Booster seats

[mpscott77]

How old do the kids have to be to sit in booster seats? Mine are going to be 3 in a few weeks and they are about 32-35lbs.

What booster seat is recommended the most? I would like to have a booster seat with a back part and head support. I need to start looking so the grandmas can have them in their cars.

These are the ones I found so far...

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2861774

http://www.evenflo.com/Homepage/ProductList/tabid/203/navid/1/Default.aspx?productid=2b49c217-5716-4e6a-bf7a-0895dd0fe596

http://www.evenflo.com/Homepage/ProductList/tabid/203/navid/1/Default.aspx?productid=72368663-ccfc-4e96-a594-aaf4c60eada5


Anybody have these? Any other suggestions?

[busyFLmom]

My boys are 4.5 and I just moved them into booster seats. They were in 5 point harness seats until then. These are the ones we purchased...

http://www.britaxusa.com/products/product_detail.aspx?ID=6

[grapeapeaf]

This is the one we put my daughter in when she was three-she loved it and still uses it.

http://downloads.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5430281

[Steph211]

My kids have the evenflo Big Kid Booster seats (pictured in your second link). I am very happy with them. My kids are really tall, so they've been in the boosters since last summer. The specs for that seat are that the child must be 3, weight at least 30 lbs, and be. . . I forget how tall, but mine definitely made it. They are very comfy (better than their evenflo Triumph carseats which seemed not very padded in the back and seat to me). It's very easy to move them around from one car to another and they are pretty lightweight (compared with carseats).

Good luck!

[JODAANJA2pj]

I very much reccomend that you contact your local police department to ask them what the regulations are for child booster seats. Each State has guidelines that must be followed. Each state is different, or so I am told. Just because a booster seat is rated for a certain weight or age does not mean that is legal for you to use it.

In Maine the regulations for a booster seat are 4 years of age AND 40 pounds. Some states are similar but their regulations state 4 yrs OR 40 pounds.

We bought our boosters at Wal-mart and they do not have the high back and I hate them. I wish I had spent the extra money and bought High Back Boosters as my oldest son is tall and when sitting in his booster seat AND seating in the middle of the truck bench seat (suburban) his head and neck are far enough above the back of the seat that if we ever did get rearended he would easily do damage to his neck. He is not allowed to sit in the middle of the bench seat because of this. Also he cannot sit without a booster seat until he is 8 and 80 pounds so it will be awhile before he can sit there. Atleast the head rests on each side of the bench seat are adjustable so as he grows taller I can adjust them up for head support.

Good luck and happy buying!

[Steph211]

In Maine the regulations for a booster seat are 4 years of age AND 40 pounds. Some states are similar but their regulations state 4 yrs OR 40 pounds.


That's really interesting. But what if a child is not yet 4 years and 40 pounds (or 4 years or 40 lbs) but they no longer meet the specs of the car seat? My daughter is extremely tall for her age and although she fell within the weight range for her carseat, she was too tall for it. Her height exceeded the range prescribed by the seat and her ears were above the back of the seat. I HAD to put her in a booster seat.

Also the American Academy of Pediatrics has lots of carseat and booster seat info on their website: http://www.aap.org/

[aewilliams]

My girls just turned 4 and both weigh 40 lbs. but I still have them in 5 point harness car seats. They are not any bigger than the tall back booster seats and for me personally I just feel like they are safer..

Good Luck with your search!!

Amy

[~Tara~]

Dittoing the above poster...they ARE safer in a 5pt harness.
And yes, check your state's laws concerning booster use.
Remember that every step 'up' in car seats is a step 'down' in safety. The longer they can remain in a 5 pt harness the better. There are MANY seats now that harness above and beyond the standard '40#' There are 55 and 65 pound limit seats all over now. As well as 80# ones. :)

(yes, I'm "one of those" a car seat freak...a certified car seat technician)

[Kim-mom2MnEm]

My two were just over 5 when I switched them to a booster with just a seatbelt. I agree to stay with a 5pt harness as long as possible. They should be at least 40 lbs and their shoulders are above the upper slots of the harness straps. There are seats that accommadate this. I had the Cosco Alpha Omega seats and loved them. I don't know if they are as highly recommended as they were when I bought them, but it worked for us.

[ourtwinmom]

we decided to stick with a 5pt harness as well after watching a very sad youtube video.

Our state laws are 4yrs and 40lbs so if they outgrown it height then there are some that go taller.

Good luck.

[Mom of 5]

My twins just turned 4 and weigh 40 lbs and 36 lbs. They have not outgrown their 5-pt. carseats yet, although DS is very tall. I'm going to continue as we have been until it's no longer feasible.

Thanks for the thread. I didn't know what the next step would be. So many 5-year-olds we know have no carseat at all!

4 years or 40 lbs, whichever comes first, was the law when my older children were little. Now it's 8 years or 80 lbs.

[Steph211]

Now it's 8 years or 80 lbs.

Wait, is that 8 years or 80 lbs and they can move OUT of boosters or 8 years-80lbs. and they can move from carseats TO boosters??? I'm very confused. I know some of the very pricey, high end carseats have very high weight and height maximums, but we're not really talking having 8 year olds in 5 point harness carseats are we? My 8 year old nephew is already 5 feet tall! That's about the same height as some of the carpool driving moms out there!

(Btw, I don't want anyone to think I am belittling safety. My kids wear helmets on their trikes, are never outdoors or in the bathtub unsupervised, I have safety outlets and cabinet latches, and I have their bookcases bolted to the wall, they wear life jackets at all times in our boat, etc. )

[Kim-mom2MnEm]

8 years OR 80 lbs. whichever comes first. ;)

[Steph211]

Yes, but is that carseat to booster or booster to nothing? :hmm:

Forgive me for being so thick about this. :nuts: It's been a very long day complete with a shattered overhead light fixture that occured during "quiet time." :nope:

[Kim-mom2MnEm]

Oh sorry. booster to nothing. ;) This should help. :)


1 yr AND 20 lbs (or later) to turn them from rear facing to forward facing
4 yrs AND 40 lbs (or later) to go from carseat and 5 pt harness to booster with seatbelt
8 yrs OR 80 lbs to go from booster to nothing (regular seat with seatbelt)

[mpscott77]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I think I will keep my kids in the 5pt harness for another year! We will see how it works for them! THANKS!

[Mom of 5]

I know some of the very pricey, high end carseats have very high weight and height maximums, but we're not really talking having 8 year olds in 5 point harness carseats are we? My 8 year old nephew is already 5 feet tall! That's about the same height as some of the carpool driving moms out there!I had been thinking the same thing! Two of my older children went through puberty before 80 lbs, and it seems ludicrous that they would have to be in 5-pt. harnesses as preteens by todays car seats laws.

(Oh sorry. booster to nothing. ;) This should help. :)


1 yr AND 20 lbs (or later) to turn them from rear facing to forward facing
4 yrs AND 40 lbs (or later) to go from carseat and 5 pt harness to booster with seatbelt
8 yrs OR 80 lbs to go from booster to nothing (regular seat with seatbelt)

Thanks, Kim, for clearing that up! :aok:

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I think I will keep my kids in the 5pt harness for another year! We will see how it works for them! THANKS!That's what I am going to do, too!

[Steph211]

Thanks, ladies, for clearing that up for me. Now it makes sense: 4yrs/40lbs in boosters until 8yrs/80lbs to just a seatbelt. Got it!