Should 9 years old still be in the car seat?

[moonsky]

Hi there,

DC1, 9 yrs old, 56 inches 62 lbs. has been in Britax Frontier 85 for 5 years. Is it still safer to keep her in the Britax Frontier 85 till she reaches 62 inches?

Also, DC2, 7 yrs old, 49 inches and 57 lbs, has been using Britax Boulevard. I think she needs a new seat as she reaches the height limit. Should I get the Britax Frontier or else?

DC3, 5 yrs old, 41 inches and 36 lbs., has been on Britax Boulevard 70CS for five years.

All Britax seat expires in 7 years?

Thank you,

 

[wendytthomas]

Your nine and seven year olds would be perfectly fine in boosters. Your seven year old's shoulders are under the Britax's top slots? That's normally how the seat is outgrown, not 49".

Same with your five year old, their shoulders are under the top of the Britax's harness height?

Your Frontier is good for nine years, your Boulevard 70 for seven years. Depending on what Boulevard your seven year old is in, it's either six or seven years. The exact dates will be in each manual.

Wendy

 

[Jérémie Zürcher]

you can put her in a backless booster but if she is sitting well in hbb continue to use it (in my country 9 years old kids should sitting in a car seat because it's required by law)

 

[CTPDMom]

First, good for you for making sure your kids were harnessed to a safe boostering age!

Most kids are ready to booster by age 5-6 both physically and developmentally. Once a child is booster ready, we don't have any hard evidence that harnessing is safer than boostering. We have arguments on both sides, but ultimately BOTH are safe options that parents can choose.

At 7 and 9, unless either has special needs, you could certainly consider boostering. I personally wouldn't buy new seats to continue harnessing children that are 7 and 9, but that also doesn't mean you're wrong if you do.

As for expiration, no, not all Britax seats are 7 years. Here are the specifics:

https://us.britax.com/faqs/expiration-dates/

If you decide to booster the 9 and/or 7 year olds, and the Frontier isn't expired, you can pass that down to your youngest. Personally I'd keep him harnessed a while longer if possible, because he isn't 40lbs yet.

Once you decide whether you want to continue harnessing, and which kids, we can make some more focused recommendations.

 

[wendytthomas]

you can put her in a backless booster but if she is sitting well in hbb continue to use it (in my country 9 years old kids should sitting in a car seat because it's required by law)

No one is wondering if a nine year old needs a restraint, but a carseat generally has a harness and a booster does not. In Europe, from my experience, most harnesses stop at 18kg while the boosters top out at 36kg. Luckily here we have boosters that go to 45kg-54kg regularly, so most kids can use a booster straight up to 12 by weight.

Her older two don't need harnesses, unless they have special needs, and her five year old may not either. But they all need something for several more years, and boosters would be perfect.

Wendy

 

[moonsky]

Your nine and seven year olds would be perfectly fine in boosters. Your seven year old's shoulders are under the Britax's top slots? That's normally how the seat is outgrown, not 49".

Same with your five year old, their shoulders are under the top of the Britax's harness height?


Wendy

If their shoulders are still under the Britax's top slots, the seats are still ok to use?

 

[wendytthomas]

Yes, though I'd be shocked if a seven year old fits in a Britax convertible of that era, they're just not that tall (most kids outgrew them by shoulder height between 4.5 and 5.5 years old).

The nine year old likely fits in the Frontier 85 harnessed, but it's really not necessary to harness a nine year old, so you can pass it down to one of the younger kids. Or let your nine year old use it boostered. Or let the seven year old use it boostered.

Wendy

 

[moonsky]

First, good for you for making sure your kids were harnessed to a safe boostering age!

Most kids are ready to booster by age 5-6 both physically and developmentally. Once a child is booster ready, we don't have any hard evidence that harnessing is safer than boostering. We have arguments on both sides, but ultimately BOTH are safe options that parents can choose.

Once you decide whether you want to continue harnessing, and which kids, we can make some more focused recommendations.

Thank you for the link on the expirations. All my Britax Boulevard carseats are still not expire till next year. So, I think my youngest can still use it another year.

I thought it was safer to keep kids in 5 ways harness car seats as their bodies are smaller? Will the seat belt across the body with the booster seat be able to keep the kids stay tight in the seat not go side by side during the accident?

 

[moonsky]

Y
Or let your nine year old use it boostered. Or let the seven year old use it boostered.

Wendy

What do you mean using it as boostered? I got confused when I look at the Britax website too. It is a booster seat. It can be use in different way?

 

[moonsky]

Yes, though I'd be shocked if a seven year old fits in a Britax convertible of that era, they're just not that tall (most kids outgrew them by shoulder height between 4.5 and 5.5 years old).


Wendy

I think she is probably outgrown the shoulder height already. It is my fault that I didn't know about this requirement and only look at the weight and height.

 

[wendytthomas]

Most kids are ready, their bodies and their minds, between five and six for a booster seat.

A Frontier is a combination seat. Harness to booster. You can remove the harness and use it as a booster seat.

Wendy

 

[wendytthomas]

I think she is probably outgrown the shoulder height already. It is my fault that I didn't know about this requirement and only look at the weight and height.

It's in the manual, but not on the stickers.

Wendy