Question When to start booster training?

I need to buy another seat for DD to use on the occasional ride with my mom. DD will be 5 in December, is 43" tall and 35 lbs. I'm somewhat considering buying a dedicated booster to use in my moms vehicle. DD rides with her on very short trips from time to time and I'm wondering if this would be a good opportunity to start booster training with her. For what its worth I'm looking at the SS Turbo, its on sale at Target and if I order online I will get it for $60 shipped. Opinions?

My DD started using a booster in DH's truck for short trips not long after she turned 5. I think it's a great way to slowly move into booster riding. Make sure to talk to both your DD & your mom about how she needs to sit and be buckled in the booster.

(what's funny is my DS is turning 5 in Dec also and putting him in a booster isn't even on my radar yet, goes to show how much it depends on the child also)

Personally, I want to be the one to booster train my DD. So I would not put her in a booster in someone else's car before mine.

I've started booster training my 4.5 yo. I'm probably going to have him in a booster in DH's car full time when he turns 5 (unless he outgrows the Maestro before then), but right now, he only rides in a booster in my car for short trips around town. DH is a tech too but doesn't really have any booster experience so I want him with me for now.

At 5 years old, if you have to buy a new seat anyway, I'd get a booster and start booster training. In my experience, a kid who is ready for a booster only needs to have the rules set out and shown how to buckle properly. Then they take a ride and are "booster trained", so I have no problems with the booster in grandma's car.

If your mom is the type who will buckle properly and enforce the "booster rules:" be still, don't lean, etc., then it's probably okay. If not, you might want to begin booster training yourself before putting her in a booster in your mom's car.

Lucky for me my moms car seat knowledge is very good, just tell her what to do and look for and she follows it. DD did ride in her Maestro in booster mode once in our community and did fairly well. Fit wasn't perfect but driving for 10 minutes around our quiet development gave me a good idea as to if she might be ready.

Would the SS Turbo be a good fit? She is a bit of a bean pole, lol!

I would have no problems with it, but (and this is a big "but") you need to booster-train her in your car first. Once you are certain that she can sit correctly 100% of the time for the longest trip that gma could possibly take her on, then you can take the booster to gma's house.

Caveat: Be prepared for the possibility that you'll need to buy a harnessed seat after all. Some kids are ready at 4, but not all of them.

Illustration: My DD went into a booster at 4y7m b/c she broke her arm. She sat perfectly, even sleeping, in her Vivo on trips up to 2.5hrs (the longest trip we took while her arm was broken). However, I also have a niece that at 6y6m, still would not sit correctly. My sis had to keep her harnessed until 6y11m, when she outgrew the Maestro (a FR85 was out of the question financially). My sis still has to constantly remind her to stay put and leave her belts alone. Her sisters (all 3 are neurotypical) reached booster maturity at 5yo and at nearly 6yo.

Kids reach this maturity at vastly different ages. You might be lucky and have a kid who is ready at nearly 5yo. Just be prepared that she might not be ready yet. Both are developmentally normal.

My ds was ready for a booster at 5. He sat perfectly.
My dd is 4.5 and is nowhere near ready for a booster. She's much too immature and impulsive. Not to mention too small (she's 28lbs).
Every kiddo is different. Give it a try in your car and see how she does.