Car seat / Booster seat questions

DD1 is going to be 6 this month and still in a 5-point harness. Thoughts on switching her to a booster and secured with a seat belt? She's average height and weight.

DD2 is going to be 4 this month and in a convertible car seat. Thoughts on switching her to a booster? How old were your kids when you moved them?

Car seat / Booster seat questions

You have to do what you are comfortable with. My DD was in a 5 point harness until she reached the weight max for the seat earlier this year at age 8. I did this because when we bought the car seats, we did so for the express purpose of keeping her in a 5 point harness as long as possible. I battled with DH over it, because he took that seat out of his car, even though it converts to a booster, and got a backless booster instead.

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

My DD was 6 im June and I have mo intention of taking her out of thr 5 pt harness for a long time.
It's safer so to.me thay trumps all else.

Car seat / Booster seat questions

First I would make sure your 6 year old is the correct height and weight for the 5 point harness (some max out at different stats). I would also make sure you are securing it with the seatbelt, not the latch/tether, because those only go up to a certain weight.

I think 4 is way too young to be in a booster with a seatbelt.

At 6 my DD was in a high back booster. She is 9 and in a backless booster.

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

DS#1 is 7 and we just switched seats in both cars to high back boosters with the seatbelt. DS#2 is 3 1/4 and we finally turned him and have him in a convertible in both cars. I think he could have stayed rear facing with the one seat for a little longer (he's on the small side) but we were taking DS#1's Nautilus and that doesn't go rear facing. I didn't want him facing rear in one and forward in the other. He still keeps questioning "Why am i facing this way?" (but he asks Why everything right now. )

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

We switched DS to a high back booster right around his 6th birthday. He is the size of a 9 year old, and had outgrown both height and weight requirements for the 5 point harness.

I kind of hate it, because he moves around so much i have to keep on looking back and reminding him to sit up straight. I also hate that the booster is not attached to anything. I keep on re-reading the instructions but we followed them exactly.

If i could have, I would have kept him in the 5 point harness a while longer.

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

My DS is 6 and is still in a 5 pt harness
He doesnt complain.. so we are keeping him there as long as possible
It's the safest!

Car seat / Booster seat questions

DS is 6 now, and still in a 5 point harness. its one that will also convert to be used as a high-back booster using the seatbelt. but he's on the small side so we're keeping him in the 5 point harness for as long as possible...
When he was 4, thats when we moved him from a convertible seat to the seat he's in now. (Britax Boulevard to the Britax Frontier) the frontier sits lower, so it was easier for him to climb in and out of himself when he got to big for me to lift him in and out LOL

Car seat / Booster seat questions

My DS is almost 7 - I switched him to a booster at the end of the summer before he started 1st grade (he was at the point where we couldn't use latch anymore for the 5 pt and he'd been asking for awhile).

He's in a high back booster in our main car and in a low back booster in my DH's car and FIL's car (just really drives to/from school).

DS 2, who is 4 1/2, is still in a 5pt harness but, I did just buy another high back booster to put in FIL's car for him for short trips.

Car seat / Booster seat questions

I think the key question you have to ask yourself about your kid is how likely is she to wiggle and fidget in the booster? The seat belt has to like flat across her chest and her lap. If she is the kind who sits still for the duration of your regular rides, then she might be ready for a booster. Miy son was in a 5-point harness till second grade-he complained, I listened to him but didn't change him over till he learnt to sit still (not like a statue but u know what I mean)..Dd is almost 5 and I foresee her being in the 5 point till she loses her urge to grab everything that falls below her feet. I also drive 60 miles a day with her-ymmv

Re: Car seat / Booster seat questions

FYI consumer reports January 2017 edition rates all car seats for kids.