Now What??

zolly786 · Apr 17, 2013

ODD turned 5 yesterday. She's 47" tall, and about 62lb.

She is about to outgrow the top harness slot on her nautilus. I can't justify spending 300ish on a frontier when she's so close to the weight limit.

A) do i buy the frontier?

B) do i take the straps off the nautilus and accept she's now too big for a 5 pt?

C) do i move 20 miles east and live in the states in order to keep her in a 5pt harness longer?

why why why are the weight limits lower on certain seats in canada? (and i know it's transport canada, but WHY? are the kids over 65 pounds actually at higher risk for injury in these seats than ones who are at a lower weight?)

blarg. and thanks.

Keeanh · Apr 17, 2013

Welcome!! And happy birthday to your daughter

I'm sorry you're finding yourself in this situation. It's always hard making decisions like this, when you feel like there aren't any really good options.

At 5 years old, she could easily be ready for a booster. You would have to make that call. How mature, and how much of a rule-follower is she? Will she understand that once she's in a seat belt, she is responsible for staying in position? No slouching, leaning, twisting, moving the belt.

Does she sleep in the car? If so, does she stay upright, or does she slump like a rag doll?

If I was in your position, I would booster her UNLESS I was convinced she was unsafe due to her behaviour and/or sleeping position. Try the belt in the Nautilus and see how the fit is. If she sleeps fairly upright, but the Nautilus isn't keeping her in position, there are dedicated boosters that have a bit better support.

IF I felt my almost-65lb child was unsafe in a booster, I might get a US seat that had been tested to higher limits. But that would be a last resort thing, with the knowledge that it's illegal.

zolly786 · Apr 17, 2013

she flops when she sleeps. or at least she would in the nautilus, since i find the the head rest causes head flop.

she uses a booster in our mazda3 since it's our commuter. it only takes her to and from daycare, so she never sleeps.

she listens well, doesn't goof off in the car, and we've never had an issue when we're in the mazda. she doesn't undo her seat belt until i say it's ok, and she sits properly.

it's the road trips i'm worried about. we're going from victoria to prince george/ft st john this summer. lots of time to fall asleep. i don't want to be yelling at her every 20km to wake up.

if i got the american seat, it would be rather fitting, since the van we have is from the states.

i will try taking the straps off and see how the nautilus works as a booster for her. thank you!

and which booster would you suggest if i decide to go with that? i know it's personal preference...but i like hearing them.

Adventuredad · Apr 18, 2013

A high back booster is currently at least as safe as your current harnessed seat. There is no data, stats or real life experiences showing harnessed seats are safer than hbb for older kids.

A good high back booster is affordable. Select one which provide good sleep position and things should be fine.

tarynsmum · Apr 18, 2013

I can address one of your concerns (the car sleeping). My DD sleeps in the car All.The.Time. 10 minute drive, 5 hour drive, doesn't matter. She's been boostered full time for over a year or so. Previous to that she was harnessed in a Radian and had HORRIBLE head slump. In some boosters it's bad (ProBooster was the worst for some reason) but she can sleep HARD in her Monterey or Vivo with no slump at all. This may assuage your concerns a little in regards to that.

zolly786 · Apr 18, 2013

tarynsmum said:
I can address one of your concerns (the car sleeping). My DD sleeps in the car All.The.Time. 10 minute drive, 5 hour drive, doesn't matter. She's been boostered full time for over a year or so. Previous to that she was harnessed in a Radian and had HORRIBLE head slump. In some boosters it's bad (ProBooster was the worst for some reason) but she can sleep HARD in her Monterey or Vivo with no slump at all. This may assuage your concerns a little in regards to that.

that is my biggest concern.

i guess it's time to just go out and see what fits her (and my van) the best.

thanks, guys.

Keeanh · Apr 18, 2013

We don't have Recaro seats in Canada (Probooster & Vivo). The Britax Parkway & Diono Monterey are probably the best Canadian bets. The Monterey requires head support from the vehicle seat up to the top of the child's ears.

My 8yo sleeps well in the Monterey. But when he was 5, he could NOT sleep properly in a booster. He kept curling up with his thumb in his mouth when he fell asleep. He tried his best, but just couldn't stay in position after he dozed off. So I got him a Frontier. He used it until he was 7, at which point he could sleep upright in the Monterey.

My 6yo, though, has been able to sleep upright in the car since she was 4. She was still harnessed (in fact still is mostly), but wasn't slumping against the harness.

bubbaray · Apr 18, 2013

I booster my girls at 5/40. They both had head slump in the GN, but not in the boosters.

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