6-year old wants to stay harnessed!

sunnydayz · Oct 8, 2010

We have (what I think) is an unusual situation. 6 year old ds is about 50" and 52lbs. He has a long torso and is currently even with the top slots of his Nautilus. He has over an inch in his Regent. I told him we were going to switch his Nautilus to hbb mode and he went into a panic. He insists he does not want to have to remember to stay still and in position in a hbb (which he is actually very good at and I have very little concern with him). I've tried convincing him to just try it out, and it's a no go. Also tried pointing out that he is the only kid in his grade that rides harnessed and he said the other kids are just not as safe as he is.

His solution.... buy him a new, bigger harnessed seat. I'm not sure this is the route I want to go. He is 6, a big guy and actually very mature. He would, by all indications, be a great booster rider.

Any ideas or similiar situations?

Mom2FiveGirls · Oct 8, 2010

DD#3 was just moved back into a harnessed seat (nautilus) because she was not staying seated correctly in her HBB. She moved to the HBB mid August and was very excited about it. She did great up until a couple weeks ago, but then I'd catch her leaning over, messing with her seat belt, bending over to pick up things off the floor, etc. I told her if I had to remind her to sit correctly one more time she would be going back into a harnessed seat. She said "ok". The next day I caught her bending over trying to grab something from her sister. I rearranged seats and put the nautilus back in and she's thrilled! She says she wants to be harnessed and she wants to sit beside DD#4. She likes being harnessed better than being in a booster. She even said she was bending over on purpose so I'd move her back! AHHH! I told her if she would have just asked I would have moved her back and she would have been safer and really stressed the importance of staying sitting correctly when in a booster. I told her once she outgrows her nautilus she will have to go back into a HBB. She has about an inch or so before she's even with the top slots.

babyherder · Oct 8, 2010

Mom2FiveGirls said:
DD#3 was just moved back into a harnessed seat (nautilus) because she was not staying seated correctly in her HBB. She moved to the HBB mid August and was very excited about it. She did great up until a couple weeks ago, but then I'd catch her leaning over, messing with her seat belt, bending over to pick up things off the floor, etc. I told her if I had to remind her to sit correctly one more time she would be going back into a harnessed seat. She said "ok". The next day I caught her bending over trying to grab something from her sister. I rearranged seats and put the nautilus back in and she's thrilled! She says she wants to be harnessed and she wants to sit beside DD#4. She likes being harnessed better than being in a booster. She even said she was bending over on purpose so I'd move her back! AHHH! I told her if she would have just asked I would have moved her back and she would have been safer and really stressed the importance of staying sitting correctly when in a booster. I told her once she outgrows her nautilus she will have to go back into a HBB. She has about an inch or so before she's even with the top slots.

My reaction is some combination of: :ROTFLMAO::doh:
Glad nothing happened.

babyherder · Oct 8, 2010

OP, I would tell your son that he already rides safely in a booster. He should just keep doing what he's doing. Maybe promise him that for all car rides over ___ amount of time he can have his Regent so he doesn't have to worry about sitting correctly. Tell him that most harnessed seats won't fit him at all or any that do won't fit for much longer.

carseatcoach · Oct 8, 2010

That depends on your budget, IMO. In my family, right now, we would not make a $250+ purchase of what is essentially a comfort item. Two years ago, we probably would have. Hopefully, two years from now, we might again. (2009 and 2010 have not been especially kind to us.)

sunnydayz · Oct 9, 2010

Thanks for all the replies. Those were my thoughts too. We bought the Nautilus' after he outgrew the Blvd by height at age 4. I planned that after he outgrew the Nautilus he would go into a hbb. I can't see buying two Frontier 85's at over $500 for a preference. I don't think at his age, size and maturity that moving to a hbb is a safety factor. He rides in the Regent in our primary vehicle and will continue to do so until it is outgrown, and in dh's car and grandparent's car he has Nautilus' that will be converted to hbb.

Thanks again!!

Mom-of-Two · Oct 9, 2010

I have a harness lover too.

She's 6 but not big, she's only 43 lbs and just under 45 inches, so for us, we have time to wait.

She rides in a Regent in our van and is not on the top slots yet! In her Nautilus, we JUST moved her up to the last slot and she has tons of room.

I did get her a Turbobooster to train her in, and for grandparents to use, she doesn't mind it but isn't ready to ride full time in a booster, she absolutely LOVES her Regent.

Since there is no conclusive evidence one way or the other at this age, I am fine keeping her harnessed.

In your case it sounds like he'll get used to a booster, just give him time to transition- I would never buy a new seat to harness at that age and size- we are lucky that we are getting the full use of our seats since we don't have big kiddos.

Have you tried him in booster mode in the Nautilus, how does he fit?

Kat_Momof3 · Oct 9, 2010

why not explain that the booster is safer than the harness that he is too big for? And tell him you don't have a bigger harnessed seat for him.

6-year old wants to stay harnessed!

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