First driving playdate, and not booster-trained

bnsnyde

New member
My son got his first invite to a playdate without me and with transportation by another mother. They'll leave right from camp. I know the family and it'll be a blast for the kids (and I won't have to drag my babies out)! Maybe 3 or 4 of these playdates this summer. She is 10 minutes away.

But he is not booster-trained and the harness works out so well in my car right now, I have no booster plans anytime soon. He'll have just turned 6 and is 51 lbs. and 46 inches.

I have a spare Vivo, and she has a spare Turbo booster, for the record. I also have a Prosport that's easy for me to install at drop-off. The other boy rides in a Turbo booster.

What would YOU do? Booster-training for playdates? But I won't be in the car so I really don't know how he'll be.
He has given me no grief about the harness so far and it's great knowing he'll always be in position, as it's hard enough to take 4 kids out, so one less thing to worry about.

I should add that he's bound to notice his friend has a different kind of seat, and that the 8-year-old sister rides in nothing. Normally we talk about what a bad choice the parents make when we see an 8-year-old in nothing, and in his 6-year-old world somehow he has to mesh those ideas with the fact that this is his friends' family and the mom is somehow making "bad" choices. He's very well-versed in carseat safety and he's going to see total contradictions to good use by FRIENDS and their parents in his life. Tough stuff when he's taught (in society in general) to always respect and look up to adults and their decisions as they are "wise."
 
ADS

hrice

New member
*I* would install the Prosport in her car.

You can booster train him in your vehicle on short drives until you feel comfortable that he will sit properly in other vehicles and longer drives.
 

babyherder

Well-known member
I'd booster train in your car until you know he can ride well and then send boosters on playdates. As long as you think he mature enough that it is reasonable to train him and you won't be training for 2 years or something.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
Depends on the kid. My default seat for a 6 year old is a booster. So unless the child REALLY needed a harness seat, I'd have him use a booster.
If the child were truly unable to sit in a booster, I'd have to let the parents know and talk about what arrangements to make, and i would install a seat for him..... but only if absolutely necessary. If I were pretty sure the kid could handle sitting in a booster for a few minutes, I'd send the booster.
 

aunt83me02

Senior Community Member
I'm getting ready to booster train my niece in my car. She's right at 40lbs and will be 5 on Tuesday. I typically lock the shoulder belt until they're 7 (care-giver choice since Toyota says you shouldn't...). I also have a MA installed for her as well. She'll be harnessed in her parents' vehicle until she's at least about 7.
 

rxmommy

New member
How do you think he will do? With my middle DD, her first rides in a booster (about a year ago, so she was just 4 almost 5) she was fine. She was so used to the harness I don't think she even realized she could move. She sat very still. Actually still to this day she sits very very well in a booster and rarely moves. Now, I know with friends in the car sometimes it's a different ballgame...leaning over to talk and stuff. But he may be just fine, too.

My default seat for a 5+ year-old in my van is a booster. Never had a parent want anything else, but I am the crazy carseat lady and I can't imagine anyone else wanting more anyway lol.
 

Traquy

New member
At 6 yrs old I find it odd you have not even booster trained him (and odd that this is his first playdate with someone else driving) but my DD regularly uses a booster with friends and goes on playdates with friends after school usually at least once a week (me and other Mom do an "exchange" 2 days a week)...so my frame of reference is probably off.

If I had a 6 yr old ride with me I would assume he used a booster and that he could sit properly in it.
 

T4K

Well-known member
Traquy said:
At 6 yrs old I find it odd you have not even booster trained him (and odd that this is his first playdate with someone else driving) but my DD regularly uses a booster with friends and goes on playdates with friends after school usually at least once a week (me and other Mom do an "exchange" 2 days a week)...so my frame of reference is probably off.

If I had a 6 yr old ride with me I would assume he used a booster and that he could sit properly in it.

Like you said, you are using yourself as a frame of reference.

Different strokes for different folks.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
If he is not booster trained, I'd start working on it, even if you don't use the booster for this particular play date. At 6 years old I think it's important for kids to know how to sit properly in a booster seat. He may not need to do it all the time, but at 6 many kids really do start riding in other people's cars more frequently so understanding how to sit properly, how to buckle himself in properly, etc. is important. I know that for me, it is not just that I want my kids to be able to sit properly, I want them to know exactly how they should be buckled. If dd is in a backless in someone else's car, I want her to remember that she needs a head rest behind her head. I want them to know that on a high back the seat belt needs to go in the belt guides.

I'm very paranoid and just don't always trust other parents simply because I have seen how other parents allow their children to ride in the car. So, I want my kids to know how to put their booster in someone else's car and get buckled safely in addition to knowing how to sit properly. DS is not really there yet but dd definitely is. :)
 

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