Booster training

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mrosehughes

New member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #1

When (i.e., at what age, and any other specifics) do you start booster training your kiddos?

(Just asking out of curiousity. DS is almost 4 and really big, but he'll fit in his Frontier 90 and CA65 for quite a while yet.)

 

momtoo3

Well-known member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #2

I start when I think they can sit properly and when I think they may need to ride with a friend because boosters are easier to use properly. I did occasional super short rides after mine were four and rides up to a half hour from four and a half until five. I just moved ds3 to a booster full time in my van last month when he turned five. I still have his FR85 installed in case he needs it and will go back to it if we have to drive in the snow. He will stay harnessed in dh's vehicle through the winter in his ProSport and then I will convert it to a booster. I feel better about him being harnessed if the roads are bad.

 

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Keeyamah

Active member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #3

I gave it a go with my now 4 yr old (and got a little flamed for it, since he wasn't even 4 yet) this summer. He could handle no more than 10 minutes before he got too wiggly for my comfort. He never quite got out of position, but I could see it happening on a longer ride. I will be trying it again when he is closer to 4.5/5 yrs. Some of it depends on how soon Sean outgrows his Scenera in DH's (new to us) Explorer, I'm hoping he lasts longer than big brother did RFing.

 

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carseatmama007

New member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #4

I might take her for a few short rides after she turns 5 to see how she does since I'm thinking of using a booster in Grandma's car.

 

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oddduck

Active member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #5

DD1 has been booster training since she hit 40lbs (her weight was a bit up and down -- so the booster came and left the car a few times). Now that I need to replace 2 harnessed seats due to a collision, I'll be buying her a booster for every day use.

 

Baylor

New member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #6

I started at just about 4. He is a big boy and met the minimum weight on the boosters but I have always found that the earlier I teach my kids things the better they get it.

I started letting him do it only when I could sit in the back with him and make sure he understood, Then to short rides and then he was fine.

 

VoodooChile

New member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #7

Ds is starting to do some around-town rides in the Oobr in dh's car. He's 4.5 and 40 lbs. Dd never did any booster training to speak of, beyond "This is a booster. Sit still and don't mess with the seat belt or you get your harness back." She didn't need it. Ds will probably benefit from some practice before going to true full-time boostering, which we'll do this spring if this goes well.

 

Lenae

Active member

• Oct 12, 2013

• #8

Colton started at 4.5. My mom is much better at figuring out boosters than installing and using a harnessed seat correctly, so when the summer after Colton turned 4 rolled around, he started having short rides with me first, then short rides with my mom. Wow, run on sentence much? Anyway, 4.5 and 40 lbs. He will be 6 in December and is boostered full time right now, but I do have a ProSport as a backup if I need to re-harness him. Colton is normally a WILD child, but he's like a totally different kid in the car. He stays in position and even sleeps in position. He was very easy to booster 'train.'

 

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Mysweethoneybee

New member

• Oct 13, 2013

• #9

I started at 4 because my son needed to ride in a car that bigger seats like the frontier just wouldn't work (Mazda B2200 pickup). He did pretty good. At 5 he moved to booster full time. We have had two or three times especially on long trips where we had to remind him to stay in position. Now he is 6 and we have no problems with him being in a booster.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Oct 14, 2013

• #10

When I perceive the maturity and physical ability to sit properly we start with short trips and work up to longer. For my kids that's been a few months before six so far.

 

tarynsmum

Senior Community Member

• Oct 14, 2013

• #11

With my daughter, I started at 5.5 booster training, with her going full time around 6.25. DS is a little different as he's 4.5 and still RF. He asked over and over to fruit out, so I currently let him ride to-from school or to-from the grocery store (both less than a mile away). I'm not prepared to let him ride any longer trips than that, but will revisit when he turns 5.

 

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Stelvis

New member

• Oct 14, 2013

• #12

We started at 4 and a few months. Had a vacation coming up and the only way to get us all in the vehicle was for him to be boostered during the trip, with me sitting next to him. He actually did surprisingly great.

I have the Affix set up in my car and he uses it occasionally on short trips. We still intend to max out the Frontier, but I like knowing he is trained so he can more easily ride with grandparents, etc.

 

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Athena

Well-known member

• Oct 17, 2013

• #13

I suppose my absolute minimum would be 5yo and at least 40 pounds. But I wait until I have a reason to do it, e.g. harnessed seats are outgrown, so it's more like 6-7yo. I think it takes a lot of maturity to be able to sit properly 100% of the time. A lot of adults can't do it.

 

Last edited: Oct 17, 2013

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mrosehughes

New member

• Oct 17, 2013

• #14

Athena said:

I suppose my absolute minimum would be 5yo and at least 40 pounds. But I wait until I have a reason to do it, e.g. harnessed seats are outgrown, so it's more like 6-7yo. I think it takes a lot of maturity to be able to sit properly 100% of the time. A lot of adults can't do it.

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I hear you about adults not sitting properly -- since becoming certified I have been noticing this, and try to make sure all the adults in my car sit properly as well as the kiddos (my mom is the worst offender of all!).

The funny thing is, my nephew sat really well for a long time (my sis put him in a booster at 4 and he actually did great), and then as he got older (as in, 7-8) has started sitting worse (perhaps because he were less afraid of the wrath of mom). He's too big for a harnessed seat, though, so there's not much she can do. I wonder if there's any correlation between early/late boostering and position-regression.

 

christineka

New member

• Oct 17, 2013

• #15

I start allowing my kids to ride in boosters in the car for short trips at age 5. My kids have no need to ride with anyone else until around age 10, so I'm not real worried about needing an emergency booster. I just find that hauling a hbb in and out of the car is easier than hauling, plus installing a car seat. Not only do I have little kids, but not one of my car seats harnesses to less than 65 pounds, so they really have no need at all to be out of the harness prior to 5 years old.

 

msg221

Well-known member

• Oct 18, 2013

• #16

Nour and Zain will be 5.5 next month and I am thinking of allowing them to ride in a booster in my car for short trips. Ethan has been riding in a FR90 in his dad's car in booster mode for a few months now. He turned 5 in July. He rides harnessed in a FR90 in his mom's car.