Help me work this through, please

I'm having knee surgery again at the end of June. Piper will be 4y11m the day after surgery. Nathan may be out of town most of my initial recovery (ie, before I can drive). Rather than trust people to install her seat every time she goes someplace (because I can barely kneel on my left knee as is, and I won't be able to kneel with my right for several months afterward) I'm thinking of getting Piper a Parkway. She's 31.5 pounds naked in the morning. It would be for short rides (45 minutes TOPS, and the person who would take her that far I actually trust to install her seat, so I may send the booster along with her for others to use while she's there with them). And after the surgery it would be a spare and then used more regularly (as her occasional around town seat in Daddy's car) probably when she outgrows the Wizard.

She's ridden in a high back before and does well. The Parkway is rated to 30 pounds, and of course while 40 pounds is the recommended minimum, Piper is likely to be seven or so before she hits that weight. I tell people that the Parkway and other boosters have the lower weight recommendation specifically for kids like Piper (though I know it's because people will buy them rather than more thought out like that, and I mention that as well).

So, WWYD? I won't be able to drive at all for at least 7 to 10 days. Nathan may be out of town most of that time. Trust people to install her seat? My neighbor who had her then four year old 34 pounder in a backless Turbobooster, and still sends it along as a spare even though her now six year old is still only 37 pounds (not to mention she fidgets and does NOT stay in position at all). My other neighbor who has her 43 pound 16" torsoed kid still in her AOE? Even though I've told her many times that her daughter was getting too big back when she was 39 pounds. Not to mention their seats tipped over before I taught her how to install them. Like I said, there's one friend who I would trust to install a Wizard. She's got a Regent in her car for her daughter. She was in fact upset to hear I may be getting Piper a booster because she bought the Regent on my recommendation and couldn't believe I'd put my child in that when she bought the Regent (I told her not to worry, a Regent is definitely in Piper's future). She's the one who's 45 minutes away, though.

WWYD?

I'm not terribly concerned about expiration. If it expires and Piper still needs a booster I'll just buy her another. But if I buy one that has a 2007 DOM then that'll last until 2013. Piper will be 11 then. She may very well not need it anymore, or have outgrown it by torso length.

Wendy

I think you're more likely to get her restrained properly in the booster, given the people she'll be riding with. I'm sure you could get HER to make sure her harness is on right in the Wiz, but I'd just doubt that the other people would install it right.
Or, i don't know, you said her seats tipped before you taught her - is there any chance she'd actually do it right?
Man, see, I'm waffling more than you are! LOL
Okay, IF you don't trust them to install, go with the booster. It's idiot-proof. I know that when Mikayla is in the PW, she worries that moving her head from side to side is dangerous - because I've drilled the safety of the harness into her, so she's paranoid! My guess is that Piper would be the same. That's why I don't stress about sending Mikayla in the PW from time to time. She's way too paranoid to sit in it wrong.

Wendy, I'm so sorry about your messed up knees. That makes things really hard on you If it helps, a friend of mine had knee surgery and within a week, she was able to move it more than before the surgery. Took her some months to recover full motion, but the constant pain was relieved.


Okay, here's my opinion. Remember, I'm not a tech! IMO, size matters more sometimes than overall weight of a child. My daughter outweighs yours by a good 6lbs now, but they're almost the same height. DD fits properly into a booster seat with her overall size. I'd imagine Piper is the same way. She's almost 5 years old, so she can help make sure the seatbelt is locked and she's sitting correctly. She's mature and is as car seat obsessed as you are.

So for short rides, in a good booster seat that suits her body as best as possible (not an APEX style ) , I really wouldn't worry about it. IMO, I'd rather have a correctly used HBB than a possibly incorrectly installed harness seat. Even though she's 5, I wouldn't rely on her to be able to check an adult's installation correctly AND be listened to.

Go with what you & her feel what will work the best in the situation.
good luck.

Will you be with her when others are driving? My thought, if at all possible, would be to be outside watching the other person install the seat, and then check to see how much it moves. If it's not tight enough, then have them tighten it. KWIM? If that is not possible, I would then reluctantly put her in a good booster, like the PW, and lock the seat belt. She is old enough too that you could, and I think should, talk to her about how important it is to make sure she is sitting correctly in her seat. Obviously not scaring the crap out of her, but make sure she sees that she needs to sit up, and sit properly. I am so sorry to hear about you need for surgery! I hope everything goes really well, and that your recovery is quick and as painless as possible!

Also not a Tech but I have a child who is very close in age. Though we have a regent he is a great booster rider. We used his booster now when we we're in Dad's or Grandma's car. I love the convience of not moving the Regent. I think piper will be fine. I was one that followed the stated weight when my 2 yo outgrew his AO height wise. He used it as a booster and later we got the Turbo booster. Finally I convinced DH that ds needed a harness. My 2 current 2 yo couldn't be trusted in a booster at all. But my almost 5 yo was a different story. If Piper can sit properly in a booster and most kids that are almost 5 can she will be fine.

