6yo opinion of harness vs booster

Jan06twinmom

New member
Today I asked my DS (6yo, 63lbs, 49in tall) whether he preferred to be in the harness car seat or the booster seat more. He rides in a Regent in our primary car, a turbobooster in our secondary car, and in the Monterey in the nanny car.

He said that he likes both of them the same. I probed more to try to figure out why he liked them both. He likes how the harness car seat has the pockets for his things, how the seat feels (it's a soft, plush material), and that it's comfortable to sleep in. He likes the booster seat because it has the cupholders and it is also comfortable. He couldn't decide which of our booster seats he likes better though.

It was interesting to me that he didn't mention anything about one being easier to fasten. I also thought he might not like having the harness on his crotch area, but he didn't mention that either.

I'm curious about what other older children say about their preference for boosters or harness seats when they are riding in both types of seats.

Melanie
 
ADS

DaniChildcare

New member
5yo boy (he sat in Marathon in moms car, HB Turbo in mine) - he liked the turbo more because he didn't like that someone else had to unbuckle him, and that it was a "big kid" seat (his younger sister had the same seat, and she's a "baby") He also found it more comfortable to sleep in because of the head wings. His mom recently bought him a booster for their car, and he loves the cup holders, since it holds his rock collection :rolleyes:

6yo boy - "was so glad to get out of the harnessed seat because he liked to be able to buckle himself in and out"

6yo boy -(this is the above 6yo's brother, 2 years younger - the one above is now 8) his parents moved him to a booster at 5 out of necessity for space, and he said he liked the harness better. When asked why, he said "he just did" i think he liked the "roomier" seat (he had a Regent)

5yo girl - doesn't care either way. She gets really frustrated that her brother can unbuckle his seat and she can't hers (in MA and BLVD) so if she had to pick one, it would be a booster, simply because she could unbuckle herself and get out of the car faster than her younger brother :rolleyes: but she doesn't really care either way.

3yo girl - when asked if she liked her older brothers seat more (she's still harnessed and has never been in a booster) she said no, because her seat was bigger LOL
 

myliljunebugs

New member
My DD will be 6 in June (exactly 4 months from today *sob*) and when faced with having to move to a booster full time in the forseeable future (growing out of Radian) asked for a "bigger strappy seat mommy". When questioned why she said "it feels safer, and cozy, and you don't yell at me all the time to sit right in my belt" LOL. So there you have it, got a GREAT deal on a FR85 and she can be harnessed for basically as long as her little heart desires.
 

Jan06twinmom

New member
Interesting to read some other kids responses.

My DS can buckle and unbuckle himself in both the Regent and the booster seats so that didn't seem to be an issue for him. I thought that he might prefer how one buckles, but he didn't bring it up.

When my DS was outgrowing the Radian at 5y9m, my DH said that I couldn't buy another harness car seat for him. My DS is so big already - 97th percentile - that it really isn't worth buying a harness seat for such a limited time since he was so close to 6 years at that point.

Melanie
 

myliljunebugs

New member
I was able to justify it because it wasn't much more than the booster I was looking at getting (I seriously got it for almost 50% off retail!) plus I like having the harness option even after I don't "need" it. DS went to booster at a little over 6, but went back to harness right at 7 when I got sick of telling him to sit right. He didn't go back to booster until age 8. DD is a lot calmer than DS, but is very much a "doo da" ;) and only truly sits properly when asleep.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
We moved Joy to a booster around her 6th birthday full time, but between 5 and 6 she preferred her harness because she felt she had more freedom to move. :whistle: In the booster she "couldn't dance" like she could in her Regent because she has to stay in position. lol
 

Mom-of-Two

New member
Well that's easy! My kiddo is 6.5 and she LOVES her Regent, she never wants to move out of it. :) She rides in it in our van full time and has been riding harnessed in her Nautilus in dad's car, and still does a lot, but we finally got her using a Turbobooster for most trips in dad's car which is usually 3-4 times pick up from school (20 mins). She hated it at first, 100%, but now is more used to how the seat belt FEELS- that was the big thing for her, she said it was tight and didn't like that, she couldn't lean as comfortably as she does in her Regent, etc.

We have no reason to move her into a booster in our van, since our Regent has 3 years left on it, she fits in it for a LONG time yet, and we don't need the seat for our youngest. So, for now, I take her vote into account, since she's 6 and can make up her own mind. Because we are taking a long road trip (12-16hr) come early summer, I will likely leave her be till the Fall, by then she'll turn 7 and will maybe compromise on getting a nice comfy booster for full time.

I am trying to tell her nothing will feel like her Regent, that beast of a seat truly is comfy. :D
 

ConnorsMommy

New member
My almost 4 year old son is still too young for a booster, but he has sat in one when the car was parked before and loved it. Anytime we are on the car seat aisle, he wants to sit in one. I just got him a Frontier, so he will be harnessed for at least another few years. Yesterday I tried it in booster mode just to show him what the red handle things were for, and he was way too small for the belt to fit right. I think my son would love to use a booster because he thinks its a big boy seat, but it's not happening any time soon.
 

christineka

New member
My dd1 has been in a booster since she was 5. When I got the regent (she was 10.5 years old) and she sat in it, she instantly fell in love. Britax made a car seat a kid could love when they made the regent. Once my 7 year old sat in it, he liked it too. Only my 9 year old refuses to like the seat. She will not be harnessed. 7 year old doesn't really care whether he's harnessed or not. Once upon a time, he did care and wanted to be in a booster, but now that he is accustomed to buckling in three acrosses, he prefers the harness because it's easier.
 

mum2two

Active member
My 7 1/2 year old DD said she likes her Regent (Cougar) and Frontier (Pink) booster equally the same. She says the Regent is comfy and good for sleeping and she likes how her clothes match it (she has a lot of leopard print stuff from Gymboree and yes she does match her seat!). She also likes the pockets.

She says the booster is fine too.

She was very concerned about getting a booster at the beginning of 2nd grade but now doesn't seem to be concerned.
 

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