What age/weight are you comfortable boostering fulltime?

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kmf1524

New member
Hi-

From reading different posts- it seems like everyone feels comfortable boostering at a different age/weight. Just curious what that is for you and why?

My daughter is 5y4m old, 41#, 41" that is riding harnessed in a MA now. She is almost outgrown it by height and I was thinking of purchasing a booster carseat and boostering her fulltime. When I was discussing this with a friend, she was appalled that I'd think of doing that. Her daughter is almost 7years old and is riding in a Regent (has never been boostered- she's probably a good 45-50# and 46"). She tells me boostering is not nearly as safe as harnessing.

Just wanted to hear some thoughts from others on this. Thanks!
 
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carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
It really, really depends on the child. My kid, not until 7.25. Other, less wiggly/impulsive kids, 5 is fine. When I'm pressed to give one single number, I say 6, even though I recognize that's pretty conservative.

I don't generally consider weight as long as they meet the minimums for the booster and can use it properly. (I might consider it for a 4yo, though, but not for a 6yo.)
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
It COMPLETELY depends on the kid. Some are ready at 4-5 years, behaviorally. More at 5 1/2. Many at 6. Most, but not all, by 7.

Also, I'm comfortable boostering at a lower weight with age, as bones get more developed and stronger with age and children are less and less likely to "submarine" under the belt as they get older.

I'd say 4 years AND 40 lbs AND developmentally ready (very rare at this age!)
OR
5 years AND 37+ lbs. (like, pretty close to 40 but not quite there-- hovering on the line) AND developmentally ready (in a booster rated less than 40)
OR
6 years AND 35 lbs. AND developmentally ready (in a booster less than 40 min.)
OR
7 years AND meets the minimums for the booster (usually 30) AND developmentally ready.
 

skylinphoto

New member
If the kid is can safely ride in a booster (size, age, maturity) than I'm cool with it.
There is nothing showing a harness is safer than a booster for kid who meet the criteria (size, age, maturity).
In fact, there's possibly the opposite. A harness may put more strain on the neck because the whole body is held back. But the jury is still out because there are no good studies on extended harnessing vs a proper fitting booster.

I'm not a tech though and could have the wrong answer!!
 

karlatta

New member
Of course anything could happen, but I don't plan to do a booster until my kids are AT LEAST in kindergarten. That would put DS at 6 and DD at 5. That would be my bare minimum.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I would say five and forty. I don't stress too much about weights, and have a child in my care who moved to a booster ON his fifth birthday and did perfectly. (I had intended on training him for a while but he did so well that he now moves back and forth only for convenience reasons.)

OTOH, I watch a little girl who is 4.5 and 32-33lbs. Even if she were developmentally ready (she's not,) I could not booster her. I just feel like there's too much risk involved with boostering someone that small. Plus, the only concern with older kids is heavier noggins + crash forces equal strain, and when the kid doesn't have a heavy noggin, I have no worry. I'm thinking she'll be at least six before she rides in a booster.

For your child, I would get a booster now (before she outgrows the MA) and start training her. If she does poorly, then you have a bit longer to stick her back in the MA and look into a harnessed seat. (Something like the Maestro is inexpensive and might work well.) But as long as she can sit well, we have no study that shows that harnessing is safer than a booster at her age (nor vice versa.) As Skylin said, there are schools of thought on both sides of the issue. (I personally tend to lean towards boostering if the child is truly ready, but I don't think there's grave harm in continuing to harness, either.)

Glad to hear you have friends who are cognisant of CPS, though! :love:

ETA: Funny you say that, Karlatta, because when I'm talking I often reference "around kindergarten age" rather than a calendar number. I find that for parents of very young children, it's a good benchmark for them to have in their head, and feel it's easier to remember than a number.
 

Melanie

New member
I also take sleeping into account too. DD (5yr 7mo) is a fantastic booster rider when she's awake. Unless I have an adult sitting next to her, I keep her harnessed for long trips because she squirms out of position when she sleeps in the booster.

I completely agree that a lot depends on the maturity of the child. The way youngest DD is going, she'll be 12 before she comes out of a harness.
 

luckyclov

New member
For *my* kids, 5 1/2 (yes, the 1/2 makes a big difference to me!:p) years old, 45 lbs - preferably 50 - *AND* the maturity to sit properly 100% of the time.

For my oldest, he was a few months over 5 years old and 52 lbs when we completed booster training and he began fulltime booster use.

For my DD, who is 6 and 53-ish lbs, she's still harnessed in her primary seat. She rides in a booster the rare times she's in DH's truck, but she still requires cues/reminders to sit properly pretty frequently...which, to me, means she's not mature enough, yet, to make that fulltime booster leap. Hopefully by the end of this school year, but we'll see...
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
Of course they must developmentally be ready (rarely at 4, some at 5, and I think most by 6-7

So for me 5 AND 40 lbs (my DD isn't there yet even though she sits perfectly so she's not in one yet)

6 AND 35 pounds (which is what we will do probably in spring. She'll be close to 6 and about 36ish pounds

7 AND meets the minimums (30 lbs) for the booster

4 to me is only occasional use. E rode in one around 4.75 when my baby was born because it was easier to toss in the car of whoever took her when I went into labor. After that it was only occasionally like when our Maestro was recalled and she couldn't use it, riding in friends cars. But it was less than once every two months or so
 

jlginsb

New member
I've been recently wondering a lot about this myself. I have a tall skinny beanpole of a child (5yr8mos, 47" tall, hovers around 38 lbs). I've always said she had to be at least 40lbs to booster her which at this rate may not be for another year. But she's so tall I might be running out of options.

