Early booster training, pleasantly surprised

Keeyamah

Active member
I had asked a while ago about seats for my in-laws. I was recommended 2 Evenflo Surerides because I have 90-95% boys. Well, I had my back up booster out (Evenflo Big Kid Amp) and FIL is insisting that they get one of those for Quinn. He will be 4 in Sept, so I was able to put if off until then, giving me time to teach him. We have only be doing short rides around town, but he has been staying in place just fine. So pretty soon I want to test him with a longer ride, with his FR85 installed in the car as well. This is also making me feel a little better about his being so large, my losing an inch of harness height in the FR in my van and how quickly he is likely to outgrow it. He is probably mildly autistic (no official diagnosis, waiting on an appointment) and will probably outgrow the harness before I'm ready for him too, lol.

Now I just need to find the most inexpensive, but as tall as possible HBB (assuming he behaves on the longer rides) :)
 
ADS

callumsmom

New member
I see no one is replying to this, so I figured I would. Honestly my very spirited 3 year old would probably sit properly in a hbb for the first several times, especially on short trips. Do I think that means he's booster ready, not a chance. I'm wondering if you aren't just trying to make your ILs happy or keep the peace. Remember, being booster ready means sitting correctly 100% of the time. What will happen if he reaches for something and realizes he can get out of position?
I understand the joys of having a big kid. My son was 40" tall on his 3rd birthday and has a long torso. He doesn't have a lot of growing room in his TFP harness. We're going to probably have to get another Frontier to get us to proper booster age harnessed. So I do feel you on the problems with keeping big kids properly restrained.

I hope you can find a solution that works for you, but honestly I'd be telling the ILs that you expect your child to remain harnessed until he is mature enough and if they can't handle that then your kid doesn't ride with them.
 

Keeyamah

Active member
It is somewhat keeping IL's happy, as well as my husband by not estranging myself from his family. Which is why I'm training/testing him with me, someone who cares about if he is in position or not, rather than just letting them go for it. If he won't stay in position with me, they won't get him in a booster.
 

Phineasmama

New member
I had the same experience, my DD1 started booster training at 4 and it was great the first couple times. Then...not so much. She is going to be seven years old this winter and I will probably finally booster her full time once it gets cold out!
 

Keeyamah

Active member
Yeah, I'm also having to weigh how likely they are to misuse a harness seat. My FIL once asked my what the crotch strap buckled too..... That scared the crap out of me since he had had Quinn all day. It's just all around not a good thing with this set. With the other set though, they do much better about proper usage. RARG! I get frustrated and flustered just thinking about it.

I've got Quinn's FR and my booster in the car right now, so if I have to I can pull over to the side of the road and put him back in a harness.
 

Keeyamah

Active member
Unfortunately, there are physical development factors that make children under five less safe in a booster than a properly fitted harness, even if the booster is properly used. :( Can you teach him to buckle his own harness? Or otherwise avoid the situation?

Trying to teach him, but he will only so the chest clip. Honestly, it's been almost a year since they've asked to keep him. It's not a necessity by any means.
 

Keeyamah

Active member
Moot now, he got too squirmy on a 15 min ride. Reconfigured the Sureride for him. It's up to them to get a second on for Sean.
 

MorgieBear'sMama

New member
My DD was one of those strangely great booster riders at 4 when she was with me and with me only. The minute it went in her dad's car she was all over the place.

I too originally bought the booster for my then MIL bc she came home one day from taking DD to the park to tell me she couldn't get the crotch buckle buckled so she just didn't do it.
 

Baylor

New member
I had asked a while ago about seats for my in-laws. I was recommended 2 Evenflo Surerides because I have 90-95% boys. Well, I had my back up booster out (Evenflo Big Kid Amp) and FIL is insisting that they get one of those for Quinn. He will be 4 in Sept, so I was able to put if off until then, giving me time to teach him. We have only be doing short rides around town, but he has been staying in place just fine. So pretty soon I want to test him with a longer ride, with his FR85 installed in the car as well. This is also making me feel a little better about his being so large, my losing an inch of harness height in the FR in my van and how quickly he is likely to outgrow it. He is probably mildly autistic (no official diagnosis, waiting on an appointment) and will probably outgrow the harness before I'm ready for him too, lol.

Now I just need to find the most inexpensive, but as tall as possible HBB (assuming he behaves on the longer rides) :)

That is how I booster trained My youngest. I kept the Fr85 installed and only used it when I thought he was alert enough and understood the rules well. we started with short rides but eventually worked up to now basically a full time booster rider except for long trips or late trips.. Then I like My 9 yr old to have head support to sleep so I put the younger in the fr85.
 

Keeyamah

Active member
That is how I booster trained My youngest. I kept the Fr85 installed and only used it when I thought he was alert enough and understood the rules well. we started with short rides but eventually worked up to now basically a full time booster rider except for long trips or late trips.. Then I like My 9 yr old to have head support to sleep so I put the younger in the fr85.

I think I'll try it again in 6 months to a year or so, with both installed. When he's closer to 4.5 or 5 . He can handle less than 10 min around town, but not any longer yet. We'll see.
 

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