When did you start Booster Training?

cryswilkins

New member
How old was you child when you started booster training? DD is 3.5 and I just can't see her in a booster within the next year.
 
ADS

BookMama

Senior Community Member
DS didn't ride in a booster until he turned 6 and I he outgrew his other seat. He had the Parkway in my car, which he only rode in about once a month for 10 minutes. He rarely ever rode with anyone else (my folks, and I installed seats for them) and they took buses for school field trips at the time. So no need for booster training.

DD will probably start booster training when she turns 5. She'll start kindergarten this fall, and field trips are parent-driven. (Different school than DS's kindy school.) I'm not really thrilled about it but I think she'll do OK as long as the baby and DS aren't in the car to distract her. :rolleyes:

So, I'd consider starting booster train Zoe the summer before kindergarten. (Will she start when she's nearly 5 or nearly 6? We're not keeping DD back.)
 

solmama

Active member
My dd started booster training at 5 years. At 6 yrs, she is riding in a booster full time.

My ds, at only 4 and 37lbs, could ride in a booster responsibly (he follows directions well and is very linear), but won't start booster training until he's 5...and, hopefully he'll be 40 lbs by then.
 

cryswilkins

New member
She will be almost 5 when she goes into Kindy. I think that is the way that I am leaning, as nice as it would be to only have to install one harnessed seat for the grandmas, I am just not ready yet. Good to hear there are others that waited until after 4 to booster train.
 

Maedze

New member
4 years. DS was 41 pounds, DD was 39 pounds. DS was a necessity. He HAD to ride a booster to school and he needed to be trained. DD was not a necessity, but I learned with DS that starting earlier can be beneficial because 4 year olds can be very eager to please their parents in the way that older kids might not be :rolleyes:
 

tiggercat

New member
Megan was 4 (and 44ish lbs). She rides in a Monterey in my hubby's car and they have about a 10 minute max ride. Anything more than that and I move the Radian over. I wanted her to be ok in a booster in an emergency, but she won't be fulltime in a booster for a while yet.
 

momto3girls

Senior Community Member
I started dd at 6yrs. That's when she outgrew the RN. Dh took her to school in his car with the booster. In my car she's still harnessed in a FN80. She'll be in a booster full time by August.
 

christineka

New member
My oldest two switched to boosters at 5 and 4.65 years when they were 40 pounds. They didn't train, they just switched. Ds was 4.5 years when he went to a booster, but shortly afterward went back to a harness, though rode in a booster as a spare. Dd3 has used a booster on rare occasions since she was 5. She's fine in a booster, but I'm waiting for her to gain some weight before moving her permanently. I haven't seen a need for booster training. I find that either my kids are ready or they're not.
 

munchkin

Active member
I tried m in a booster shortly after her 4th bday (thinking she would be safer in a booster then in a seat with a loose harness) and it was terrible. After her 5th bday something just clicked with her (in all areas of her life she matured) so I tried the booster again. She did fabulous and is now in a booster full time with my sister and I and getting ready to be in a booster full time with daddy (outgrowing the FPSVD, but still has room in the harness in her truefit with mom).
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
A couple of weeks before ds's 5th birthday - when he reached 40 pounds.

Dd was 3.5 - but that was before I knew better. She was probably 38 pounds then, and she did great in the booster, but I still wouldn't have made that choice for her again if I knew then what I know now.
 

Callansmomma

CPS Technician
My son is 5.5. We started when I got the Oobr a few months ago. He really isn't into it. He was and loves his boosters, but after riding in them a few times he says he is happier in his Frontier. So, I'm not rushing it. He can do it if he needs to and that is what counts.
 

amy&girls

New member
My oldest is the only one in a booster. I started in August of last year, right before she turned 6. Only reason I let go of the higher harness seat in exchange for the booster is b/c she was riding the bus, and I felt that if she could handle riding on a seat in the bus without wiggling, then she could handle the booster. This was right before she started kindergarten (here the child has to be 5 by July 31st, which she wasn't, she is a September baby, so she didn't get to start kindergarten till right before she turned 6)
 

natysr

New member
Jordan was 5 1/2. He rides in a turbo booster in one car on short trips, and a frontier in the other car and on longer rides.
 

Lulu

New member
I haven't started with my 5yo. I'm not sure how I'll train him without buying another car seat. He's in a combination seat, so I don't want to be converting it back and forth.
 

Mingie

CPST Instructor
DD#1 will be 5 this fall and really wants to try a booster. I am going to start short trips after we move this summer. She is just 40lbs now.
 

scoutingbear

New member
A was riding in a booster when he came to us at 3 years. :rolleyes: He went back to a harness until 4 when he started booster riding in my parents cars.

C will start in 2 weeks when he turns 4 out of necessity. I need a seat used correctly if someone has to pick him up from summer camp other than dh, myself, or my dad. He is 43" and 48 pounds so he more than meets the height and weight requirements. We'll see about sitting still. We'll train on all surface streets with plenty of places to pull over. ;) His primary seat will be a harnessed Radian/GN until he outgrows those though.
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
... I am just not ready yet. Good to hear there are others that waited until after 4 to booster train.

Yeah, I wouldn't even consider training her yet. Too squirmy, I think. :p You should try her in the X-Fix on Monday though, to see how it fits her. Just for fun.

(And yes, I've met Zoe several times, so I'm referring specifically to her. ;))
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
About 4y7m I decided to start "training". However, no training was necessary. I laid down the rules, she sat. That was the end of it. Besides an occasional reminder it was fine. So I don't consider that I even booster trained her. I just put her in a booster I guess and she did fine. Whether or not that will be as easy with my other kids, who knows. She still doesn't use one much-maybe only once a month. I'd like her to weigh a bit more but around 36-37 lbs all the time I'll move her full time. She'll be well over 5 by that point.
 

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