Almost 4 year old wants to turn RF

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tallylassie

New member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #1

DS has been forward facing since 14 months (before I knew better) and recently announced that he wanted to "be backwards" like his baby sister. Our tallest seat is a MA 70 and his head goes above the shell. I'd love to try him out in a RN but I don't know anyone locally who has one. It seems like an expensive proposition to buy one if it turns out that he's going to ask to go FF again soon. Henry is 40" and 36 lbs. What would you do?

(FWIW I do plan to ERF my daughter.)

 

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Maisie&BodensMommy

New member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #2

I wouldn't buy a new seat to RF my child at almost 4 years old. If I already had one, that would be a different story.

That being said, my dd is 39" tall and has loads of room left RF in her radian. Depending on your son's torso height, he could have a year or more left RF in it. I think I posted a pic on here a few months ago asking how much room ppl guesstimated my daughter had left RF and I think everyone said she'd make it to 5 easily.

 

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jjordan

Moderator

• Jul 1, 2012

• #3

If you posted a picture of him in the MA70 (installed in the car, RF, with him all buckled in), then we could maybe give you a ballpark of how much room he would have left in a radian.

That being said, there is NO WAY that I would buy a new seat to RF an almost-4 year old unless there are special needs involved that make RF more important than usual.

 

soph's mom

New member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #4

I know the complete air is fairly tall as well... Is the baby in an infant seat? If it is and you bought a radian you could always pass it down when the baby was ready...

 

SignCuer

New member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #5

I guess I'm in the minority. I would do it if my kid wanted to RF at that age.

It depends on torso length. Just measure him sitting against the wall from bum to shoulder and we can see how long he may have. Keep in mind the MA70 has a short rfing shell so he may have a nice while in the Radian.

The CA is another choice but keep in mind, the company put a strict restriction on 40 inches RFing limit and your child is there at the mark.

 

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MonkeyMama

Member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #6

I did purchase a Radian for a 4 year old. DD is currently 43" and 37lbs, but she is also short in the torso. She has never been FF. I don't think she would out grow RF till around 6ish but she will be forced to FF once her brother reaches 35 lbs (not far off I am afraid).

Sent from my MB860 using Car-Seat.Org

 

danivdp

New member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #7

Maisie&BodensMommy said:

I wouldn't buy a new seat to RF my child at almost 4 years old. If I already had one, that would be a different story.

Click to expand...

:yeahthatlove:

 

amelia222

New member

• Jul 1, 2012

• #8

If you will need to buy another RF seat for your baby to use later and you have the money available for it then it is an option. When he does outgrow it RF he can use it FF or pass it down to the baby. The choice is yours

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Jul 1, 2012

• #9

Guess I'll be another odd one out and say I'd do it (and have done it, it's why I got the S4M.) My general rule of thumb is 1) if the child wants to, 2) it makes them safer, and 3) I can afford it, I will buy them a new seat. But then again, I am a huge believer in the benefits of RFing longer than most on this board.

If it's not a financial hardship, I would probably go ahead and get the RN, and an angle adjuster, as it will last your DD a good bit longer than the MA70. If you'll have to struggle to do it, then I wouldn't.

 

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SoCalCarSeatMama

Guest

• Jul 1, 2012

• #10

If his head is above the shell of the MA70 then he will most likely be too tall to rf in the Radian. I have an RA55 and a Radian and my son's head is just a hair above the shell of the RA55 and he is also at the 1.5" mark on the Radian.

 

tam_shops

New member

• Jul 2, 2012

• #11

I'd RF if I had a seat, but wouldn't buy one--depending on how long you also want to ERF your dd and when the seat she is in expires.

I'm all about getting value for what I buy. So, if she'll need a new seat anyway, if her seat doesnt' ERF to a height/age you are happy with, or if s/he will need a seat b/c they are about to outgrow their seat, then I might.

Otherwise, I'd get him a nice Frontier, that he'll be able to use until too tall/old and then you can pass it down to her.

FWIW, I re-RF my 3.5yo and he stayed that way, by choice, until 6yo when (not by choice and he wasn't happy about it at the time) my YDS needed the RN to RF b/c yds had maxed the weight of the old style MA.

tam

 

alake

New member

• Jul 2, 2012

• #12

Leah rear faced until two. She will be five in August, and spoke about wanting to rear face again. I ordered her a RXT yesterday with a angle adjuster. I will eventually hand it down to Eryn, once she grows out of the Chaperone that I picked up for DH's truck. Leah is pretty little, with a large amount of growing room in the seat. She will most likely out grow the seat by weight rather than by height. She is fairly petite.

 

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tallylassie

New member

• Jul 8, 2012

• #13

Thank you so much for all the thoughtful responses. The posters who asked about my daughter's seat got me thinking about the fact that two of our convertibles will be expired before she's done RFing. We would just have the MA70 and would need a second seat. It sounds like buying a tall convertible so I can turn Henry isn't such a wacky idea. Next up: measure him and try to figure out how to post a pic of him in the MA!

This board is the best.

 

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tallylassie

New member

• Jul 10, 2012

• #14

Ok, seated measurements: 15" to shoulder, 23" to top of head. Is RN viable, or do I need to think Foonf?

Jury duty (!) so haven't been able to take a pic.

 

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boneheaderss

New member

• Jul 10, 2012

• #15

I would probably get the Radian or the Complete Air, and use it until he outgrows it rear facing. If he doesn't fit, there is always the option to use it rear facing for your daughter.