Talk to me about booster training

sb518 · Feb 19, 2013

DD will be 4 in July and will remain harnessed in my car for a good long while. I am thinking about possibly getting a hbb for summer use to use for quick trips and to start training her a bit though. We spend a lot of time with friends in the summer and travel a lot of places very close by (ice cream shops, parades, driving from cabin to lake, etc.) places that are within a block or two. (friend and I both have MS so being out walking in the heat is not an option) I'm tempted to use these mini trips to start training her, but she is only 31lbs. and all of the booster I would feel comfortable with using for her start at 40lbs.

She is getting tall enough that her head is going to be taller than the shell of her RA55 and MA70 so I will probably move her into a Frontier at that point. I just don't want to be un-installing and re-installing that beast in the heat of summer.

Thoughts? She is a pretty well behaved kid. I think she would sit fine in a booster and she very, very rarely sleeps in the car.

ETA: By summer she will fit the minimum Clek Oobr limits which was one of the top two I was thinking about. (38" and 33lbs)

cowgirlsmommy · Feb 19, 2013

I wouldn't at her size and age. She's really small. Maybe get a lighter seat to use in other vehicles like the maestro.

MommyShannon · Feb 19, 2013

My kids were still too impulsive at 4 for a booster. Make sure you watch where her shoulders are in her seats. The RA55 especially is shorter. If her shoulders are above the top slot, she can't use it anymore. It seems like DS outgrew that harness close to when his head was going over the shell. I know he was 4, but he's kind of tall.

tiggercat · Feb 19, 2013

Sam is a month younger and my initial thought is "no bleep-ing way"! LOL! Our babies are way too little for that.
Personally, I don't agree with boostering under 40lb (shhh, my Canadian is showing) and under 5 (unless there are extreme circumstances and an über mature 4yo).

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

firemomof3 · Feb 19, 2013

I also wouldn't even think about yet

Brianna · Feb 19, 2013

tiggercat said:
Sam is a month younger and my initial thought is "no bleep-ing way"! LOL! Our babies are way too little for that.
Personally, I don't agree with boostering under 40lb (shhh, my Canadian is showing) and under 5 (unless there are extreme circumstances and an über mature 4yo).

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

:yeahthat: J will be 4 in September and boosters to me are still way off in the future. I can't imagine putting him in a booster before his 5th birthday even for a short ride, and he's already 40 pounds.

Stelvis · Feb 19, 2013

I have started very part time training DS. We will be going on vacation and the only way to fit all of us in the car will be to booster him (long story, I have another thread about it).

He's actually doing very well. I'm quite pleased and impressed.

He will stay harnessed in the FN85 95% of the time until he outgrows it, but I'm at the point where I'm okay with it for short trips with grandparents or emergencies. I'd rather have him trained so he knows what to do.

thepote · Feb 19, 2013

I get what everyone is saying, but in your case you have medical issues that could make hefting and installing harnessed seats nearly impossible at some times. I think it's wise to have that option available to you.

zactayaus · Feb 19, 2013

I personally would never ever put a 4 year old in a booster. Not even to booster train. I'd look for a light weight back up harnessed seat (because yeah, there's no way in hell I'd be moving the FR on a daily bases). I've heard the SureRide installs super easy. It's light weight and has nice tall top slots. I do believe your dd would last in this seat forever. lol.

ETA: Also remember you have a very strong willed child (at least that's what I get from your posts here and on FB). It's much easier to contain a child that is testing you in a harness then in just a seat belt.

joolsplus3 · Feb 19, 2013

Secure Kid DLX (new name for 400). Push on self-tightening LATCH connectors, light, big cupholders for summer trips...

skylinphoto · Feb 19, 2013

My dd turns 5 next month and shes not near booster ready yet. Shes stubborn, impulsive to the extreme, and the biggest sign shes not ready to me: she still has occasional all out tantrums with kicking and losing control of herself.

