Would you buy another harnessed seat for a little 6.5 yr old?

astromom

New member
This may be a little long, please bear with me. My DD is 6.5 yr, ~37-38lb now, 43 tall, 15-15.5 in torso. DS is 4.5 yr, ~36 lb in April, 40.5 in tall. There's also a carpool boy in the mix, he's 7.75 yr and about average for his age. I don't know his stats.

Here's what we have now:
My car (08 Honda Civic) - Graco Cargo and Parkway SG. DD rides occasionally in the Parkway SG about 1.5 mi residential streets to booster train, but usually rides in the Cargo. DD sits in the Parkway very well when she rides in it. Carpool boy rides in the Parkway SG 3 days per week and fits nicely. I rarely have both DD and DS in the car at once and never all 3.

DH car (04 Camry): Britax Marathon (for DD) & Graco Nautilus (for DS). DH transports both DD and DS once per week, DD + carpool boy (in Nautilus as booster - once every other week), and DS only the rest of the time.

My dilemma - even though I read on here that the Cargo goes to 17in, mine only seems to measure 16 in in my car, even pushing down on the padding and DD's shoulders are very close to that height. We'll need a new seat when she outgrows the Cargo. I'm hoping her torso waits to grow a while, which will make this easier. What do I buy when I replace the Cargo?

What would you buy for a 6.5 year old 37-38lb child?
Option 1: Buy dedicated booster for DH car, move Marathon to my car for DS (DD could still ride in it as long as she fits. Marathon has another year until it expires.) If so which booster? I like the Parkway because DD tends to slouch when she sits and it fits her well in my car. Would something else be better?

Option 2: Buy Nautilus for my car, keep DH car as is. The only thing - I'm not thrilled with DS fit in Nautilus. He always complains that his legs are uncomfortable - it makes his feet dangle and takes up too much of the seat for him to rest his feet on the seat.

Option 3: Other suggestions?

Final note - I am aware that DD is slightly below the recommended weight for the Parkway, but made a parental choice.
 
ADS

PHaley

New member
OK since ds doesn't fell comfy in the GN and dd is outgrowing the Cargo let them switch! At under 40#s I'd personally want her harnessed. Could you put the Nauti in your car w/ the PWSG and put the Cargo in DH car for ds and buy a Turbo for carpool boy? Turbos are supposed to fit tiny booster riders well so your dd can use it when she outgrown the Marathon and in the mean while you can use it hb or backless for carpool boy.

It would look like this:
My car (08 Honda Civic) - Graco Nautilus and Parkway SG. DD rides occasionally in the Parkway SG about 1.5 mi residential streets to booster train, but usually rides in the Nautilus. DD sits in the Parkway very well when she rides in it. Carpool boy rides in the Parkway SG 3 days per week and fits nicely. I rarely have both DD and DS in the car at once and never all 3.

DH car (04 Camry): Britax Marathon (for DD) & Graco Cargo (for DS). DH transports both DD and DS once per week, DD + carpool boy (in Turbo booster - once every other week), and DS only the rest of the time (so he can choose Marathon or Cargo at those times).

What do you think? My only other idea is to sell the cargo and buy a Radian but I'd still get the turbo or a Big Lots Vivo for dh car and put the GN in yours :)
 

astromom

New member
Unfortunately, that option won't work. While DS doesn't seem to fit that well in the Nautilus, in his mind it is "His seat" and that is very important to him, so switching it to my car would not go over well at all. It is probably because it is the first seat he's had that isn't his sister's hand me down.

How old should I harness under 40# ? If DD still under 40# at 7 or 8? Or is there an age when it's okay to booster regardless of weight? Someday she'll reach it but she doesn't gain fast at all.
 

zactayaus

Well-known member
I switched my dd to a booster when she hit 40lbs at 7yo. She had been asking for over a year to use a booster cause none of her friends were still in a harnessed seat. All though I was a bit nervous at the time because I had myself brain washed that a harness was always better I got over it quickly. At her age and maturity the booster was just as safe. She had no problems staying in position (even if she fell asleep) and she was a much happier child in the car.
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
At her size and age, I'd be comfortable with her in a good high back booster, providing that she's mature enough to sit properly the whole time. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with keeping her harnessed, and that's probably what I would do if it were me. (I actually bought a Nautilus right after DS turned 7, in part because he had been begging me for another "seat with straps" for my car [had Regent in our main car] and it wasn't too hard to talk me into buying a new seat. :p)

If your DS is having problems with his legs in the Nautilus, he probably needs something to support them. A cheap styrofoam cooler or other lightweight foot rest might do the trick. :thumbsup:
 

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