My 8-yr-old DD is still in the Graco Nautilus full seat, still OK?

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Tanibani

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #1

I'm not sure what her height is, probably closer to 50-51" tall. The limit is 57" tall. She's very skinny, so I'm not worried about the weight.

Being a 3rd grader, she's obviously embarrassed she's still in a "baby" seat.

Just curious how old your kids were when you let go of the full back support booster. Most of her peers are in booster bottoms only.

Tanya

 

skylinphoto

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #2

As long as her shoulders are not over the harness she still fits. The harness has to come from at or above her shoulders.

My ds was 5.5yrs old when we switched to a highback booster full time.

 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #3

My dd switched to a booster full time on her 6th birthday. She went to a backless on her 7th birthday. She LOVED her nauti, don't get me wrong, it was her fave seat from age 3 to age 6 However - There is NO safety benefit to keeping your dd in the harness, if she can sit properly in a highback, or lowback booster seat. And if she has outgrown the nauti harness height, it is actually dangerous to have her in the seat if her shoulders are over the top harness slots, regardless of her overall height.

 

christineka

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #4

If she fits in the harness, then she's fine in it. If she sits properly and fits good in the booster, then that's fine too. My ds just got out of the harness at 9.5 years old. Once he learned what a pain it was to buckle a booster in a 3 across, he had no complaints about staying harnessed "forever", but my kids are odd. (My 11 and 12 year old girls want to ride in boosters forever.)

 

T

Tanibani

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #5

She's not in the built-in harness anymore, just the belt across her chest.
Since the head-rest is adjustable, it's easy to pull it higher, so yeah, the seatbelt slots are above her shoulders.

I'm just wondering if there are any other 8 yr olds still in full back Nautilus. If this is beneficial, I will keep it.

Thanks for all the responses.

 

Baylor

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #6

My 8 yr old has a low back booster for daily travel. He only uses hbb for long trips or night trips when he is likely to sleep. At 8 I would get her a lbb.

auto correct hates me

 

SignCuer

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #7

I'm the oddball out and I would keep her in highback until she outgrows it.

 

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careynj

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #8

It really depends on the kid. My niece who just turned 8 much prefers a high back booster to a backless.

 

clmchrissy

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #9

My 8 year old rides in both hbb and nbb, he prefers the hbb because it gives him a place to rest his head. If she fits and likes riding in it then I would continue to use it.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #10

I'd keep her in a highback as long as you can... my daughter is about her height (but probably longer torso... she's already outgrown the evenflo big kid and only has a couple settings left on her probooster) and only uses a backless as a spare because she outgrew her spare highback.

But the other reason I keep her in a highback is that my daughter has such narrow shoulders that finding a backless that gives her a good fit is really hard. The cosco top side is the only one that does so in my dh's car, so that's her spare.

She has been asking to go backless and she's not a car sleeper, but I'm holding off until after christmas because she usually falls asleep when we go christmas eve to see the lights.

 

Little Ps Mama

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #11

If she's happy in a highback, I'd leave her there. Nothing wrong with it.

 

christineka

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #12

My older girls move to boosters at 40 pounds (at ages 5 and nearly 5). They stayed in their high backs until too tall- that was age 12 for the older and 11 for the younger.

 

jacqui276

New member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #13

My 8 year old is in a no back booster but has a couple friends her age that still ride in high backs. As long as the belt fits correctly and she stays in position, either option is safe.

The hbb that I had for DD had a terrible terrible fit (it was Cosco Voyager and we also had an Alpha Omega) so I moved her to a nbb not long after she started riding in a booster seat because it fit her well (her Graco Turbo Booster). I was not very car seat educated so didn't see the point in paying more for a high back (and she sits nicely in the car and doesn't sleep). DD was 4 when she moved to a booster (outgrew her convertibles) and almost 5 when she started riding in a nbb. Now that I know more, when she was so young I would have put greater effort into finding a hbb that worked for us. However, at the age of 8 she sits great in the car and I am completely comfortable with her riding in a nbb.

Either option is safe as long as the belt fits her correctly in the seat and she stays in position so that it continues to fit her correctly throughout the entire car ride. If she is fine riding in the Nautilus, I would keep her in it. If she is embarrassed by it, I would be comfortable having her ride in a nbb.

 

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Athena

Well-known member

• Sep 23, 2012

• #14

So she's in a high back booster instead of a backless? How is that a baby seat? And why would she think it's a baby seat? I don't get it.

My oldest is 6 and she is harnessed. She has never complained and has no reason to feel uncomfortable about it. We will be trying her in a booster soon in the least frequently used car and it will certainly be a high back. Personally as a parent, I'd prefer to see my child's body and head contained and protected as long as possible. It looks a lot more comfortable to have a head wing to rest on too. Even if I wanted to, I doubt my slim kid would fit properly in a no back given how hard it's been to find a high back that fits her slim frame properly.

 

Kac

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Sep 23, 2012

• #15

There are not any statistics that state that a HBB is safer than a LBB, as long as the seatbelt is correct and she stays in position. HBB offer side impact, but we don't have testing standards for that.

I'd be fine with either for an 8yo.

 

all together ooky

New member

• Sep 24, 2012

• #16

My 3rd grade daughter rides full-time in a Frontier as a booster. She's never complained. She actually likes the head wings. When she goes with friends she uses a backless (she's usually the only one that uses a booster, but her friends don't make fun of her and she knows it's safer.