Finally had to move DD out of her Husky...

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twom

New member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #1

She made it to age 10, 77 pounds, and 55.5 inches, so I can't complain. Her shoulders are just going over the top slots, so she is now officially done with the Husky and in a Parkway full-time. She'll ride fine of course, but I hate giving up that 5-point harness.

 

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LuvBug

New member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #2

congrats on keeping her harnessed for so long!

 

Leila

New member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #3

Wow!!!!!!! Congrats on keeping her harnessed so long!!!

 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador

• Feb 15, 2008

• #4

Your DD is close in size to my DD (mine is 57" and 78 pounds) and boosters aren't even working for her anymore. They rose her too high up and the seat belt was not fitting properly, especially at the shoulder. And her head was really close to the ceiling. She passes the 5 point test in 3 vehicles in our family so she's been out of a booster for about 6 months now.

How do you find the fit of the Parkway with your DD? Does she end up being really high up? Does she pass the 5 point test in your vehicles? (and I am trying to say that if she does pass she shouldn't use a booster!). Just wondering because I was totally torn when we got rid of DD's boosters (she was harnessed until 6 because she outgrew the available seats here) but she seemed more unsafe in the booster because of how awkwardly she fit. I wonder if her extra height is making that much of a difference? or maybe the Parkway is a lower profile seat?

Anyway, how long do you expect the Parkway to fit her? Wondering if my DD would get enough use out of one, assuming her head didn't hit the ceiling...

 

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twom

New member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #5

I actually haven't tried her without a booster yet, but I'll do that this evening just to see how she fits and get back to you. She definitely seems higher up in the Parkway than in Husky, but I think that's because the Husky had the recline bar which made it a bit more low-profile. I'm not worried about her head in relation to the ceiling. I'm not sure how long the Parkway will last her, but I'm hoping for a year of use. She's not on the top setting of it yet.

Which booster did you have before? As far as I know, the Parkway is currently the tallest booster out (as far as holding the tallest kids). So your dd might fit in it when she wouldn't fit in whatever other booster you had. How was the shoulder belt not fitting properly? The shoulder belt guide needs to be at or above the child's shoulder, so again, the booster you had may have had lower belt guides, where the Parkway has the highest ones available. If your dd passes the 5-step test, she really doesn't need a booster, but you could try a Parkway just for the side-impact protection if you were interested in that and if she still fits in it. This could be especially good if you have younger kids you could pass it down to.

 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador

• Feb 15, 2008

• #6

Thanks, that would be much appreciated! The Graco turbo booster was what she had last as she outgrew her highback booster (Century NextStep DX that only went to 52" I think). Her Graco was a backless, as when I purchased it I was poor and I don't believe the Parkway existed in Canada at the time. The shoulder belt used to sit just perfectly on her without using the attachable belt guide, so we didn't use it. Then about 6 months ago I noticed that the seat belt was now too low on her shoulder and also held out in front of her, so she had a gap of at least an inch (shoulder belt did not rest on her shoulder). I tried the attachable belt guide and quite honestly, it was a piece of crap and I could not get the shoulder belt to sit properly.

I am jealous that you got to keep your DD harnessed so long! I wish we'd had seats like that available in Canada.

I'm just kind of worried about her because she's graduated to that next unsafe step, you know? How long does the Parkway last? I do have a younger one, but they are 9 years difference, so even if the younger one could use it, it would likely expire before she was done with it?

 

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twom

New member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #7

I checked her in just the belt (no booster), and there's no way she could ride safely. Her knees *almost* bend at the seat edge, but the belt went across the edge of her neck and up on her belly a bit. Hopefully when she outgrows the Parkway she'll fit perfectly. She just needs a few more inches, I think. I know it does depend a lot on the vehicle too, so a kid could fit in one vehicle and need a booster in another (or even fit one seating position and not another in the same vehicle). Ours is a Mazda 626.

The Parkway lasts for 6 years from the date of manufacture, so if your younger kiddo is anywhere near booster age, he or she would likely get some use out of it.

We did have a Turbo for dd's spare seat before we got the Parkway, and the back on the Turbo is not nearly as high. She would have outgrown the Turbo by now, but she's still got a couple of inches of torso growing room in the Parkway. I never tried the Turbo backless, so I can't comment on how that might compare.

 

keri1292

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #8

What a great amount of safely harnessed time! :thumbsup:

 

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Mommy090804

New member

• Feb 15, 2008

• #9

Wow, that is amazing! Your DD actually made it to almost 80 pounds in the Husky! Ten years of harnessing is very impressive!:thumbsup: BTW, your DD is only six inches shorter than I am. Glad to hear the PW is working for her. I can definitely "see" how the seatbelt wouldn't fit her properly. Way to go!!!

 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor

• Feb 15, 2008

• #10

Great job keeping her harnessed for so long!! I know it must be bitter sweet to have her no longer fit.

 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador

• Feb 17, 2008

• #11

twom said:

The Parkway lasts for 6 years from the date of manufacture, so if your younger kiddo is anywhere near booster age, he or she would likely get some use out of it.

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Rats! The little one is only 17 months, so will hopefully be harnessed for the next 6 years or more!

twom said:

We did have a Turbo for dd's spare seat before we got the Parkway, and the back on the Turbo is not nearly as high. She would have outgrown the Turbo by now, but she's still got a couple of inches of torso growing room in the Parkway. I never tried the Turbo backless, so I can't comment on how that might compare.

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When I bought the Turbo, the Parkway wasn't available here, and if I think about it now, I think she was either at or close to the height of outgrowing the Turbo with the back, which is another reason I went with the backless.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Feb 18, 2008

• #12

The Clek is shorter than the Turbo, maybe you could try it out (speaking to technogranola). It doesn't require LATCH/UAS, either...

And yay, Twom... I want to try my 55 inch 65 pound 10 yo in his Husky to see if he still fits, lol

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Feb 18, 2008

• #13

What a bittersweet moment CONGRATS on fulfilling safest practice so long

P.S. would you be interested in adding a picture of kiddo (with face blocked out if you prefer) to my online booster album to help raise awareness? You can click my screen name to find the link to my homepage if you'd like to preview....

 

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twom

New member

• Feb 18, 2008

• #14

papooses said:

What a bittersweet moment CONGRATS on fulfilling safest practice so long

P.S. would you be interested in adding a picture of kiddo (with face blocked out if you prefer) to my online booster album to help raise awareness? You can click my screen name to find the link to my homepage if you'd like to preview....

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If I can manage to create a pic with her face blocked out, I'll send one along. Did you want her for the harness album or the booster album, or both?