She is currently in the original Frontier (not the Frontier 85) which must have a lower harness height than the newer ones. I was just noticing the harness is just barely starting to dip below her shoulders instead of being even so I asked DH to pull it out and raise the harness and he said it's already on the top setting (I'm going to pull it out myself later and double check that because it seems to me we should have one more notch to go up but DH may be right).

From searching older messages it appears the old Frontiers only went to a harness height of 18.5", is that correct?

So she doesn't weigh enough to booster the Frontier and unless we buy a newer Frontier with a higher harness height (the new ones are 20" right?), I'm thinking I'll need to buy a booster that can be used for a 38lb child.

With proper booster training, I think she'd do alright in a booster, but she's just such a lightweight I felt better about harnessing her.

What do you do with the older taller lightweights?
 

DiaSmall

New member
My ds is 6.5yo/40lbs & is booster training in his Monterrey. I told him we were just putting the booster in the car to make sure he knows how to use it for the rare occasion he rides with daddy/nana.

He rides great & it fits him perfectly.

Honestly, I think it was easier for him to use the GN & he still has another harness slot to go.... so I would like t put the GN back in till he is a bit heavier. I'm also not really liking using the vehicle buckle, we always have to dig for it under backpacks, coats, etc. DS loves the Monterrey though, and is begging to keep it in my car, even though it is harder to buckle.

I'm torn.
 

Baylor

New member
My son is 6. This summer I started using the Nautilus as a booster but then started reading and realized that having him in a harness as long as possible is best.

So I ordered new straps from Graco and he is now harnessed again. He will stay that way until he outgrows the 65lbs harness. He actually likes it because he gets in himself, clips everything, and he feels more independent without me having to do the seat belt. He is really good at it. Knows where his clip should be and how snug it should be.

My 2.5 yr old is the same size as your 5 yr old ( 39" tall 42 lbs) and I would not think of boostering him. I don't think it is all about age but size too.

I think as a mom you just have to do what you think is best. If you are at all nervous about boostering.. Just get a nautilus or something like that that will take you further. You can always decide to do it that way any time you want. You will have both options.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
This summer I started using the Nautilus as a booster but then started reading and realized that having him in a harness as long as possible is best.

There is no evidence to conclude that harnessing as long as possible is "best".
 

urchin_grey

New member
I'm not really sure yet. My 5yo is 25lbs. :whistle: I live in a state that requires a child to be 4yo and 40lbs to ride in a booster though, so I'm actually kind of glad that we are planning on moving to Mississippi next year. :eek: I definitely don't plan on sticking him in one full time as soon as he hits 30lbs or anything, but 40lbs could be years and years away for him. He's not mature enough right now anyway though but I'll probably start considering it once he turns 7, assuming he's over 30lbs.
 

horseymom

New member
for me.. I just bought DD a FRXT (FR 85 in the US) and she is 6y 3m. I want her harnessed until the spring after the crappy roads are gone. I have a older explorer (96) and my kids are both outboard. The seats are sooo close to the doors that I just feel safer with her harnessed until at least the spring time. She wants to be harnessed too, she can buckle her self in properly so it's easy for me too. :)
 

Baylor

New member
There is no evidence to conclude that harnessing as long as possible is "best".

I think that is not true. Even this site says to harness as long as possible. If there are seats that harness higher weight children.. There is a reason. I say to use them until they outgrow that limit and then booster.
 

TXDani

Senior Community Member
Like the other posters have stated it completely depends on the individual child. I have two sons that are polar opposites in terms of size and maturity level.

My oldest son will be 6 at the end of December and he has been in a booster full time for about 6-9 months. He weighs around 65lbs and is a giant. He sits very well in his booster and I am not planning on re-harnessing him again.

My younger son just turned 4 and is a little peanut...and isn't as mature as my older one was at this age. He still naps a lot in the car and I don't know if he would be able to sit still in a booster like needed. I did put him in a booster in a pinch for a short ride a month ago and he did fine in a booster but I think the fact that it was a special ride in his brothers seat played into his good behavior in it. I foresee him being harnessed past the age of 6 unless something changes.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Yes, there is a reason why higher-weight harnessing seats exist. There are 60# 3yos. They need to be harnessed. 6yos and 7yos do not need to be harnessed.

There is no evidence that children who can use a booster properly (including physical and developmental maturity) are safer in harnesses than in boosters. There just isn't.

You've been told that many times. You can't produce any evidence. Your opinion that children should be harnessed as long as possible is as valid as anyone else's opinion, but it is irresponsible to state that there is evidence to support this when there is not.

ETClarifty that was not directed at Danielle.
 

Murphy's Law

New member
Yep, depends on the child. My dd is 5y,10m & 42 pounds. I just moved her to a booster full time and I'm comfortable with that. She follows directions well and sits fine in her booster. She alternates between a Turbo, GN, and Monterey depending on the vehicle.
 

Baylor

New member
Yes, there is a reason why higher-weight harnessing seats exist. There are 60# 3yos. They need to be harnessed. 6yos and 7yos do not need to be harnessed.

There is no evidence that children who can use a booster properly (including physical and developmental maturity) are safer in harnesses than in boosters. There just isn't.

You've been told that many times. You can't produce any evidence. Your opinion that children should be harnessed as long as possible is as valid as anyone else's opinion, but it is irresponsible to state that there is evidence to support this when there is not.

ETClarifty that was not directed at Danielle.

First of all.. I don't know why every time I post something you need to snap back at me. The poster asked for our opinions and not research. EVERYTHING I read about the subject (and I do read and learn so I can make educated decisions as a parent,) including My pediatrician told me that harnessing as long as possible is best. You don't agree. Fine. But prove it isn't. Prove to me in an accident my son won't be safer in a harness than booster.

THIS SITE SAYS HARNESS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

It does not matter what I post, You have an issue with it.
 
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