3 year old in a booster?

My kids are always huge. (Not fat at all, just BIG). I am once again trying to figure out what car seat they should be in.
Kara is 45 lbs and 39 inches at 3 years, 2 weeks. She has outgrown her forward facing seat. I would consider replacing it, but we have a older van which has never really fastened in as tightly as it should no matter what I do.

I read you are supposed to keep them in car seats till they are 4. But really? I have booster seats from my older girls. Can't I just put her in that? What would you do?

 

The graco high back booster is rated 3yrs and 30lbs.

 

Did you check that your older booster is still good? Booster seat expire just like car seats. Most of the booster seasts that i have seen say 3 and up, 30 pounds. So if you think she would sit still with just the regular seatbelt, I would put her in it. It is safer then her being in a car seat that she has outgrown.

 

My oldest went into the Graco Turbo booster when he was 3 because he weighed 40 pounds. The twins are big enough to go into a booster and I'll be switching them after Christmas (more than 30 lbs but just shy of 40...so it's still safe in the carseat).

 

This is what I have and LOVE 5 pt harness up to 65 lbs
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Matrix/dp/B0011URFRE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1259680411&sr=8-1

 

This is what I was going to say as well.

I believe they have to be 40 lbs to be in a backless booster.

 

That is what we got too (Graco-Nautilus) and that is a VERY GOOD PRICE!!!! Now I"m having buyers remorse! (seeing that price - about $20 less than what we paid)

 

For car seat advice, I always go to www.car-seat.org, they are great. It's better to keep her in a five point harness if we are able to do that.

 

I was in the same boat as you, my girls are off the charts for their age due to a syndrome they have (beckwith wiedemann) and at 3 Natalie was the average height and weight of a 5 year old. We had to go to the 5 pt restraint that goes up to 80 lbs even before they turned 3, I forget who made it. When they turned 3 we went with boosters with backs. I believe at the 3 yr check up Natalie was somewhere right around 48lbs and 43inches tall and Brooke was only a couple lbs and inches behind.

 

we have Graco Nautilus seats (5 pt up to 65 lbs) and we use those for long trips, trips on the highway etc...we also bought 2 Evenflo BigKid high back booster seats - since they don't attach to the seat they are very easy to switch out of my car and into my moms car - we use these for around town and trips not onto the highway (unless its an emergency)...they are both 30 lbs and sit in the seatbelt very well...

to be brutally honest I sincerely doubt that Abigail will be 65 lbs before she's 10 so I'm not sweating it too much...

 

If your child meets the height and weight requirements for the booster seat that you have and it's not expired I see no reason why you cannot put her in it.

 

The AAP advises against the use of booster seats under the age of 4. 40lbs AND 4 years of age is considered the absolute minimum for boosters. There is no way I would put my 3 yo in boosters. It's not safe and there is plenty of evidence to proof it.

Crashtest footage (difference between harnass and booster ... see for yourself): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G59s3PjcntQ&feature=related

All car seat expert will advise you not to use a booster with regular seat belt just yet. Adult car seats are not made for children.

My oldest was born in 95% for everything and she still is for height (no longer for weight since age 3 1/2 - 4). She has been in a Radian 65 since age 3 (when the twins started using her and a new Marathon). She's 5 1/2 now and still has room to grow, lengthwise and the weight limit is not even close. My twins are slightly above average and still happy in a Marathon (which my oldest outgrew heightwise at age 3). One Marathon expires 10/10 and then I'll move my oldest into a booster (she'll be 6 1/2 by that time) and the twins will be in a Radian and the smaller one (whoever that may be) in the Marathon.

There are plenty of seats that accomodate larger children and avoid the need of putting 3 yo in boosters. Look at Graco Nautilus, Britax seats (incl. Regent), Radians, etc.

Please don't put your 3 yo in a booster just yet! Do your research and you'll find out why ...

 

I would never put a 3yr old in a booster.

Get a good seat that will one day convert to a boost seat. My 5yr olds are still in their Marathons and will be for a long time.

I would never do the minimum when it comes to safety.

 

ahhhh yes time to whip out the YouTube videos to scare into submission....

question - if its so HORRIBLE to put a 3 yr old 30 lb'er in a booster seat with a seatbelt THEN WHY IS IT ALLOWABLE BY LAW?!?!?!?! WHY are they allowed to manufacture them? and advertise them as *gasp* safe?

its only in the last 5 years that children over the age of 4 have to be in ANY kind of seat....

car seat experts = lobbyists trying to legislate every last inch of our lives

trust me - if you child in any kind of seat with harness/seatbelt is going to die in an accident - its likely to be an accident that NO ONE would walk away from...

 

The reality is that car accidents are the #1 cause of death of children. I don't think anyone is trying to legislate every last inch of our lives b/c they are advocating for improved car safety for children.

Children depend on us to make the safest, most informed choices we can when it comes to their safety. If a child is safer in a 5pt harness and people are giving examples of that, it is hardly scaring them into submission, IMO.