Jenn

jennsmile said:

Also not a Tech but I have a child who is very close in age. Though we have a regent he is a great booster rider. We used his booster now when we we're in Dad's or Grandma's car. I love the convience of not moving the Regent. I think piper will be fine. I was one that followed the stated weight when my 2 yo outgrew his AO height wise. He used it as a booster and later we got the Turbo booster. Finally I convinced DH that ds needed a harness. My 2 current 2 yo couldn't be trusted in a booster at all. But my almost 5 yo was a different story. If Piper can sit properly in a booster and most kids that are almost 5 can she will be fine.

Jenn

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Thanks. I'm definitely thinking that way.

Wendy

JennasMommy said:

Will you be with her when others are driving? My thought, if at all possible, would be to be outside watching the other person install the seat, and then check to see how much it moves. If it's not tight enough, then have them tighten it. KWIM? If that is not possible, I would then reluctantly put her in a good booster, like the PW, and lock the seat belt. She is old enough too that you could, and I think should, talk to her about how important it is to make sure she is sitting correctly in her seat. Obviously not scaring the crap out of her, but make sure she sees that she needs to sit up, and sit properly. I am so sorry to hear about you need for surgery! I hope everything goes really well, and that your recovery is quick and as painless as possible!

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No, probably not. I won't be leaving my house for a few days, and if Nathan is out of town she may very well be spending overnights with various people.

I will teach her to ask to lock the belt, or to pull it out all the way herself. One car is a 2006 Ody, another is a 2007 Santa Fe, and another is a new-ish Passat, so all have switchables in the back, I'm sure.

Thanks for the well wishes. I had this surgery done in January on the other knee, and it exceeded all of the doctor's expectations. Hopefully this knee will go as well.

Wendy

Morganthe said:

Wendy, I'm so sorry about your messed up knees. That makes things really hard on you If it helps, a friend of mine had knee surgery and within a week, she was able to move it more than before the surgery. Took her some months to recover full motion, but the constant pain was relieved.


Okay, here's my opinion. Remember, I'm not a tech! IMO, size matters more sometimes than overall weight of a child. My daughter outweighs yours by a good 6lbs now, but they're almost the same height. DD fits properly into a booster seat with her overall size. I'd imagine Piper is the same way. She's almost 5 years old, so she can help make sure the seatbelt is locked and she's sitting correctly. She's mature and is as car seat obsessed as you are.

So for short rides, in a good booster seat that suits her body as best as possible (not an APEX style ) , I really wouldn't worry about it. IMO, I'd rather have a correctly used HBB than a possibly incorrectly installed harness seat. Even though she's 5, I wouldn't rely on her to be able to check an adult's installation correctly AND be listened to.

Go with what you & her feel what will work the best in the situation.
good luck.

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Thanks. I had this surgery done already on the other knee (that knee is getting the screws out at the same time this one is being done. Yay!) and I was pleasantly surprised to feel more comfortable instantly. My knees have been bad for 16 years, but they flare up and go down again. So to feel relief at a time I didn't think I was feeling discomfort, it was nice. I had 90 degrees of motion within a week and was at full range within two or three.

Piper is already on the second notch up in the Parkway when I've sat her in it in stores. She fit into the Compass by torso height at 3 or 3.5 years and 28 pounds. She actually rode in one VERY briefly (across the parking lot) in Lysandra's (londal65's) car a week or so ago. She liked it.

Thanks for the encouragement. I feel that it's ok, but at the same time have a nagging feeling in there. Didn't know if it was actually based on anything, or just a desire to stop her from growing up to an age where a booster is allowed. LOL

Wendy

Kellyr2 said:

I think you're more likely to get her restrained properly in the booster, given the people she'll be riding with. I'm sure you could get HER to make sure her harness is on right in the Wiz, but I'd just doubt that the other people would install it right.
Or, i don't know, you said her seats tipped before you taught her - is there any chance she'd actually do it right?
Man, see, I'm waffling more than you are! LOL
Okay, IF you don't trust them to install, go with the booster. It's idiot-proof. I know that when Mikayla is in the PW, she worries that moving her head from side to side is dangerous - because I've drilled the safety of the harness into her, so she's paranoid! My guess is that Piper would be the same. That's why I don't stress about sending Mikayla in the PW from time to time. She's way too paranoid to sit in it wrong.

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I just told Piper I was going to get her one and she flat out refused, turned her back on me. But then she asked to see which one I was talking about and remember that she rode in Lysandra's and liked it. So we're back on for getting it. I'll just make sure she knows to sit properly and lock the seatbelt and we should be good. But she would MUCH rather have her harness (and a pink parkway, but Nathan gets the choice on that since it's going in his car and will be an occasional seat. She's getting the Madison Regent for my truck).

Thanks!

Wendy