confused what to do, should we booster train?

TeenaMarie

New member
I had posted a while ago about the issues with my niece's father and car seats.
Lately, when my sisters dropped her off it's been at his work so she hasn't seen the carseat, my mom saw that she had a new seat last time she picked her up(his mom had her out of the car when she got there but actually said "Nathan decided Jordyn's outgrown her seat, so this is Jo's old seat.") which she thought was harnesses seat.

Well, today Jordyn told me that she's in a booster at her dads. I told her are you sure it's not a harnessed booster like you have here? And asked her to show me how she buckled she acted like she was pulling the seat belt over her shoulder and clipping it in.

I'm honestly very irritated. Nathan told me that she was too small for a GN, but has her in a booster?! She's 3(four in June) 37lbs(a month ago) and barely under 40inches. Should we booster do a bit of booster training since we're the more knowledgeable side of the family when it comes to car seats? If so, what booster would be suggested? We have a GN and an Argos, could we keep the straps in and take a few rides with them all the way tightened so we have them if she's not doing well?
 
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ADS

henrietta

Well-known member
I had posted a while ago about the issues with my niece's father and car seats.
Lately, when my sisters dropped her off it's been at his work so she hasn't seen the carseat, my mom saw that she had a new seat last time she picked her up(his mom had her out of the car when she got there but actually said "Nathan decided Jordyn's outgrown her seat, so this is Jo's old seat.") which she thought was harnesses seat.

Well, today Jordyn told me that she's in a booster at her dads. I told her are you sure it's not a harnessed booster like you have here? And asked her to show me how she buckled she acted like she was pulling the seat belt over her shoulder and clipping it in.

I'm honestly very irritated. Nathan told me that she was too small for a GN, but has her in a booster?! She's 3(four in June) 37lbs(a month ago) and barely under 40inches. Should we booster do a bit of booster training since we're the more knowledgeable side of the family when it comes to car seats? If so, what booster would be suggested? We have a GN and an Argos, could we keep the straps in and take a few rides with them all the way tightened so we have them if she's not doing well?

Is it legal for a 3 yr old to ride in a booster in your state? An under 40 lbs child? Does the booster he's using allow for an under 40 lbs child in it's instructions? That just might give you some ammo to discuss w/him at a later date...Obviously, you are aware that a booster is not the safest way for her to ride at her age. I wonder why he didn't keep her harnessed in the Nautilus he has? Has anyone asked him? She certainly is too small to ride in it as a booster--maybe that's what he meant?

You're in a tough position. FWIW, in NO WAY, would I use a Graco Nautilus or Argos as a booster for a child her size. It does not fit little ones as a booster very well at all. I'm not even sure she meets Graco's minimums to use it as a booster. I'd be far more comfortable w/you working w/her in a Graco Turbo high back (with or without the surround) or a Harmony Dreamtime (Target) or Harmony Folding Travel booster (Walmart). Each of these runs about $50.

I hope that helps...I'm glad he knows she must stay in a seat and that it is being buckled. That's good news. He may not realize how much safer she is staying harnessed vs riding in a booster. Teach her well how to use a booster if you can't convince him to go back to her harnessed seat.
 

TeenaMarie

New member
He said she was too small for a GN because he didn't want to spend the money on a carseat rather than another new truck(did I mention he also tried "I don't have the money" so we tried to loan him our GN and he refused?) it's all just him being how he has always been. She's stayed at about the same weight since October, so I don't understand how it went from she's too small for a bigger harnesses seat, to she's big enough for a booster in his eyes.

I don't know if it's legal to booster at 3, but if we brought it up to him if he did anything(they have a 6 year old who regularly rides in the front seat in nothing when they pick Jordyn up) he'd probably put her back in her outgrown seat for the next month.
 

henrietta

Well-known member
He said she was too small for a GN because he didn't want to spend the money on a carseat rather than another new truck(did I mention he also tried "I don't have the money" so we tried to loan him our GN and he refused?) it's all just him being how he has always been. She's stayed at about the same weight since October, so I don't understand how it went from she's too small for a bigger harnesses seat, to she's big enough for a booster in his eyes.

I don't know if it's legal to booster at 3, but if we brought it up to him if he did anything(they have a 6 year old who regularly rides in the front seat in nothing when they pick Jordyn up) he'd probably put her back in her outgrown seat for the next month.

What a mess, huh? He's just being a punk. :mad:

What state are you in? And how much does she weigh and how tall is she?
 

TeenaMarie

New member
She's almost 40inches and 37lbs and we're in Washington.
She's on the third slot of her GN and Argos. I finally figured out what seat he had for her, a comfort sport.
It is exactly just him being a jerk, he knows that my sister plans to have her full time harnesses until at least 4 1/2 and she's told him that we will let him know when she's ready for a booster. When I talked to her about it yesterday she said that she will buy a car seat for him when she gets child support next time(proud moment, my sisters not super interested in car seat saftey like I am, but she knows what's safest) but him being how he is, I don't think he'll take it.
 
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henrietta

Well-known member
Well, thank goodness she's almost 4 and she'll be a good sized 4 yr old, plus she sounds pretty mature, since she was able to describe it all to you. She'd make it to a safe booster age & size in an Evenflo Maestro--Walmart has one on sale right for $65. Probably ships to store for free.

Best wishes!
 

Genevieve

CPST Instructor
I believe Washington is a 4 & 40 state, in addition to "proper use."

http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/docs/laws/child_restraint_law.pdf

Washington is, if I recall correctly, also a "primary offense" state. So he could get pulled over *just* for that, although a cop would have to somehow know that the child was too young/small to be in a booster.

As for what to do about it... I don't know. Other than trying to talk to Dad.

Washington is not 4 and 40. We are only "must be using child restraint according to manufacturers directions" state. Child restraint misuse is a first offense, but as long as the child meets age, weight, and height minimums it is legal to use.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
Good to know. I was just going by that chart I linked which is on the Washington state website. So I guess that's only a "guideline" and not a law then.
 

TeenaMarie

New member
She's honestly not a very mature child, she does very well at communicating and speaks very well; but we just got over her pushing down the chest clip and loosening the straps by being very honest with her how she could get hurt and silly things that we say (straps snug as a bug in a hug/bed and chest clip up up up).
we just picked her up from her dads mom and she was in a booster in the front seat. My sister explained to his mom that she is not ready for a booster. His mom said that she is over 30lbs and that's what the booster said she has to be. My sister told her that it doesn't matter, that it's a minimum and it's there for 30lb small five or six year olds, and she's not mature enough to be in a booster. And he must have a new seat. So we'll see what happens next Thursday.

Also, I want to include what I thought was very funny. When her Grandma took her out of the seat and handed her to my sister, Jordyn looks at me and says very loudly "I'm NOT safe in a booster, huh auntie? I'm too little!"
 
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