Question At what poit do you let friends kids

littleangelfire · Jan 4, 2013

not sit in a booster in your car?

Yes, technically the answer is when they five step without it, but the kids I'm talking about probably won't five step until they're15, 16 years old, if at all. They are very petite, very lightweight, like not even on the growth charts for height or weight, either of them. They don't use boosters with their parents, one hasn't for years, she's 10. The other is 8. I'm very afraid that at some point it's going to start a real fight with not just the kids, but the parents, to continue requiring them to use a booster.

mybabybean · Jan 4, 2013

In my opinion you are responsible for the safety of any child in your vehicle. As long as they are under 4'9" I require it in my car

carseatcoach · Jan 4, 2013

I'm not sure. Definitely not at age 8. Probably not at age 10. Perhaps once they've entered puberty and their hipbones are harder and sharper.

ETA: Is there a medical reason they are so small? Fragile kids would be boostered forever.

littleangelfire · Jan 4, 2013

carseatcoach said:
I'm not sure. Definitely not at age 8. Probably not at age 10. Perhaps once they've entered puberty and their hipbones are harder and sharper.

ETA: Is there a medical reason they are so small? Fragile kids would be boostered forever.

Nope, just tiny kids. In fact, both are involved in gymnastics and very strong muscular kiddos. the 10yo can pick up people twice her weight without flinching.

Wreckgoddess · Jan 4, 2013

Thats a toughy.
My sister is a wonderful parent and always has open ears when it comes to stuff like carseat safety etc. but she never really follows it.
She has a 5 year old boy that is in an expired booster (at least its a highback?) and I have seen him occasionally not riding in one at all.
She has a 10 year old daughter who hasn't ridden in a booster in YEARS.

I bought the 10 year old a booster and when the 10 year old went to get in my car and saw it she FLIPPED.

Long story short, Momma doesn't require it. I'm letting it be Momma's decision/problem. The 5 year old though, I harness in my spare Radian every single ride.. I do NOT make it an option for him and Momma seems to be ok with that. He fusses some. But I just laugh it off. Like "Sorry baby, thats the seat I have for you to ride in in Aunt Kristin's car! Isn't it cool? It's like a race car seat!" I even talk about how cool it would be if we got in an accident like the drivers in Nascar. (He loooves race cars and Hot Wheels) and he responds well to that.

Meanwhile, my 3 year old is sitting RF next to him completely innocent to whats going on... the dreaded car seat/booster battle...

I have 2 friends who requires ALL other kids of booster riding age to be boostered in her car. Their daughters are in 6th grade? Still boostered.

Qarin · Jan 4, 2013

I'm finding the premise hard to accept. I have an extremely petite 11 year old, and she's 4'4", 65lbs, and while she doesn't 5step, she really is remarkably close in some vehicles. I'm trying to imagine a child without something diagnosable being so much smaller than she is that they can't be expected to 5step before age 15. What are these kids' actual stats?

littleangelfire · Jan 4, 2013

I'm of course just guessing

10yo is 50lbs ish, possibly less, and 2 heads or so shorter than my son who's almost 4'9", I believe. She's the size of many 6yos, just slightly taller. Other girl is 8yo, 40ish pounds, size of many 5ish yos. They each have one or both parents that are petite and small framed. They will never be big kids/grown-ups. Generally I say till you five step, till you pass at least the minimums, but with them I'm not sure what to do b/c at some point I also believe age should start playing a factor.

thekatie · Jan 4, 2013

In general I say once they are both at the legal age to ride without a booster AND they can 5-step (all J's friends I drive are legal age, none 5-step).

I know a girl like you're describing. K is 7, June birthday, and she weighs 31.5lb (we were talking about it at dinner last night when DH picked up our 23lb toddler and K at the same time, and said "She only barely outweighs him!" So her parents and we discussed their sizes). I can never remember exactly how tall she is, but she can barely go on any Disney rides (our families go together), so I'm guessing under 40" & definitely under 44". She has absolutely nothing wrong with her, no *medical* growth issues, all labs and such are great, she is just TINY. But her mom is carseat friendly, and has K and K's 9 year old sister boostered (older sister is the only other child in J's grade in a booster), so in HER case, I'd let her ride in my car without a booster when mom does... Which doesn't help you, sorry

littleangelfire · Jan 4, 2013

thekatie said:
In general I say once they are both at the legal age to ride without a booster AND they can 5-step (all J's friends I drive are legal age, none 5-step).