If your dd is well behaved and calm, try a few short rides when she meets the minimums and see how she does. My ds was and is a calm and collected kiddo and I started boostering him at 5 and he did very very well ..and probably could have done well at 4.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using Car-Seat.Org

Baylor · Feb 19, 2013

I would get a turbo. But I would not start to train until she is 4. Then I would maybe let her ride with you sitting next to her, Someone else driving on little neighborhood roads. That is how I started.

But my son was excited about it and sat well all the time. He wanted to be able to stay in the booster. We only rode to DS's school little trips. Now he is awesome. He rides in the Monterey well but still he is mostly harnessed. He'll be 5 this week.

Ali · Feb 19, 2013

I booster trained DD for short trips shortly after she turned 4. She was over 40 lbs though. The TB fit her really well for her size.

In your case, I see nothing wrong with training her and using the booster for occasions you listed above.

Kac · Feb 19, 2013

From what I've read on Facebook, she seems very strong willed. I wouldn't even consider boostering a child at 4, especially with her strong will.

I understand that your medical condition makes it so difficult, but a light weight harnessed seat (Maestro?) seems like a much safer option at this time.

sb518 · Feb 19, 2013

She is very strong willed and very bright, but not hyper-active or physically out of control. These situations would be in friend's car with me in the passenger seat or sitting right next to her. Like I said, she will remain harnessed in my car for a good long while. These will be short quick trips where I will not be driving, and it won't be until summer time when she is 4. It's a pain for friend and me to have to install/re-install 50 times in the blaring heat and takes 5 times more physical effort in the heat. Last summer I had a RA55 spare installed in her car and every time friend had to take her two kids somewhere the seat had to come out an it was a pain for her, and a pain for me to re-install.

I'm going to try her out in a few to see what the fit is like. Or what about something like the ride safe vest? I think I'd feel better with her in a booster with SIP

canadiangie · Feb 19, 2013

Lugging an Oobr around won't be easy.

Additionally, I'd shoot for a middle install if possible, and personally I won't use a heavy booster like Oobr unlatched.

The new one by Graco.. surround something or other -- that's what I'd look at. And like I said I'd aim to have her in the middle if at all possible.

She is going to be extremely small in it though. It's such a foreign concept to me.. boostering at 33 pounds.

Maybe just wait until summer to decide on this. See where she's at.

tiggercat · Feb 19, 2013

Shutterbug518 said:
She is very strong willed and very bright, but not hyper-active or physically out of control. These situations would be in friend's car with me in the passenger seat or sitting right next to her. Like I said, she will remain harnessed in my car for a good long while. These will be short quick trips where I will not be driving, and it won't be until summer time when she is 4. It's a pain for friend and me to have to install/re-install 50 times in the blaring heat and takes 5 times more physical effort in the heat. Last summer I had a RA55 spare installed in her car and every time friend had to take her two kids somewhere the seat had to come out an it was a pain for her, and a pain for me to re-install.

I'm going to try her out in a few to see what the fit is like. Or what about something like the ride safe vest? I think I'd feel better with her in a booster with SIP

While I understand the physical install issues here (as well as I can without personal experience, admittedly), I'm just not sure how you sitting beside her or in the passenger seat is going to stop her from being out of position, or submarining out of the belt because she is just too small.

What about a safety 1st go hybrid thing? It's not available here, but it seems like it would be quick and simply as long as latch is available.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

Stelvis · Feb 19, 2013

A GoHybrid is really light and easy to install and she should fit in it for awhile at her height. As long as you have LATCH and top tether. 17" harness height, DS has outgrown it or that's what I'd be using on vacation.

njkj · Feb 19, 2013

If it were me and a booster was the only option I would look at the Parkway SGL with the crotch strap thingy (so technical I know).

Jessica61624 · Feb 19, 2013

njkj said:
If it were me and a booster was the only option I would look at the Parkway SGL with the crotch strap thingy (so technical I know).

They start at 40lbs

Talk to me about booster training

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Well-known member

Admin - CPS Technician

New member

New member

New member

Ambassador - CPS Technician

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics