Moms of children 8 amd up

Just curious what most people do/did? Did you move your child out of the booster seat when they turned 8?

My son is 8 and still in one but recently was told by his friends that the rule is 8 years old. He wants out. I told him I have to look up the rules myself. Most of his friends are NOT in boosters and are 8 or close to 8 and almost all are smaller than he is (he is the tallest/biggest in his core group of friends). I have had his friends try to boycott when I drive them and just tell them that is the rules in my car.

I just read online:
An appropriate child safety restraint system:
•Is required for all children until their 8th birthday and,
•Must meet the size and weight requirements for the child based on the Federal requirements and the recommendations of the manufacturer, and
•Can be a child safety seat, a harness, a vest or a booster seat attached with the vehicle seat belt or latch system, but not the vehicle seat belt alone, and
•Should not be used in the front seat of the vehicle.

If the child is eight years old and is under 4'9" tall or weighs less than 100 lbs, it is recommended that you continue to use a child restraint system.

My son is not 4'9" and not nearly 100lbs. He is probably 4'4"-4'5" inches and 60ish pounds.

Message edited 4/8/2013 2:51:58 PM.

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

My DD is average to small in size and will be 10 in June. The seatbelt still does not go across her shoulder without a booster.

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

I think my DS (he will be 9 in May) is one of a very select few in his grade who still sits on a booster seat. Just the seat, not one with a back. I told him that he has to be 4'9" and he's not there yet. He's actually only an inch or two away, and he is one of the tallest in 3rd grade, so I can't figure out why I am one of a few parents who put their kids in booster seat still!

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

Noah will be 10 in July. He’s still in a booster seat.

He’s 50” and 60lbs. The shoulder strap doesn’t hit him appropriately when he’s not in the booster.

I’m not taking him out until I feel secure that he will be safe without it.

He has asked to be without it MANY times, but his safety is more important than his ‘embarrassment’.

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

My son is 9 and small for his age. He just graduated from the booster. I made our pediatrician come out to the car and see how he looked belted without it.
She said he was big enough. I am too nervous to make that call on my own.

Message edited 4/8/2013 6:26:03 PM.

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

Posted by PatsBrat

My son is 9 and small for his age. He just graduated from the booster. I made our pediatrician come out to the car and see how he looked belted without it.
She said he was big enough. I am too nervous to make that call on my own.

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

My kids were out of a booster seat by 8 yo.

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

My son will be 8 in Aug. He is about 53lbs and 4'7". He is still is the booster. I believe all of his friends are out of it (some of which are smaller than him). I don't think he'll be 100 lbs until he is like 16 but we'll see if he is 4'9 by his birthday.

I saw a boy in his grade and just a tad taller than him hop into the front seat with his mother yesterday....I was like . THAT won't be happeing for a LOOOOONG time!

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

Posted by limomof2

My son will be 8 in Aug. He is about 53lbs and 4'7". He is still is the booster. I believe all of his friends are out of it (some of which are smaller than him). I don't think he'll be 100 lbs until he is like 16 but we'll see if he is 4'9 by his birthday.

I saw a boy in his grade and just a tad taller than him hop into the front seat with his mother yesterday....I was like . THAT won't be happeing for a LOOOOONG time!

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

Can he pass the Five Step Test? Five Step Test

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

DS is 8 1/2 and 4'3, still in booster in my car though most of his friends arent

Moms of children 8 amd up

My DS is 7 and is still in the 5 pt harness booster. He thinks it's babyish and wants to switch to the bottom only booster and use the regular seatbelt instead. That's safe enough for the average sized second grader, right??

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

Re: Moms of children 8 amd up

DS is 10, and still in a booster. In my truck, he has to be, since I don't have head rests, so he needs the full-back booster mainly to protect his head from whiplash and/or slamming into the window behind him.
He hasn't made any complaints about having the seat booster in the car, so I haven't pushed the issue. If he doesn't want the booster in the car, I'll probably check the straps without the booster and let him not use it.

I'm never in a rush to make things less safe, so we've always kept both DC in the younger aged seats longer than the gov't minimum recommendations. I figure, we don't trust the gov't for anything, why would I follow their minimum guidelines for DC's safety?

DD is 7, and still in a 5pt harness. She'll be in that for a while still. She's tiny for her age.

I want to get a new truck soon, because I bought the highest capacity high-back booster I could find, but DS doesn't have much longer before he's at those limits.

Message edited 8/11/2013 11:25:31 AM.