looking for advice for in-between stage for 5 year old

Hi! I'm conflicted and I'd love your input!

I have two daughters, 8 and 5. My 8 year old is in a Frontier 85 using a harness (unhappily in the harness, but alas). She has another inch (at most) in shoulder height before she'll outgrow the harness. My 5 year old is in a Roundabout 55, currently at the max shoulder height. I also own a Turbobooster that my 8-year old has had to use on a few occasions when riding in other cars. All seats have many years left before expiration so that's a moot point. When I bought the Britaxes years ago, I expected that my now-8 year old would no longer be in a harness by the time my now-5 year old would outgrow her Roundabout. Therefore I thought the 8-year old could start using the Turbobooster permanently as soon as her sister took over the Frontier 85 for harness purposes, and they'd each then have their own booster for as long as she needs it. In other words, I thought I was done buying car seats, at least the more expensive ones! But as I said, my 5 year old is at her max shoulder height in the Roundabout already. She's 43.5" and 42 pounds. (Big sister is about 47.5" and about 51 pounds.)

I reeeeally don't want to move my 8 year old out of the harness when she still has an inch left in her shoulder height. What would you buy for an additional car seat with a harness, presumably for my 5 year old, given the short duration that I'll actually need it, or would you switch your 8 year old to the Turbobooster before you had planned so little sis can take the Frontier? I'd rather not buy another Frontier given that she already has one *almost* waiting for her with an expiration date that won't affect her.

Thank you so much!

What is your reason for not wanting to move your 8 year old out of a harness? At her age, a booster is considered to be as safe as a harness, provided that she can sit in it properly. When she has sat in the Turbobooster, has she been able to stay in position?

I would definitely put the 8 year old in a booster, provided that she fits well in it and is mature enough to stay in position. If she isn't I would get your younger daughter a Securekid, a Transitions, a SureRide, or an Atlas. All of those are inexpensive and will keep your younger daughter harnessed longer than the Roundabout 55.


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Is the 8 year old developing normally? Gross motor, behavioral, and neurological development? If so, I would absolutely move her to a booster. I might spring for a latchable booster (if you like the Turbobooster, the Affix is similar) for full time use, but there is no evidence that she is safer in a harness than a booster.

Thank you both so much for your feedback and suggestions!

Yes, I trust her to be in a booster 99% of the time. (There are moments when I think my 5 year old is safer because my 8 year old can't reach her -- that's the other 1%!) My inclination is purely for safety reasons.

We have absolutely no evidence that a typical 8 year old is safer in a harness than a booster. I just moved my 8 year old with epilepsy to a booster full time even though she still fit her frontier. I'd go ahead and pass the Frontier down in your situation.

Thanks again! It's taking a major mind switch to go from keeping her in it until she reaches the max height to switching her earlier than necessary. I don't read that there's no proof of harnesses being safer as they aren't safer, especially since they *seem* safer, certainly not less safe installed correctly, so I had planned on keeping her in it until she reaches the max, even as a (small for her age) 8 year old. I've always considered my daughters' needs separately and bought what they each needed without letting her sister affect her seat, so that's the holdup! Thanks so much for your feedback!

I agree to switch the eldest to a booster. If it helps your mindset, there is some thought that, for her age group, boostering can even be better in terms of what would happen with stresses on the neck in a frontal crash. In a harness the shoulders are "pinned" and only the head moves forward, stressing the neck. (Race car drivers who use 5-pt harnesses also have to use a special head/helmet restraint to prevent neck injuries in a crash!)
In a seatbelt the torso also moves forward some with the head and therefore stress right at the neck is not as concentrated (it's more spread out.)
That's my basic understanding of the whole thing!
So, there is also a "pro" to switching to a booster (for children such as your daughter who are old enough for the responsibility.)

That does help, and thank you for humoring me! I can see how the force would be more distributed -- not less stress (back pain is bad too!), but less directly on the neck. Meanwhile, as you said, race car drivers do use a harness, so there is an overall benefit with the harness too. Thank you so much!