When do techs booster?

[mom2ari]

It was really interesting to read the other thread about flipping FFing, so I thought I'd ask about boostering as well. What are your goals/criteria for moving to a booster?

[carseatcoach]

I moved my child to a booster at age 7.25. She has ADHD so she needed to be harnessed longer than most kids, and she has a very short torso and was on the smaller side until puberty hit so it was easy to keep her harnessed. I believe most kids are ready for full-time booster use booster somewhere between 5.5 and 6.5, and I don't think most kids need to be harnessed as long as mine did.

[bubbaray]

I am no longer a tech, but moved my girls at age 5 and 40lbs

[cookie123]

Brett and Hannah were harnessed as long as they fit in the Nautilus, which was 7 and 8.5 respectively, if I recall correctly. It was just easier. They could not do up their seat belts themselves, but they could the harness. Matt just turned 6 and is still harnessed. He will be for a while because he can't sit still at all.

That being said, they all went to low back boosters in their dad's car around 4.5 I think. He must have reconsidered with Matthew because the big kids tell me his booster has a back.

I let Matthew ride in a high back booster in my car when I take him to school. It's only a 10 minute ride.

So, the short answer is it depends!

[tiggercat]

It really depends on the child.

My eldest was a big kid, and has some medical issues, but he was boostered in some vehicles at 4y and 50ish lbs, and in main vehicles around 5.5 years. He was actually a great booster rider. 5 stepped in various vehicles between 9-11 years old.

Middle child was harnessed until she outgrew the tallest seat that I could afford (Nautilus) by torso height. I can't remember exactly, but I think she was nearly 6, and 45ish lbs. I would have kept her in a harness longer if i could have. She doesn't 5 step in any vehicle yet, and rides in a HBB.

Youngest is 4.5 and 40lb and is nowhere near booster ready. I took pics of fit for someone, and he looks good, but between snaps of the camera he unbuckled and leaned to the floor for an object there. I'm guessing he will stay harnessed in the frontier for a few more years. I bought the Frontier CT for it's high harness slots.

I won't booster under 40lbs, and prefer kids to be 6+ before boostering fulltime.

Just a note: I pretty much waited until I had to move to boosters because my kids outgrew available options, but my options in Canada at the time really stunk. I may well have kept them harnessed longer if I had access to taller/hwh seats without breaking the law.

[Suzibeck]

At least 40# and mature enough to sit in a booster. For my kids that has been 5-6 for day to day stuff and 8+ for all day drives when we travel in the summer. My youngest is 5 1/2 and mature enough for booster use and has used a booster for a couple of very short trips just to test and train. She is still less than 40# however so boosters will not be a regular thing until she is. My kids are not car sleepers however so that makes a difference for sure.

[soccer_widow]

My boys rode in boosters for carpool starting around age 5.5. DS1 was boostered (almost)full-time at age 7, but rides in a harness for long road trips. YDS will probably be the same age if he wants to, but he LOVES his Frontier90 so much I can see him choosing it over a booster.

[amelia222]

Whenever DD hits 40lbs she will start to ride in a booster. She's 36lbs and 4.5yo now so it'll be a while still.

If she was 40lbs now, at 4.5yo with her maturity, she would be in a booster for short drives.

[Hazelandlucy]

Just some dumb questions - does boostering mean no harness? So only refers to a combination seat used with a seat belt or a plain booster - not a kid sitting in a combination seat, but using a harness?

Are there safety advantages to a high backed booster or combination seat vs a low back booster? Would you ever go convertible to high back booster to low back booster as kid ages or do you decide high or low back and stick with it?

[Phineasmama]

My daughter is about to turn seven years old and has been boostered full time for about 4 months now. I still have to remind her to sit nicely though.

My son on the other hand...he is about to turn 5, and he has been boostered since this summer at age 4.5. He is a unique case though, I do not believe most 4 year old boys are booster ready. But he sits perfectly every single time, I have never once had to tell him to get back into position, and he can buckle himself.

[Keeyamah]

Just some dumb questions - does boostering mean no harness? So only refers to a combination seat used with a seat belt or a plain booster - not a kid sitting in a combination seat, but using a harness? Are there safety advantages to a high backed booster or combination seat vs a low back booster? Would you ever go convertible to high back booster to low back booster as kid ages or do you decide high or low back and stick with it?

Yes, boostering means the vehicle belt is restraining the child in a Belt Positioning Booster, no harness from any car seat.

We don't know for sure if there are statistically significant safety benefits to a High Back Booster, vs a No Back Booster. However, most of us here do feel that a HBB is a necessary step in the BPB process. Largely because when a child goes from the harness (which has a back) to a booster of some sort, we frequently (though anecdotally) find that the HBB helps kids remember to stay in position better than a NBB.

