5 year old in booster?

lpperry · Oct 6, 2015

I switched Oliver to a high back booster at 6 years old. I based that on stuff I had read on here. Now I can't remember why I picked 6. I haven't kept up on my carseat reading as well this year. Is a 5 year old safe in a well fitting high back booster provided she sits properly every time? Is a harness safer for a 5 year old or is it just because a 5 year old is more likely to move out of position?

This goes along with my Land Cruiser thread. Put the 5 year old in a high back booster or use the RSTV?

finn · Oct 6, 2015

I put my son in a booster from 5 & my 4.4yo is booster trained and will move into a booster once she turns 5. I don't think there is any evidence of one or the other being safer so long as they sit correctly every time.

gigi · Oct 6, 2015

My son moved to a booster around 5.5. My daughter will go into a booster around 5.

Keeyamah · Oct 6, 2015

My oldest moved to a booster at 4.5. My original intention was just to start training him as one set of in laws liked to forget what the crotch buckle was and only clip the chest clip. But he happened to do amazing, so we mostly haven't gone back. A couple of 8 hour drives where we started at 3am, but that was when he couldn't sleep in a booster. He is 6 now.

BookMama · Oct 6, 2015

If the seat belt properly fits the child with the booster seat, and the child can sit correctly while in the car, then boostering at 5 is acceptable.

Personally, I've kept all of my kids harnessed later. We are in the car often (I drive them to/from school every day) and almost always together, so there are too many opportunities for distraction. I think DS was harnessed until 8, DD1 until 7, and DD2 probably until at least 7.

(I do let DD2 ride in a booster every once in a while, like when she's with my parents in a situation where I'm not available to install a harnessed seat - for instance, when they pick her up from my house in my Dad's van, and she will also be riding in my Mom's car once or twice over the weekend. I send a booster for my mom's car. She does fine for short rides.)

jacqui276 · Oct 6, 2015

People choosing to harness longer is more so for maturity so that they are more likely to stay in position. If your 5 year old has a good seat belt fit in the booster and stays in position, I would have no problem putting her in a booster seat.

I highly doubt my kid will get to 6 in a harnessed seat (ours max out at 65lbs here) and will be lucky to see 5 so I'm crossing my fingers that he will catch on to sitting properly quickly once we get there.

5 year old in booster?

lpperry

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