Dear booster seat makers...

[bubbaray]

Just move to Canada. Boosters are all 40 lb minimum here

Not that that stops people from putting newly 2yos in LBBs.

 

[featherhead]

Not that that stops people from putting newly 2yos in LBBs.

Oh, I know. Unfortunately there are a lot of people that don't have any clue that there are weight limits or minimums, and just put their kid in whatever they feel like, whether or not they fit.

 

[Baylor]

One of the things I have learned, is the more I learn about Car seat safety, the more I find people that don't care, or don't care to know.
They can change the boxes and wording all they want. People will still pick what is easiest, cheapest.

 

[yetanotherjen]

I'm fine with a 30# minimum. I'd like to see a 4yo minimum, and would be in heaven with a 5yo minimum.

:yeahthatlove: EXACTLY!!!!!

My 6 1/2 year old goes between 38-40lbs, and he is on the last slot of the FN85 (which he doesn't use full time anymore), some kids do need the lower weight limit.

 

[An Aurora]

Yeah, I'm really glad there is a 30lb minimum. My 7.5yo is 41lbs and my 5.75 year old is 32 pounds. Both are boostered. My poor son is 3.5 and 22lbs. He will be harnessed for ages until he hits 30lbs.

 

[Athena]

I have a friend who bought her GD (2.5 yrs old/40 lbs) a booster b/c it stated that it was for 30 lbs and up. She was frustration at the company b/c it states one thing and the law says another.

But the seat said 3 year minimum (not 2.5), right? So why is she mad at the company?


Personally, whether it's moving to forward facing or boostering, I'm in no hurry and have no problem with waiting until ages 5-6-7 to booster. I cannot imagine putting my 4yo in a booster and she is not at all immature for her age. But I completely agree that no booster should say 3yo on it. If someone doesn't have hours to do research or have an awesome pediatrician to ask, they look at that seat that says 30 pounds and 3 years and think it's okay to use it for their 30 pound 3 yo. And I think if we step back and think about it, we can all see their perspective on that and how we could have thought that too. Our government allows it, so it's safe, right?

 

[Athena]

:yeahthatlove: EXACTLY!!!!!

My 6 1/2 year old goes between 38-40lbs, and he is on the last slot of the FN85 (which he doesn't use full time anymore), some kids do need the lower weight limit.

Wow, he must have a really long torso because my 6yo DD is inches taller and still fits in her Frontier85. Good point that we do need options for kids who outgrow harnesses and aren't quite 40 pounds. However, I've also found it frustrating to find boosters that fit those super skinny kids well, especially when they're tall too. When you don't have average sized or proportioned kids, car seats are a lot more challenging.

Does the Monterey fit his super skinny proportions well? My DD is slightly higher on both height and weight, so super skinny too, and that's the one we'll probably try soon for the car in which she's almost outgrown the FN85 harness. (She has a bit more growing room in the other car. )

 

[cake...]

I get it, actually. Why parents are so eager to get their kids in boosters. I have a really tall DS, who outgrew his Complete Air rearfacing around 2 and has just outgrown it FFing, and he's not yet 3. I have had SO many people tell me to move him to a booster. All my family wants to know why not just put him in a booster.

There has only been one other baby in the family in the last 24 years. That baby went from an infant seat (chosen for its Winnie the Pooh fabric) to a shield booster bought at a garage sale for $10 at 1 year, to a $10 NBB at around 3. She's 11 now, she survived, so what's the big deal?

I was even encouraged to call my pediatrician, and told "they'll tell you it's fine to put him in a booster."

I had to buy my son FR85s because of his ridiculous torso. Three of them. When faced with the choice between dropping $600 on new harness seats, or spending $45 on three NBBs, what is your average parent going to choose? The booster box says it's fine, so where's the problem?

 

[Athena]

I agree that many people will believe the box and not do the extra research. Good for you for doing an incredible job at keeping your DS safe!

She's 11 now, she survived, so what's the big deal?

That must be incredibly frustrating for you. Did she actually survive anything? Was she in a serious collision? If not, she didn't survive anything and, if you want to, you could point that out. Do they know that this is the most likely thing to kill a child?

I was even encouraged to call my pediatrician, and told "they'll tell you it's fine to put him in a booster."

Maybe you should to prove them wrong. My pediatrician keeps up on the research and AAP policies (as all should) and would tell you/them that it is not okay.

 

[Baylor]

I agree that many people will believe the box and not do the extra research. Good for you for doing an incredible job at keeping your DS safe!



That must be incredibly frustrating for you. Did she actually survive anything? Was she in a serious collision? If not, she didn't survive anything and, if you want to, you could point that out. Do they know that this is the most likely thing to kill a child?



Maybe you should to prove them wrong. My pediatrician keeps up on the research and AAP policies (as all should) and would tell you/them that it is not okay.

My ped also would not tell you it is okay. He was thrilled when I bought the GN to reharness my then 4 yr old. Not all drs are the same.

I think we need the minimums at 30. But I think it is like anything else. We decide what is best for our kids and put in effort to learn about the consequences. I did research when I knew I had to bottle feed my last child and decided on glass bottles because of bpa. It was a royal pain to have heavy glass bottles but I was going to do what I felt was best for him.
There will always be parents that will go the extra mile and learn all they can and some that will do bare minimum. That is just life. Manufacturers can only give guidelines. It is up to parents to make choices for their kids.

 

[agave]

I'd love to see a sliding scale
("your child must meet one of the following minimums:
3yo AND 50lbs,
4yo AND 40lbs,
OR
5+yo AND 30lbs)

I like this my 4 yr old would be eligible in 2 lbs, probably just a few months shy of 5. And my 3 yr old would be eligible at 5.

 

[cake...]

That must be incredibly frustrating for you. Did she actually survive anything? Was she in a serious collision? If not, she didn't survive anything and, if you want to, you could point that out. Do they know that this is the most likely thing to kill a child?

No, she was never involved in a collision of any kind, she just survived childhood in general. Just like I "survived" being driven around without a car seat half the time as an infant.

Our pedi never says much about car seats. They asked whether he was rear-facing at checkups until he was 2, but never made any recommendation or other mention of it. There are other reasons why we love him though.

 

[Athena]

Our pedi never says much about car seats. They asked whether he was rear-facing at checkups until he was 2

I think that's great! If they know they should RF til 2, they might not recommend early boostering either. You don't have to ask, but I just thinking it might help shut your extended family up.