We do usually go harness, HBB, NBB here. One of the big reasons is that as a child gets too tall for the back of their HBB, they likely aren't ready to 5-step. They still need a BPB of some sort, which is where NBB come into play.

[ketchupqueen]

For me, it's a continuum of gradually less harness and more booster use. They take their first rides before 6 but after 5 1/2, when it comes up; they go to part-time use in others' cars at around 6; they go to full-time except for sleeping when they sit properly 100% of the time except when sleeping, and when they can do it even sleeping, they go to full-time booster (unless they prefer a harness.) Somewhere around 6 1/2-7 1/2 depending on child. So it is a 1 1/2 to 2 year process of gradually more and more booster use, in our house.

[trippsmom]

For me, it's a continuum of gradually less harness and more booster use. They take their first rides before 6 but after 5 1/2, when it comes up; they go to part-time use in others' cars at around 6; they go to full-time except for sleeping when they sit properly 100% of the time except when sleeping, and when they can do it even sleeping, they go to full-time booster (unless they prefer a harness.) Somewhere around 6 1/2-7 1/2 depending on child. So it is a 1 1/2 to 2 year process of gradually more and more booster use, in our house.

This is the approach I'm taking as well. Ds began taking random rides in a hbb when he started school in August (turns 6 on 12/22). He is in a booster ft in dh's vehicle, but he only rides with him on short outings and for daily school drop-off which is .5miles one way. Occasionally he has gotten to ride in my vehicle in a booster. He will be in a harness for many many months to come. He is a very heavy sleeper and I know he wouldn't stay in position. Time will tell.

[bubbaray]

My kids were able to sleep properly in position in HBBs from the start.

[NVMBR02]

My kids were able to sleep properly in position in HBBs from the start.

Mine too.

We switched full time around 6 with both of the older kids. At that point neither one was 40 pounds though, both were pretty close to 8 before they hit 40 pounds. My youngest is also pretty small so we shall see what happens. She is almost 4.5 and no where near booster ready though. She isn't 30 pounds yet so we have awhile before she could use any of our boosters anyway.

[ketchupqueen]

Of note, none of my kids are neurotypical. (2 have structural brain defects, one a sensory disorder and some tone issues, one sensory issues and a seizure disorder.) This has impacted the older two in their ability to sit properly (and they were STILL ready within a fairly normal time.) (The younger two are still harnessed.) Most kids do fine boostering between about 5 1/2 and 7, based on my observations and experience.

[canadiangie]

After age 5 and 40 pounds my two oldest girls started using a highback booster occasionally. It was after age 6 and at about 45 pounds when they moved to full time highback boosters. That said, on certain long trips I have moved them both back into a harness.

My youngest is 3y2m and weighs 33 pounds. I'm sure she will hit 40 pounds during her 4th year of life, but she won't start using a booster occasionally until at least age 5 .. so likely 45+ pounds.

[joolsplus3]

I've used boosters as young as 3-4 during trips to grandmas, but generally harness till 5-6-7. I don't believe in 'booster training', as you may see mentioned here a lot, I believe in telling any kid that isn't sitting properly, to sit properly, at any time during any trip, from a 4 year old in dad's car for 5 minutes who wants to reach a drink, to a 14 year old who thinks it's cool to lean completely sideways during a road trip to sleep.
For people without a lot of different cars and seats, I like to see kids use the harness as long as they fit, and I have a mantra at work (BRU), Rearfacing to 2, Harnessed to Kindergarten, Booster to 4 foot 9 (there's no time to discuss the five step test with a mom searching for a convertible for their 8 month old, so I just plant the seeds ).
Sorry for the long winded response

[christineka]

Well, my third kid was the first to booster post car seat knowledge, but he has had issues sitting in a booster. He is incredibly intelligent, but I think he has the same number of brain cells as any other kid and his are wherever math and music are in the brain, leaving a lack in the maturity department. He went full time to a booster at 10.5 years old. My next child has add and is a tiny, little thing. I let her go to a booster full time at 8 years old. Fifth kid is almost 7 and I plan for him to max out his radian before moving to a booster. (By doing that, I suspect he can just have his older brother's seat, since he'll 5 step pretty soon.)

I recommend to parents to keep their kids harnessed until 5 or 6 years old.

[ahgirls]

For me, it's a continuum of gradually less harness and more booster use. They take their first rides before 6 but after 5 1/2, when it comes up; they go to part-time use in others' cars at around 6; they go to full-time except for sleeping when they sit properly 100% of the time except when sleeping, and when they can do it even sleeping, they go to full-time booster (unless they prefer a harness.) Somewhere around 6 1/2-7 1/2 depending on child. So it is a 1 1/2 to 2 year process of gradually more and more booster use, in our house.

This approach as well but I'm working also with autism & sensory disorder. Dd can't buckle a seat belt but does great buckling a 5 point. My guessing she'll be 8+ before going in a booster for trips. We do a lot of driving.