I'm sure you heard of some new guidelines regarding car seats and booster seats.
I understand the new recommendations.
Out of all of this, here is my dilemma:
Michael is 4 years old, 40lbs. He is old enough/big enough to be in a belt positioning booster.
Our current convertible car seats for both boys maxes out at 40lbs for using the seat forward facing with a harness.
Current car seat also works as a belt positioning, high back booster for up to 100lbs.
I am having all kinds of stress about switching him over to the seatbelt. But to keep in the harness, I'd have to purchase a new carseat. I don't mind spending the money if it is worth it but is it really necessary?
What have you heard or experienced about having your child in a harness vs. seatbelt?
In Pennsylvania, there is no state law governing the harness restraint once your child turns 4. They just have to be in a booster to insure proper seatbelt fit.
I've done some internet search and am still not sure what to do. I'd like to avoid spending more money.
IF you happen to have a booster than also includes a harness up to a certain weight (like 55, 65 lbs, whatever), maybe let me know about that.
Also, on a similar but different note, does anyone have a minivan that allows 3 convertible car seats to be installed in the center row?
12 comments:
Right now I have my 3 and 5 year old boys in Britax Regent carseats. They go up to 80lbs. Even though my older boy is technically big enough for a booster, I just feel safer having him in a 5-point-harness still. But if room is an issue in your car, those seats might not be for you because they are BIG.
The size doesn't matter too much because even if I choose a booster that just uses the seatbelt, I still can't fit 3 across--unless I put the boys in a booster with no back. Thanks for the info!
I've not had this issue yet, because by the time we needed Andrew's 5-point harness for Lily, he was already 50 pounds (at age 5).
Once Michael gets over 40 pounds, he will have to take over Lily's current 5-point harness (goes to 65 lbs versus his current 40 lb limit). I don't know what Lily's weight/height will be. I know that I worry more about height with a booster than weight. Seat belts scare me only because of where they hit the body...related to height. Otherwise, I think seat belts are probably safer, since it is said that 80% of us don't have our car seats installed exactly correct.
Anyway, this is not a helpful comment. Debating deleting it. But you said you like comments...
:) Ha! You're stuck with it
I had such problems deciding what to do after the Salad outgrew their infant seats. Ron did a ton of research and we decided on the Alpha Omega Elite. It's pretty awesome, they can stay harnessed until they hit 50 pounds (at a slight 34 pounds, Anna is our heaviest so we have a ways to go)Then a belt positioning booster up to 100 pounds.
We have all 3 car seats across the middle row. When we were van shopping, the only thing I cared about was a 8 seater mini van, didn't care about make or color, but I needed all three to fit across one row so my gigantic stroller could fit in the back! Anyway, we got an 8 seater Toyota Sienna and it has worked well for us. I like being able to sling food at them all easily ;)
Harper was ahead of the height/weight curve and too tall for her car seat by the time she turned 4... so we moved her to a backless booster. We got a Graco one that was very well rated and it has a strap that attaches and makes the seatbelt the right fit. I was nervous driving around with her in that for a couple of days, but I believe it does the job.
I agree with Giselle that maybe we have a false sense of security with car seats because so many are poorly installed. A firefighter taught me how to do it and let me tell you a car seat that I've installed cannot be moved! I've been surprised several times by the apparent looseness of other car seats I've seen people use.
Sorry I guess that really isn't helpful either!
Not to say that this is correct or legal, but I know a LOT of parents around here that put their kids in seat belt boosters before they are 4 or 40 pounds. Katy's still in a 5 point (Graco Nautilus, I can't remember, but it might allow higher weight in the 5 point?), because she only weighs 33 pounds. But if she weighed 40, I think I would move her to the booster.
Multiple times, I have scheduled a car seat safety check with a local organization & had to cancel at the last minute for one reason or another. That point is well taken- that the harness doesn't matter if the car seat isn't installed correctly. One of our seats is an Alpha Omega Elite but an older version that only allows up to 40lbs for the 5 point and then 100lbs for the seat belt. Chloe is in a MyRide65 (Graco) so she will be good to go for a while. I haven't turned around to front facing yet either- she doesn't seem to mind! Hmmm, maybe I will do a check to see how the seat belt fits and then make my decision from there. As it stands now, Liam is at the 40lb mark and doesn't turn 4 until June...so maybe we can get away with just one car seat purchase?
Right now, Sally is the only one we have in a booster. She's 4 (5 in June) and she passed the height and weight a while ago, but we keep all the kids in 5 pt harnesses until at least 4 y.o.
Francie and Fiver are in the regular seat belts, and the two little ones are still in 5 pt belts. Sally uses a Britax high back booster with the belt positioner and I love it. It keeps the seat belt right where it should be.
With #6 coming, we bought an 8 seater van back in December. We got a Honda Odyessey and it's great. I can fit all three car seats in the middle row with plenty of room if I want, but Sally usually sits in the third row with Francie.
Aimee-What year is your Odyssey? That's what we have but it's a 2004 so if you have a newer year, the seating might be different.
I have nothing useful to say for you except DAMNED CARSEATS.
You know I have a beef with car seats, in that they are overly cumbersome and there is no excuse for the lack of improvement.
Also, I am stressed out about the new(ish) rear-facing recommendations for children up to TWO YEARS OLD. What? I just don't know. I want my children safe, etc. But I'm gonna have to curse car seats for a while longer because DANG IT.
(I put Cal in the booster at almost 5 years and about 45 pounds. Emmett REALLY wants a booster, but we're making him wait until 40 pounds, which will probably post-4-years-old.)
oh! ihad no idea this was so comlicated- no advice, but thanks for asking and thanks everyone for answering- now I know where to come when we're thinking about it next year.
so-- how many carseats did each kid have so far, Jane?
oh, and my sil with 6 kids has a Sienna and loves it. but almost all the moms down here in my group have the Honda Od- all love it. i've heard the honda pilot seats 8 too, so maybe that would fit some across or easier?
Kristy- We have an Odyssey but with our current seats, we cannot fit 3 across, even the middle row. UGH! All 3 kids used the same infant seat-thankfully! Chloe is now in a MyRide65 (Graco) which so far I LOVE and she can remain in a harness until 65lbs so I will not have this problem with choices for her. Liam and Michael have been in the same convertible carseats all along...these seats become belt positioning boosters. Which was the plan-to have a long term seat solution so we didn't have to sink $$ into additional seats. BUT, now I am all worked up about the fact that the harness is only good up to 40lbs and do I really feel okay with them in seatbelts and STILL, our current seats take up ALOT of room. Liam can't move to a belt (by state law) until he turns 4 but he is already tall enough/heavy enough. SOOO, I was looking for a belt positioning booster that also has a harness but can't find one I like that isn't $200--not really wanting to go that route. UGH! I might have to tap local friends to see if anyone has something we can use for a couple of months until he is of age to be in the seatbelt. Looking at the BRitax Parkway- looks like a smaller footprint so possibly, we could fit all 3 kiddos across the center row-might be worth the investment.
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