumbsup: Take a spin around the block and see how he does. I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a child in a booster seat for the first time, then expect them to sit properly for an entire car ride. They're used to the harness keeping them contained and still, whereas a booster they have "free reign", so to speak.

To be clear, I wouldn't consider a backless booster anytime soon, I didn't mention those.
Eta: did u change yer reply, taking out the stuff about backless boosters? This reply from me doesn't make sense now, lol

Wife&MomX3 said:

To be clear, I wouldn't consider a backless booster anytime soon, I didn't mention those.
Eta: did u change yer reply, taking out the stuff about backless boosters? This reply from me doesn't make sense now, lol

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LOL, yeah. I had read your post wrong at first, so then I went ahead and edited my post after I reread your original post.

Bumping for other replies. Curious when others started letting their dc ride in a HBB occasionally, and how the transition went.

I started booster training dd1 when she was about 5y/o. She had impulse control and understand the importance of sitting still. Though I didn't put her in a booster full time till she was 5.5y/o and she's been great :thumbsup:

I was comfortable with short booster trips with my kids when they showed impulse control for other safety issues. For example, when they could consistently (without prompting) remember the need to stop and look both ways when crossing the street.

My son started booster training at 4 years old, but it was out of necessity. At the time he was 53 pounds and outgrowing his Radian. He went into a booster full time for a month or two until I realized he had inches of growing room in the newly released Frontier 85. So he is back harness until (hopefully) next summer at 5y8m old when he will move into a booster again. For now, he has a booster in my DH's car that he rides in about once per month. He is 5 in a couple weeks and still 54 pounds.
Also want to note that he has been an angel in the car since birth. He just sits there, doesn't move, doesn't talk, just stares out the window and takes it all in. So no impule issues when he is in a booster.

For us it was when DS2 was around 6.5 that his body and his maturity level just seemed ready for the transition. Over the previous year he seemed to go from a little kid shape to a big kid shape (he was about 47lbs), especially in the shoulders. He lost that roundedness of the shoulders and I was more sure that the shoulder belt would be positioned correctly.

At age five I was just okay with the occasional booster ride, but at 6.5 I'm completely comfortable with it as his primary seat.