What can I tell a friend who...

jewels2b

New member
What can I tell my neighbor/friend who has her tiny tiny 5 year old girl (maybe 40lbs and about 42/43 inches tall) in a backless booster and she has her just turned 3 year old short stalky boy (maybe 35lbs and 36 inches tall) in a turbo highback booster (no harness).

This friend turned her kids around in the marathon on their first birthday and she had her little girl in the highback booster even before she was 3 because her youngest needed the marathon.

I know for sure they have a marathon that is not expired but it's not in either of their cars anymore. I just cringe everytime I see their little girl so tiny in the back seat being secured by just the seatbelt.

This friend is very defensive about her parenting decisions that's why I haven't said anything yet. Her 5 year old is only a tiny bit taller but skinnier than my 3 year old.
 
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babygirlsmom1005

New member
This is difficult.

Technically, she's not misusing the seats due to the High Backed Turbo Booster has a minimum weight of 30 lbs and depending on the backless, it could have the same minimum or a 40 lbs minimum. Is it best practice? No it isn't. Is she misusing the seats? No

Her 5 year old is the same size of my 5 year old and she's now full time 5 point harness and being booster trained in a Graco HB Turbo.

If she is already defensive about parenting choices, it maybe something I would just leave alone and say a prayer for them.
 

henrietta

Well-known member
What can I tell my neighbor/friend who has her tiny tiny 5 year old girl (maybe 40lbs and about 42/43 inches tall) in a backless booster and she has her just turned 3 year old short stalky boy (maybe 35lbs and 36 inches tall) in a turbo highback booster (no harness).

This friend turned her kids around in the marathon on their first birthday and she had her little girl in the highback booster even before she was 3 because her youngest needed the marathon.

I know for sure they have a marathon that is not expired but it's not in either of their cars anymore. I just cringe everytime I see their little girl so tiny in the back seat being secured by just the seatbelt.

This friend is very defensive about her parenting decisions that's why I haven't said anything yet. Her 5 year old is only a tiny bit taller but skinnier than my 3 year old.

Well, it certainly isn't ideal, but it's not awful either. A 5 yr old in a booster isn't the worst thing in the world, even a no back one. It would be best if she were in the high back turbo and the three year old was still harnessed. But tread lightly...it IS possible that the kids are longer torsoed and are very close to being too tall for the high back Turbo and MA. My 5.5 yr old is not yet 40 lbs and 43" tall--he's not on the lowest setting of a Turbo when we've tried it out. I don't really think a Turbo would last him very long.

I suspect that she gave the younger one the high back Turbo, b/c she was tired of buckling and unbuckling or tired of lifting him in and getting the crotch strap pulled out from under him (maybe she can't-never know people's circumstances). Plus, she was trying to avoid spending a lot (maybe she couldn't-never know people's circumstances). If that's the case, you may be able to share the Evenflo Maestro w/her (you've learned about a seat for $75 that would keep the 3 yr old harnessed, but is really easy to use!) and put the five year old back in the highback that she already has (b/c she can fall asleep in it on trips and better protected in side impacts).

I'm sure a tech here has links about why a 3 yr old is safer harnessed, aside from the obvious maturity issue. Hip bones are more developed in an older child and can better take the forces in a crash, harness keeps his body more in the seat, etc. So many good reasons.

GL in sharing info w/her. It's really tough. I have a friend who turned her tiny dd ff'ing before her first birthday, not even weighing 20 lbs, despite me sharing all of the info with her. ugh. She was even my next door neighbor for 2.5 yrs and pulled out of the driveway and was nearly hit by a drunk, speeding idiot (would have hit her passenger side of her 2 door Saturn, right where her dd's brand new Evenflo Chase was installed! lucky for her, dd wasn't in the car!!!) I just can't even look anymore!

henrietta
 

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