I know a girl like you're describing. K is 7, June birthday, and she weighs 31.5lb (we were talking about it at dinner last night when DH picked up our 23lb toddler and K at the same time, and said "She only barely outweighs him!" So her parents and we discussed their sizes). I can never remember exactly how tall she is, but she can barely go on any Disney rides (our families go together), so I'm guessing under 40" & definitely under 44". She has absolutely nothing wrong with her, no *medical* growth issues, all labs and such are great, she is just TINY. But her mom is carseat friendly, and has K and K's 9 year old sister boostered (older sister is the only other child in J's grade in a booster), so in HER case, I'd let her ride in my car without a booster when mom does... Which doesn't help you, sorry

Yeah, unfortunately the parents, my friends, aren't particularly car seat friendly. They appease me in my car, but I know they get irritated with me over it. One had let my son ride without a booster a few months back. I was pretty surprised and upset when he told me, even though I recognize it was MY fault - I left him there and totally forgot to leave him a booster! I know better than that.

ETA: forgot to mention, legal here for without booster is 8 or 80lbs. So they both have reached that.

tam_shops · Jan 4, 2013

So long as my kid(s) are in boosters, their friends will be also. I explain it to their friends and so far have yet to catch a complaint and I was 5pt 5yos that were not 40# (law here), so hoping when booster days start to end for some kids, it won't be the same thing.

In your case, I'd have less of a problem w/ the 10, than the 8yo. 8yos *need* boosters period. Though, if your 10yo is still in one, then I'd just say it's the rule in our car, would we all walk? That should shut most kids up!

Cause I'd walk it and I'm sure my kids know it! LOL

tam

babyherder · Jan 5, 2013

Somewhere around puberty I'd consider it. Maybe age 13? I don't know. I'd consider on a case by case basis.

littleangelfire · Jan 5, 2013

tam_shops said:
So long as my kid(s) are in boosters, their friends will be also. I explain it to their friends and so far have yet to catch a complaint and I was 5pt 5yos that were not 40# (law here), so hoping when booster days start to end for some kids, it won't be the same thing.

In your case, I'd have less of a problem w/ the 10, than the 8yo. 8yos *need* boosters period. Though, if your 10yo is still in one, then I'd just say it's the rule in our car, would we all walk? That should shut most kids up! Cause I'd walk it and I'm sure my kids know it! LOL

tam

Well, my son is 8 but off the other end of the charts - 95% for height and weight, he's the size of most 10yos. So he'll be out of a booster within the next year probably.

mlohry · Jan 5, 2013

My DS's BFF is 10 and no longer in a booster, so I don't make him ride in 1 in our car. Maybe I should. I don't have an extra. He doesn't 5 step in our van, but is closer in his own car. When my DS rides with them he always tajes his booster with him.

ketchupqueen · Jan 5, 2013

Well, in CA, the law is that the driver is responsible for the properly fitted seatbelt wearing of everyone under 16. After 16, it's still the law, but it's their own ticket for not wearing it properly (though I think the driver can still maybe get in trouble for having totally unbelted passengers, that would never, ever happen in my car...)

I doubt it would happen without a medical condition, though. 12-13 is where most of the outliers fall for those who are really late passing the 5-step test (if they're going to pass at all...) And the ones that never really do pass, the lap belt fit is usually at least ok, it's the shoulder belt that causes issues. So once the lap belt fit ok, I'd be ok with poor shoulder belt fit as long as they were mature enough to keep it on properly even if it bugged.

bubbaray · Jan 5, 2013

Law here is 9 or height (4'9"? I should know that!). I have had a tall G5 student without a booster in my car, she 5stepped.

After age 9 if they 5step, I'm not going to fight them if its a one-off emergency transport. If its a regular transport, I will discuss with parents and see what fit is like. My preference is booster until older, but I'm not going to lose sleep if it is an emergency and they 5 step over age 9.

FWIW, if the vehicle is DHs truck, the kids won't 5 step for years. I'm 5'9" with a 34" inseam and I barely 5 step

jacqui276 · Jan 5, 2013

I was going to answer with ""when they hit puberty", but realized that kids that small MAY not hit puberty until 15-16 as well. My 87 year old grandma doesn't 5-step in most vehicles (she was 4'9 when she was younger and straighter) so at some point you need to be willing to give in.

I would probably still put ample effort to get them to ride in boosters until age 12.
My niece is super tiny as well (almost 6 and the same size as her petite brother who is like 30th percentile ish for height and weight). She's grumpy that she still has 8lbs to go before she can legally ride in a booster (although her parents still have her in a harness thank goodness!). I'm sure when she is 10, I will be having a similar battle (although my sister just recently learned about 5 stepping which is exciting).

zactayaus · Jan 5, 2013

Well I kept my dd in a booster till her 12th b-day. She had just hit 4'9" but still didn't quite 5 step in my truck but I barely 5 step in it and I'm 5'3". That fact that she was in middle school and the only kid her age in a booster I made the parental decision to let her go without. For others kids I'd be ok with them going without at around age 9/10 (depending on their size) if they aren't using one in their own vehicles. However I'd make them sit in my 3rd row as kids tend to 5 step there a couple of years before my 2nd row.

Question At what poit do you let friends kids

littleangelfire

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mybabybean

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carseatcoach

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littleangelfire

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Wreckgoddess

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Qarin

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littleangelfire

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thekatie

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