Would you continue to harness a 7 year old?

cookie123

New member
Hannah will be turning seven Oct 21. Does anyone think she needs to stay harnessed? She's in a GN with some room to grow. She's over 40 lbs but probably under 45 lbs. I don't know her height. It's the same as Brett!:) She did fine on the 2 occasions she's been with me in a TB. She seems little. I'll probably give dd info and leave it up to her. With instructions.
 
ADS

NannyMom

Well-known member
At 7 years old, and over 40 pounds, she should do fine. As long as she can sit properly and the seatbelt fits her properly in the booster.

J will be 7 in March and I'm hoping he can use a booster then. I'm actually hoping the GN lasts him that long. He still doesn't have the maturity for a booster :(
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
Personally, I'd try to keep my 7YO in a harness if he still had room. (In fact, that's just what I've done - my 8YO loves his harnessed seats.) However, if your DD decides to move her to a booster, I'd be fine with it provided she can sit still.
 

Maedze

New member
She's fine with a booster, but I wouldn't use the GN as a booster for her. It's not likely to provide a good belt fit on a kid who still fits in it as a harnessed seat.
 

cookie123

New member
I haven't suggested a move to dd for H at all yet. H doesn't ask to be in a booster, either. And she still has a half an inch or so of harness height. I'm torn. And it's so easy this way.

There's no 3 across in dd's Sienna. She sits in the driver's side capts chair now. Will she likely be able to get herself buckled? She can't do it in mine - but I have 3 across and I can barely get it done myself.
 
Hi, my daughter is 8 and still harnessed in a Regent and will be for quite some time! I dont know her height either but she hasnt even reached 40 lbs yet. I have posted regarding thinking about rear facing her because of her size and I am still very much so considering it. But, for now she will stay harnessed until the time comes where she gows. At this rate, she will be harnessed till she gets her drivers license! I am a little worried, does anyone or know anyone thats harnessed past 10 years old? She is 8 and a half so I am only looking at a year and a half before she reaches 10! She doesnt mind being harnessed at all and since I have talked her about rear facing, she has been asking me when she can ride backwards! At least I know she is on board with it but there are alot of things to consider before I make the decision. Have a wonderful day everyone and I hope to hear there are others thats had to harness past 10.

Samantha
 

MommyBoha

New member
DS is 6.5 and I leave it up to him what he wants. 9 times out of 10 he chooses his Regent. He says he likes how comfy it is and he feels safer. He haws the maturity for a booster, he just doesnt really like it.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I moved my daughter to a booster shortly after she turned seven, because she very much prefers the booster. I think both HBBs and harnesses are safe for 7yos and I think it's entirely a personal choice which you and your child prefer.

Michgan_mommy, I don't think that, barring special needs, any children "have to" harness to age 10.
 

tjham

New member
My granddaughter is 8 and was harnessed in every car to about 7 1/2 yrs old. Of course she weighed 39 lbs for over a year! And she just weighes about 43 lbs. now. She was in the Nautilus harnessed in my car until a few months ago and now uses it as a booster. I have checked the fit and it seems good to me. She is only in it maybe twice a month for 20 min at a time. She is still in a Radian in her dad's truck because of lap belt only in the center, boosters everywhere else.
 
:yeahthat:

Does your daughter have special needs, or is she just naturally petite?

She is not special needs, she is just very small. Her pedi keeps assuring me that even though she is small, its nothing to be concerned about. She isnt a picky eater, and has a high metabolism to boot. She burns off everything she eats by running and climbing. I have been giving her pediasure to help with the weight gain and have been looking for other drinks that might help because the pediasure isnt really helping. If anyone can recommend something else, I would greatly appreciate it. I hope to hear back soon.

Samantha
 

Maedze

New member
There's certainly nothing wrong with continuing to harness her, but it's not necessary. As long as she's over 30 pounds, I'd be perfectly comfortable with her in a belt positioning booster that fits little booster riders well. The Graco Turbobooster and the Recaro Vivo are both great options.
 

Peony

Member
DD1 will be 7 very soon, I'm keeping her in her Regent. She doesn't ask to be in a booster, another huge plus for me is that she can buckle and unbuckle herself in the regent but often gets the seatbelt twisted while using a booster. She also lacks maturity to sit still in a booster without me constantly reminding her.
 

monstah

New member
Hannah will be turning seven Oct 21. Does anyone think she needs to stay harnessed? She's over 40 lbs but probably under 45 lbs.
I'll probably give dd info and leave it up to her.

No, she doesn't need to stay harnessed. As long as she sits properly, she is perfectly safe in a booster. :thumbsup:
I think giving her some info and letting her decide is a good idea but be careful not to scare her or make her think boosters are unsafe, KWIM? It should be more about her comfort at this point, IMO.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I would allow her to remain harnessed if she wanted to, or if she had no strong feelings either way and boostering would mean buying another seat, or more work in another way. I would not make her remain harnessed as long as she is capable of sitting properly. So I don't think she needs to stay harnessed if she's NT and can sit still, no. But it won't do any harm if she wants to.
 

PHaley

New member
I'd say how are your winters? If H isn't asking to be boostered and has room to grow I'd probably not say anything until spring and then let dd decide if she wants to try boostering H. Since she's in a captains chair maybe getting her a booster now for her friends to ride in and letting her "train" in it over the next six months or so would be feasible. Turbos are usually cheap and come in cute patterns and fit smaller booster riders better right? Then she'll also have a back up seat as she'll be able to use the GN for H or B and next year for the baby :)
 

christineka

New member
What I've read on this forum is that ever past age 6, a normal child is fine in a good booster and may even be better off than in a harness. I let my ds switch to a booster a few months after his 6th birthday. I feel he is plenty safe in his vivo. He's smaller. He was on the second to the top slots in the nautilus and about 43 pounds when he moved to the vivo. He fit in it perfectly.
 

houseofboys

New member
I think neither choice is wrong in this situation. My youngest is coming up on seven and we just recently switched him to a booster full-time. He's a little one like your granddaughter, right at 40 pounds. He rides in a Parkway (sometimes a HBTB) and fits great in both. I gave him a choice and he prefers to ride in the Parkway. So even though he still has room to grow in the GN, we're giving it the old heave-ho...
 

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