seat for 7 year old

mully4235

Member
I have an almost 7 year old ( bday is in August). I need to measure and weigh her again, but in January she was 43 1/2 inches tall and 40 lbs. She lost a little then gained it back, last time she was weighed two weeks ago she was 41 lbs. She's tiny. She's currently riding ff harnessed in a Graco Nautilus 65 in my van and in a Britax marathon in my mother in laws van. That one expires at the end of the year so I'll need to replace it. I just don't know what to get. Another harnessed seat? Switch to a booster? She seems happy harnessed, but she does ok when we let her ride from our house to my in laws house (less than a half mile down the road) in a Britax Parkway. She just seems too little to be in a booster?
 
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MelodyoftheForest

Active member
If she can sit well in a booster without falling asleep for the amount of time your MIL would be driving her, I would go for a booster. The plus is that it has less room for error and your daughter can more easily make sure it is used the way you teach her is correct.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Keep in mind, that regardless of her size, she's got a basically seven year old skeleton. It can withstand the same forces as a 48 inch 65 pound child who will turn seven in August.

I'd have no problem at all with her in a booster.

Her shoulders are below the top harness height in both seats, and they're tethered?

Wendy
 

mully4235

Member
Keep in mind, that regardless of her size, she's got a basically seven year old skeleton. It can withstand the same forces as a 48 inch 65 pound child who will turn seven in August.

I'd have no problem at all with her in a booster.

Her shoulders are below the top harness height in both seats, and they're tethered?

Wendy

I'm so sorry for the extremely late reply. Life got crazy and I kind of got busy and forgot about it :-( Yes, her shoulders are below top harness height and seats are tethered. I'm planning on putting the Nautilus she's currently in in my MIL's van. She sometimes has another grandchild riding in there who is only 3 and I fear if I don't leave a harnessed seat in there his parents would probably let him ride in a booster. :-( Don't get me started on them. His seat isn't tethered in their car, they had it in the front seat and even let him "drive" with his dad down the road on his lap. :mad: I didn't know if I should buy another nautilus and keep her harnessed longer or just get a dedicated highback booster. I was considering the Britax Highpoint or the Graco TurboBooster Grow. Her brother is in a Parkway and I love that seat, but can't get them anymore :-( She seems very comfortable harnessed. She still falls asleep on trips though. Every couple of weeks we let her use the Parkway ( we have one in her dads vehicle and my MIL's van) and she does well with it. So, even though she's little she'd still be ok in a booster? Is there one you would recommend?
 

jjordan

Moderator
I usually let my kids pick their own boosters - by the time they are old enough for a booster, they are old enough to have a strong opinion! If you have narrowed it down to a couple of models then maybe you can show her some pictures of the various cover choices and see what she decides. Both are very good options and likely to give a good belt fit.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Yes! Different kids find different options comfortable too, so if you have a store that will let her sit in them first that's always a good thing to do if possible. My kids have all had different favorite boosters despite two having similar builds.
 

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