I honestly have never known a single almost 4 year old, or 4 year old for that matter, that could sit still in a booster 100% of the time. What happens when the one time he's not in position is the one time that a collision occurs?
Brain synapses do not develp until age 5 or 6... which is the impulse control to help kids to sit still and correctly in a booster.
He would be staying in the Husky or I would be getting him an approved Canadian seat. I would be looking at a combo seat or a Radian in this situation.
I'm not understanding why you can't have your hatch cover on? I had a Marathon (same v-shaped tether) in my dh's hatchback car and the cover goes on no problem.
I also wanted to let you know that those hatch covers will not do much to prevent items from flying around in a collision... they are merely there to block people from seeing into your 'trunk space'.
Edited to add: He's nowhere even close to as secure in a locked 3pt seatbelt as he is in a 5pt restraint. A 5 pt restraint allows the crash forces to be spread over the strongest areas of the body and MORE areas of the body which will help to disburse the impact to your child. Please don't kid yourself into thinking a locked seatbelt can take the place of a 5pt restraint.
I voted Parkway, but knowing his age now, there is NO WAY this child should be in a booster.
I'm not trying to sound super mean... I just want you to understand the importance of what you are thinking about. You obviously cared a great deal to go across the border and purchase a safe illegal seat to use up here. I think you need to remember why you made that decision.
2 years ago I would have written the same post you wrote me, so take this with the kindness with which I am speaking.
He does sit very still in the car, he has never been one to monkey around in his seat, never tried to undo his harness etc. He sits perfectly still the entire car ride, every time. Plus, with the belt locked it is impossible for him to lean out or position himself in any way other than exactly right.
I really like this forum, the moms and techs here do a great deal of education, but I also feel that some feel if a child is not in a 5 point harness until they are 9 or 10 years old, that the parents are doing a great disservice to the kids. I do agree that a 5 point is safer, but it does not mean that a child is unsafe in a booster when the child fits properly and sits properly. How much safer is he in the husky than in the parkway? 300%? 125.356%? 2%? 0.0001%? show me some numbers, you must have them.
I did look at radians and he has been in our friend's radian but he says it is not comfortable for him. we have a cottage in the country and go on long car rides where he will often sleep, and he needs to be comfortable, the radian does not fit the bill for us. He does also have a long torso and would not last long in the radian. I also looked at getting a combo seat, but he would not fit very well in the harness for long at all, plus the only booster with TSIP (which is of utmost importance to us for him) is the parkway, afaik.
the way our hatch cover goes on, it hooks into the back of the seat, so there is no gap between it and the rear seats. there are three holes designed for the top tethers to pass through but since they are V tethers, they are too wide to pass through properly and the hatch cover interferes with the proper use of the tether. The cover we have is very sturdy. I understand that it will not stop loose bricks from flying through, we don't carry those btw, but it is safer to use the hatch cover than not use it, right?
we do of course still have our husky, so depending how things go we may choose to put him back in it. I'm just saying that if you saw him in both seats side by side you would understand. Even my husband says that ds fits the booster better and he feels more comfortable with his kidney protected in it rather than his abdomen being out in the open in the husky.
