Would you allow a booster full time?

christineka

New member
Ds is 5.5 years old, 42 pounds, with a 15 inch torso. He rides in a radian in the van and a booster in the car.

Dh okayed buying a couple new seats for his car because I like to stick 3 kids in there and one seat expires in a couple months. (It was a hated rear adjusting seat too.) The seats I got don't work. I will play around with all of them and try one ffing. Maybe that will work. If not, maybe I could put the radian in the car for the 3 big kids to use. Then ds would be left with a booster for the van. I could put the 2 seater bench back in the van and everyone would fit nicely in two rows. (Otherwise any ffing kid complains and cries if I make them climb over the seat to the back. The radian is only compatible with the middle-most position.) (I don't suppose anyone would be interesting in trading a radian for a nautilus?)

I am a bit torn on this. My oldest went to a booster on her 5th birthday at 40.5 pounds. My second was 4.5 years and 40 pounds. Ds is quite a bit older and might be okay...

What do you think?
 
ADS
If possible, I would love to see them harnessed most time until at least 6 years old, 50 pounds. But, I am not a tech.

Personally, it also depends how they sit in a booster. if you are asking me, if my 5 1/2 year old(6 in november), 48 pound child would be ok in a booster full-time-my answer would be NO NO NO! He does not sit well at all in a booster. but, that is my 5 1/2 year old.

My 5 1/2 year old, 48 pound daycare girl sits WONDERFUL in a booster and I am ok with her in a booster full-time in my van(ok, she is only here 2 days a week).
 

christineka

New member
Honestly, ds only gets to sit in the booster in the car for short drives and most of the time he's not sitting next to a sibling.

I don't know how he'd do if he normally sat in a booster or if he was next to a younger sibling. (He acts worse around the younger ones because he taunts and teases. The older ones won't stand for that. I could fix things so that he was next to a big kid.) I worry about sleeping. My 7 year old hangs her head forward when sleeping and no amount of shoving her head in place will help. (I sat next to her once.)

So, do I just let him have the booster and at the first sign of not being mature enough give him back the car seat?

Oh, and at the rate my kids are going they'll be 9 or 10 before they hit 50 pounds.
 

Adventuredad

New member
I think it's fine and as safe for your toddler to be in a booster but it depends how he acts around other kids. If there is lots of play or reaching with the other kids it may not be a good idea.
 

christineka

New member
I think I'll set the booster in the van without uninstalling the radian. Ds can sit in the booster if and only if he can behave and stay in place. If not, the radian is right there and waiting.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
Honestly, ds only gets to sit in the booster in the car for short drives and most of the time he's not sitting next to a sibling......So, do I just let him have the booster and at the first sign of not being mature enough give him back the car seat?

That sounds like a good idea to me.
 

Adventuredad

New member
So, do I just let him have the booster and at the first sign of not being mature enough give him back the car seat?

I agree with Skaterbabs and like that idea. I would give him a couple of chances or at least explain things thoroughly so he's on board with why it's important to sit still in the booster.:twocents:
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
My dd is 5 and 42ish lbs. If I had to put her in a booster full time b/c I didn't have or couldn't afford a hwh or b/c we just couldn't fit all the seats in the car, I would do it. She sits in a booster on occassion and does fine. I prefer having her harnessed but if circumstances were different, I would be ok with her in a booster. A year ago I would not have said the same thing but she has matured a ton in the last year.
 

christineka

New member
I got the car seat for ds when he was almost 5. He was in a booster at 4.5 because that was what we could afford. He sat terribly in it and couldn't buckle himself. Over the year he has matured. I let him ride in the booster today and explained all about how he was to sit properly or he would have to sit in his car seat again. The first trip I locked the belt on him to give him and idea of how much wiggle room he had. He did fine on our short trips. I rearranged the seats in the car and I think the radian will fit quite nicely. I think I'll give ds 3 weeks before I move the radian into the car.
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
I would have a hard time doing it if I had other options available. AJ is almost 5.5yo and 45# and though I really do think he could sit well for the most part in a booster, I don't want him in one full time yet and he knows that. He also falls asleep quite a bit still if we're out a lot in the afternoon and that can really hinder proper booster use.
 

christineka

New member
After day 2 in the booster I told him he had to sit in his car seat again. He can try again when he turns 6. I spent too much time looking in the rear view mirror and telling him to sit back. He was in a fisher price booster. He'd probably do better in one of those big sip boosters, but I haven't yet raised funds for one.
 

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