To booster or not to booster

Thats the question!

My DD1 is going to be 6 at the very very end of June. She is 43" 39lb (or at least that was her last weight without a cast and she was 41lb with a long arm cast and 40lb with the short cast) Ive always said 6 & 40lb was the very minimum I would allow for booster rides. Now that she is almost there Im having a bit of an anxiety attach lol. I know at her age and size there is no proof she is safer in the harness. And it is possible she would be mature enough to ride in the booster. I have never even tried it before, so I have no reason to think she would or wouldnt do well in one. But I dunno I guess I just feel its safer in a harness. Im afraid to even try it out because if she likes it better than being harnessed she will fight to not go back.

Im going to be getting some money soon and I planned on getting her either a booster or another back up GN (thats what is in my car and she is on the 3rd slot, plenty of growing room). I just dont know which one. :shrug-shoulders:

Pros to a booster
*easily moves from one car to the other. She rides with my MIL often and it is a pain to install and uninstall her GN.
*easier for car pool or rides with friends
*if I kept it in my MIL car she could use it with my nephew (5yr 44" 55lb) when she has him
*probably cheaper
*DH could have her in his car

Pros to harness
*peace of mind
*I could keep it in my MIL car and my nephew could still use it, if his parents would allow him to be harnessed
*did I mention peace of mind lol


I dunno... why must this be so hard???

I'm kind of in the same boat. DD is almost 6 and almost 40 lbs (actually at or over it with clothes and shoes). I have a HBTB and Vivo for her to use when the time comes. I think that after she hits 6, I will start letting her sit in the booster for short drives to see how she does. Then if we needed to use it for emergency or short rides with someone else, etc, she'd know what to do (and I'd know if she can do it). Depending on how she does, I may move her full time or wait until she outgrows the TF.

I would get the booster. Train her in YOUR car, but make it clear that it is an occasional thing (I hesitate to use the words "special" or "treat" but something along those lines.)

I would do it as an occasional thing. With the AAP new recommendations they are saying harness until they dont fit.

I think thats what Ill end up doing. Ill get her a booster and a spare GN. Ill use the spare GN in MIL car and put the booster in my Van back seat, train her, then move it to DH car where she would only ride very very rarely when he would pick or drop her off from school. That way when I decide to let her booster full time I can just change both the GN to boosters and be done with it.... Hopefully unless there is a fit issue.

And some where along my looking I decided DD2 needs spare seat :whistling:lol. I think Ill get her a CA. That way when she is older, much much older, she will have a better FF seat (she is in a Myride now and only 17m, no plans to FF till she would out grow the seat)

Somehow I read your last statement as she is FF in a MR at 17 mos and please no flames, lmbo. About had a heart attack. Teaches me to read too quickly.

I would try her in GN as a booster now. (Just buckle in the driveway to check fit, I mean.) That way, you'll have an idea of whether or not it might fit -- although fit tends to change significantly as the child approaches maxing out the seat. But if the fit is terrible horrible awful, you'll have that in the back of your mind for long-term planning. (You can always pass it to DD2 and get DD1 dedicated boosters if that's the case, though.)

LOL haha no she wont FF till AT LEAST 3 and thats just if she has out grown the seat at that age. Any time before 3 Id purchase a seat to keep her RF.


Does the GN fit similar to the turbo booster??

once they are REALLY big enough and old enough (somewhere around age 5-6 and at least 40lbs) I like to see them booster capable from practice/training in case of an emergency situation... and to help prepare them for when they outgrow their harnesss.

she's certainly on the more petite side and I certainly wouldn't stop using a 5-point harness when you've bought and paid for the seat already and she AND you are comfortable with her using it.

MommaWhitney said:

LOL haha no she wont FF till AT LEAST 3 and thats just if she has out grown the seat at that age. Any time before 3 Id purchase a seat to keep her RF.

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LOL, I know, that's why I was like and read it correctly the second time.

Does the GN fit similar to the turbo booster??

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No. Not at all.

Ugh go figure lol Ill try it out in a few weeks... Ive got to get past the ending of school before I try and add anything else to my plate lol