what age to booster someone who still fits rf?

vangelder03 · Oct 24, 2012

ds2 who is 4 yrs old rides rf in either a true fit premier or radian xt.
when would it be just as safe to have him ff in a booster seat.
ds2 and ds3 fight and if he is ff next to my youngest they kick each other.
so my options are 3rd row booster or 3rd row frontier 85 which i don't have.

LISmama810 · Oct 24, 2012

vangelder03 said:
ds2 who is 4 yrs old rides rf in either a true fit premier or radian xt.
when would it be just as safe to have him ff in a booster seat.

Forward-facing (harness or booster) is never going to be as safe as rear-facing, ever. That doesn't mean that he can't be SAFE in a booster, although at 4 it's likely he won't.

Will he be able to sit properly the entire time? If he's fighting and kicking his siblings, I wonder if he will. Most kids aren't mature enough to sit properly until at least 5.

Why is a non-existent Frontier your only FF harnessing option? Would a Maestro work?

rachelandtyke · Oct 24, 2012

I'd ff in the TFP or Radian. I agree, if he won't not kick siblings, he doesn't sound like he has enough impulse control for a booster.

vangelder03 · Oct 24, 2012

LISmama810 said:
Forward-facing (harness or booster) is never going to be as safe as rear-facing, ever. That doesn't mean that he can't be SAFE in a booster, although at 4 it's likely he won't.

Will he be able to sit properly the entire time? If he's fighting and kicking his siblings, I wonder if he will. Most kids aren't mature enough to sit properly until at least 5.

Why is a non-existent Frontier your only FF harnessing option? Would a Maestro work?

It's the only seat that will install in the third row of my mercury mountaineer.
have had a cpst from this board confirm it. the only seats with a good install are the frontiers or the regents installed lbp. ds3 is the one doing most of the kicking. currently ds1 and dd are third row in boosters. ds2 and ds3 are behind driver and in the middle. need outboard seat free so my other 2 can get in the third row

christineka · Oct 24, 2012

Could you make the older ones go through the middle to get to the 3rd row?

Keeanh · Oct 24, 2012

christineka said:
Could you make the older ones go through the middle to get to the 3rd row?

That's what I would do, hands down. If kids can do things like climb trees and make underground tunnels, they can most certainly navigate around seats. I would never sacrifice the safety of a young child for an older kid's convenience. My big kids usually have to climb over/under RF seats to get in my van. Oh well

.

ETA: If you don't have a console or anything between the front seats, they could also go through the front passenger door and down the middle rather than trying to get around RF seats. If they HAVE to go in through a rear door, can you quickly pop a front seat forward so that they can squeeze between the RF seat and the front seat?

Keeanh · Oct 24, 2012

If a Frontier is really your only option, I would still choose that over boostering a 4yo. You have another child to pass it down to, and a Frontier will have some resale value when you're done with it.

Baylor · Oct 24, 2012

No way would I go straight to a booster from rfing. I would use the fr85.

rachelandtyke · Oct 24, 2012

Given the additional info, I'd get the FR85 or keep him rfing.

vangelder03 · Oct 24, 2012

rachelandtyke said:
Given the additional info, I'd get the FR85 or keep him rfing.

the sad part is I had two frontier 85 and I sold them. had one sitting in my garage for about a year than when dd turned 6 in june their was 2 in the garage so i gave up since ds2 was so tiny and sold them. I will start saving for a new one and he will stay rf til then.

christineka · Oct 24, 2012

vangelder03 said:
the sad part is I had two frontier 85 and I sold them. had one sitting in my garage for about a year than when dd turned 6 in june their was 2 in the garage so i gave up since ds2 was so tiny and sold them. I will start saving for a new one and he will stay rf til then.

I was wondering what happened to those seats. Stalk nobetterdeal.com

lorismurph · Oct 25, 2012

I too would not booster at 4years. Save up and watch NBD for a FR85. You are such an awesome mom!

Suzibeck · Oct 25, 2012

I put my rfing 4 yo in a booster in our driveway one day a couple of months ago. Nope, no way, no how, will she be boostered for a long time. I have turned her ffing this week and figure I might start booster training on short drives when she turns 5. The Recaro Vivo fits her amazingly well given how petite she is but I won't be using it for her as it will expire before she is ready.

KaysKidz · Oct 25, 2012

One of my 5.5yr old twins can fit rf'ing, but doesn't ride rf'ing. He is harnessed in the main vehicle but does have a booster for secondary vehicles. I am wondering at what age I will move him to a booster despite fitting in nearly every harnessed seat out there...and would fit in the ones we own until he is 10! My point is, at some point, age may trump size when deciding what type of seat to allow your child to ride in....as long as they meet the requirements.

SignCuer · Oct 25, 2012

The 5.5 year old lil racer is still rfing in my van and in other cars. (Long and lean!) He's only 37 lbs and still has room in his size4me and radian80sl. He does have a graco nautilus for backup emergencies but we have not had to use it yet (he doesn't want to anyway.) He will not use a booster for another year or so due to his maturity and implusiveness. So we'll see in the spring when he turns 6 but i have a feeling he will be using the nautilus full time, harnessed until he turns 7 when he is done with rfing.

alake · Oct 25, 2012

I said five. Leah is five years and two months, still RF in my truck. I just picked up a booster for her to start booster training. We had an emergency a while ago, and she had to go in a booster seat. She is by no means going into a booster full time. Summer is nearly 7 and rides in a booster rarely. I have no preference for Summer, if she asked me today, I would have no issues boostering her full time. She likes her harnessed seats more. They both are car sleepers. If in the vehicle for more than twenty five minutes 60% of the time one if not both are sleeping.

lanwenyi · Oct 25, 2012

I booster-train the summer before Kindergarten no matter the size of the child (as long as the child is of sufficient size to be legally in a booster).

DD is 5y1m, still fits in her Radian RFing (has outgrown our TFP, by weight, and Blvd, by height and, more recently by weight). She rides rfing in the main car (by her choice). She'll stay harnessed in the main car until she can stay seated correctly in a booster 100% of the time on our 3day road trips. I suspect that won't happen until 8ish. She rides in a booster in all other cars.

I have no problem with a child going from rfing to a booster. DD did and has had no problems.

what age to booster someone who still fits rf?

what would you do?

now

age 5

age 6

buy him a frontier 85

keep him rf til he gets to big

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