What to do for very petite 6 year old?

[charwagner]

DD is 6, between 44" and 46" tall, and 36 lbs. She is FF in a Graco MyRide 65 and the top of her head is creeping towards the top of the seat.

Should I get another harnessed seat that will convert to a booster?

DS is 9 years old, maybe 52" tall, and 60 lbs in a Parkway booster (currently backless).

Should I get DS a backless booster and put DD in the Parkway as a highback booster? My car is mainly used for short trips in town. (Her other seat is a Graco Nautilus.)

I am concerned only because she is so little, but I've seen posts where she should be ok in a booster due to her age and the ossification of her bones being complete. I feel like I have always been a bit more protective of her, being my last...

 

[Dillipop]

You said her head is creeping up. She should be ok in the myride until the tips of her ears are even with the top of the shell as long as the harness straps are above her shoulders.

 

[1mommy]

The parkway has a 40 pound minimum so you can't use it for her yet, why don't you try out the Graco Nautilus in booster mode to see how she does? Then assuming she does good and you think she will stay in place in a HBB even when sleeping, buy her a dedicated booster (with min weight of 30 lbs)

Btw I'm not a tech but mom to a very petite boy, who while is still 2.5 and rf, I plan on boostering at 6 even tho he won't be 40 pounds.

 

[DogznKatz]

I agree with Dillipop in that the MyRide will be fine until the tops of her ears are even with the top of the car seat shell OR until her shoulders are even with the top slots of the carseat - - whichever comes first. I would keep her harnessed to 40#.

 

[charwagner]

Oh, that is good to know about the tips of the ears and not top of the head I will definitely check her ears and shoulders the next time we are in my car. I think she still has one more harness slot to move up to also

We were having a little conversation in the car today and I started telling her that my options are to get her another carseat with a harness but less bulky (I would get one that wasn't as "wide" as the MyRide) and she said that is what she wanted

Of course I didn't get to give her the other option where she could be in a booster, which is what she wants...

I appreciate the responses... Any recommendations on a carseat that will keep her harnessed and will turn into a booster and preferably less bulky/wide than the MyRide 65 (bought in 2009).

 

[jjordan]

Are you thinking that she would prefer something less wide, or is that just for you? I can't quite tell from your post who is concerned about bulk/width. Are you trying to fit 3 car seats across, or have more room for adults? Or does your dd think the wideness makes it seem like a baby seat?

According to the measurement spreadsheet, the MyRide has an exterior width of 20 inches. Most combination seats have a width in the 19-20" range, so not significantly narrower, except for the Harmony Defender (17" wide). BUT - if you're looking to fit seats together, then overall width is not the only factor, you also need to see how seats fit in the car and how they "puzzle" together. If your dd is concerned about the width, then depending on her exact point of concern, a combination seat that is the similar on paper to the MyRide (in terms of width) might still be more to her liking. The MyRide is usually quite reclined when forward facing, and along with the shape of the seat, she might feel like it is a baby/toddler seat, whereas a combination seat might feel more like a "big girl" seat.

Hope this helps!

 

[charwagner]

Is the 20 inch exterior width at the base or the total width "used" by the seat?

I don't need 3 across. I once fit two smaller children in seatbelts next to her (in a 2001 Nissan Altima) but don't regularly transport a third child. I would like something that converts to a booster.

She honestly hasn't complained often enough about anything regarding the seat to make me feel like I should move her. If I were to buy another harnessed seat, I'd look for one that was less bulky/wide and more like a "big kid" seat than a "baby" seat.

I do have an Evenflo Maestro available to use for another 2 years (expires 2016). The highest harness height is 18" same as the Graco Nautilus. If when I double check her ears in relation to the top of the shell and her shoulder/harness height she needs a new seat, I'll likely use the Maestro until she is ready for the Parkway. (I can get DS a backless booster for the truck.)

QUOTE=jjordan;2825063]Are you thinking that she would prefer something less wide, or is that just for you? I can't quite tell from your post who is concerned about bulk/width. Are you trying to fit 3 car seats across, or have more room for adults? Or does your dd think the wideness makes it seem like a baby seat?

According to the measurement spreadsheet, the MyRide has an exterior width of 20 inches. Most combination seats have a width in the 19-20" range, so not significantly narrower, except for the Harmony Defender (17" wide). BUT - if you're looking to fit seats together, then overall width is not the only factor, you also need to see how seats fit in the car and how they "puzzle" together. If your dd is concerned about the width, then depending on her exact point of concern, a combination seat that is the similar on paper to the MyRide (in terms of width) might still be more to her liking. The MyRide is usually quite reclined when forward facing, and along with the shape of the seat, she might feel like it is a baby/toddler seat, whereas a combination seat might feel more like a "big girl" seat.

Hope this helps![/QUOTE]

 

[Carolinadaisy]

I definitely wouldn't buy another harnessed seat for a 6 yr old unless there was a special needs scenario where she couldn't be trained to sit properly in a booster. If you want to keep her harnessed a little longer, the Maestro should work as long as her shoulders are under the top harness position.

However, if she is closer to 7, I would probably consider a request for a high back booster. She would likely fit well in a turbo booster. It fits petite kids well. I'm getting ready to move my 6.5 yr old son into a booster in my van in the next few months. He has been in a high back booster in Dh's car for over a year already. He's not as petite as your dd, but he's in first grade and ready for a booster.

You could consider buying a turbo booster and using it for short rides to booster train her now so that she will know how to behave in one. Knowing how to properly use a booster makes those rides with a grandparent or friend easier and cuts down on the need to install a car seat for them.

 

[henrietta]

DD is 6, between 44" and 46" tall, and 36 lbs. She is FF in a Graco MyRide 65 and the top of her head is creeping towards the top of the seat.

Should I get another harnessed seat that will convert to a booster?

DS is 9 years old, maybe 52" tall, and 60 lbs in a Parkway booster (currently backless).

Should I get DS a backless booster and put DD in the Parkway as a highback booster? My car is mainly used for short trips in town. (Her other seat is a Graco Nautilus.)

I am concerned only because she is so little, but I've seen posts where she should be ok in a booster due to her age and the ossification of her bones being complete. I feel like I have always been a bit more protective of her, being my last...

As others have said, she's safe in the MyRide till the tops of her ears go over the seatback OR her shoulders go over the top slots OR she reaches the weight limit.

My older two are very similar to your two. 9 and half years old, 53", 60 lbs (boy); 6 and half years old, 46", 43 lbs.

I'd probably use the Nautilus in harness mode in your most used/main car...and use the Maestro or buy a Graco Turbo booster OR Harmony high back booster (both are known for fitting skinny itty bitties very well) for the other car. My 6 year old just about outgrew the top slots on his Evenflo Secure Kid 300 (like your Nautilus) and he's been riding in a booster full time now. He's not as thin as your 6 year old, but he's just as tall, so the belts fit correctly in the well fitting boosters. But if she is really complaining about the MyRide, I probably would let her switch to a more "grown up" looking seat. To a kid, it may look more like a baby seat than a combo seat like the Nautilus does.