Question Another booster reassurance thread....

MamaChirpy

New member
Am I technically using best practice if my 5 year old is in a HBB full time?

There have been several occasions lately where my son, L, has needed to jump in the car with someone else (my husband or mother) for a short trip. He has a Recaro Performance Sport in my husband's truck, but if little sister also wants to go with Daddy, I'm stuck moving a seat. And she got left out the other day because we simply didn't have time to move it. So I checked Amazon and the blue sapphire Parkway SGL was in stock finally!!! (He loves blue.) I ordered it and put it in my vehicle (his primary vehicle) to start the training. Well guess what. It fits him great. He hasn't moved in it. He can buckle and unbuckle himself. He does better than my 6 year old DD at staying in position. He is also very happy about a blue booster. So.... I had told him that he would still ride harnessed most of the time. That this was for special occasions.

Is it taking an unnecessary risk to allow him to ride in the booster full time? Obviously, I will continue to monitor him closely to make sure the behavior stays good. But barring him acting out, would you allow this for your child?

I strive to follow best practice. I don't want to take a risk I don't have to. But at the same time, my oldest gets carsick some. She has been doing it frequently here lately. It would be better for her to get to move up to a Captain's chair. If L is in a booster, that frees up the tether in the back for my other DD to move back.

WWYD?


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Dillipop

Well-known member
My 5.5 year old is in a booster full time. Her brothers were closer to 7 when they moved. She still sits better than her almost 10 year old brother.


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MamaChirpy

New member
I should've added, he just turned 5 on June 22. He is 42 pounds and is approx 43."


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lpperry

Active member
I struggle with this too. I like to booster at age 6, but allow carpooling in a high back booster at 5ish/5 1/2.

My 5 1/2 year old is boostered in our secondary car.

I don't have an answer for you--just saying I struggle too with being ok boostering a 5 year old!
 

creideamh

Well-known member
I'd be completely fine with it and with a lack of evidence suggesting otherwise, I think with proper fit and proper use, it counts as best practice.
 

bnsnyde

New member
Our 5 YO is. DH never got the straps right on the Sure Ride and I felt it was thus unsafe. He is in a Harmony Dreamtime now full-time.

49" and 53 lbs.
For our 4 hour roadtrip I'll do a harness in case he sleeps. Easier.
 

Limpick

New member
Is it taking an unnecessary risk to allow him to ride in the booster full time? Obviously, I will continue to monitor him closely to make sure the behavior stays good. But barring him acting out, would you allow this for your child?

I would wait for at least a year. But that's just me. My daughter isn't even old enough to use a forward-facing seat. However, my nephew is 6, and he still uses the harness. He's going to be riding in the booster soon, though.
 

AnnieW625

New member
My Dd1 was very adamant about not being harnessed in kindergarten and she was maybe 40" and 40-55lbs. She saw the Graco Turbo Booster and belted Frontier 80 as a big kid seat so we put her in a high back booster then which she stayed in our cars until right after she turned 9. She used the Graco as a low back or the Harmony Cruz low until right before she turned 10 and hit maybe 65lbs and I got her the Safety First Incognito. She will be using that for awhile because she is now maybe 56-57" tall.

Dd2 on the other hand is still happy with her harnessed Frontier 90 in my car (13 VW Passat) and a Peg Perego HBB 120. I found an amazing deal on the Peg booster ($20 after finding an Amazon Warehouse deal and using some Amazon credits) so she is in that seat in our 06 Pilot. She has gotten better with the seatbelt, but overall I think the Frontier is easier for her to buckle. I didn't want to buy another harnessed seat when she outgrew her BLVD 70 so that was the reason we went with the booster (if it matters any she most likely would've gone to the Graco Turbo high back had I not found a great deal on the Peg).

As long as the kids are well behaved I am fine with 5+ age kids in a low back or high back booster as long as they meet the requirements and they are mature enough. Low backs are great for carpooling.
 

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