Our 5-year-old fits just fine in both his Brtax Marathon and Regent - and he will stay in them for as long as possible. It is safer. He won't fall asleep and slump in the carseat. He won't bend over to pick a toy up off of the floor. He won't tuck the shoulder strap under his arm, etc. It's safer.

 

Oh yes, evil evil car seat experts who try to keep our children safe. How dare they? They must have faked all those crash tests too, because really, how could a 5pt harness be safer than an adult seat belt for a child?

Apologies for the sarcasm, but as much as I understand why sometimes 'experts' seem to be full of it, there are cases where I just don't understand how anyone can doubt that they are telling the truth. I mean, we all grew up without car seats too, and we're all here today (well, except the ones that died), so why bother with car seats at all, right?

 

I asked this same question about 3 y/os and boosters and was blasted for even considering it. I was made to feel like such a bad mother for even considering it...

Where did you find your data about car accidents being the #1 cause of death? When I googled it, it came back that household accidents were, granted it was a few years old but I found nothing on car crashes. Just curious.

There are experts for everything and lobbyists that are paid a lot of money to get legislation passed that benefits their beliefs, companies, etc. You don't think Britax, Graco, etc. are all paying "experts" to say/prove things that make their products look better?
I don't think it is that Amy was doubting what was safer, but was bringing to light the tactics of posting youtube videos of parents who have lost children to car crashes as an irrational/scare tactic. As a parent I don't need to be scared anymore than I already am for my kids. We can't turn on the news, open a magazine or anything without hearing/reading about terrible things happening to kids, so the last thing this mom needed was someone sending me to watch a video from "supposed" parents about carseat safety.
**I say "supposed" because I don't know these parents and their videos could be purely fictitious.

 

Nothing wrong with considering it when you don't know better. That's why there are forums, so people can share vital information about such things.

I found the same info here. Obviously though, most of them happen when children are not restrained at all, but I doubt there is any place that says how many of those kids died at 18 months in a forward facing seat, or at 3 in a booster.

Your logic is flawed because it's the same companies that sell 5pt harness seats and boosters... so they'll get our money either way. Plus none of those companies even mentions in their manuals that it's safer to keep children rear-facing and in 5pt harnesses as long as possible.

You can find videos of crash tests too though. I'd think those would be enough to show why rear-facing or 5pt harnesses are safer.

 

I found it from the CDC's website, here's the link and a quote:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/childpas.htm

Child Passenger Safety: Fact Sheet


Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the U.S.1 But many of these deaths can be prevented. Placing children in age- and size-appropriate car seats and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half.2


And here:

http://www.statisticstop10.com/Causes_of_Death_Toddlers.html


I don't understand why this topic always brings up such anger and defensiveness? It is similar to back vs tummy sleeping in my mind; we know what the statistics are, you choose what you feel is best for your own children.

 

My boys are long in the body and they were too tall in their convertible seats (according to the seat's manual) shortly after turning three. TN law permits booster use at 3 (I believe it's 4 in some states) but regardless of the law, I was absolutely certain they would not sit up straight with the seatbelt properly positioned for any length of time if we made the jump to a booster. I thought about having to watch and remind them a million times per trip and how that would make me more likely to get into an accident because I wasn't paying proper attention to the road. Instead, I bought a pair of Nautilus seats and absolutely love them. The boys can use the straps themselves now so there's no motivation at all to switch to a booster even if they're now legal to use one in most states (they're still nowhere near 40 pounds). Yes, it was an expense but these seats convert to a highback and a backless booster later so we'll get our money's worth out of them.

 

I'm not saying 5pt harnesses aren't the best, but the scare tactics get old. Give me facts and where you got them and I will research it and base my decision based off of that. However don't try to scare me into believing something. It is a tactic used by protesters to rouse an emotion, and makes other believe your arguement is not valid so you must resort to scaring people into believing it. ***You being general, not anyone specific.

My point about the lobbyist and experts is that there are all kinds in DC lobbying that their products or ideas will make our world safer, better, more efficient. It doesn't always make it true. Just because our government says something does not make it right, remember when moms were told smoking wouldn't hurt their babies...

Thank you for the sites, I was curious since I tried to google it and did not find anything definitive. I am not being defensive I was just pointing out that I agree with Amy about the scare tactics. I felt so beat up last year when I merely asked about boosters. I got off the computer feeling like the worst mother ever for even considering it. Was that really necessary? Do we have to beat each other up and make each other feel bad over a question????

 

wow - why don't you just call her an uneducated hick while you're at it?

oh and as for the crash test videos - I asked some VERY interesting questions regarding those video's quite awhile ago and amazingly no one could answer them...

I'm a licensed insurance agent - believe me I deal with people that have accidents, claims and injuries all day long (and have for nearly 10 years) - and in those 10 years I can count the number of fatalities I've dealt with on one hand...

these poignant videos of parents who've lost kids in accidents is great for tugging at your heartstrings especially when it makes you think about your own offspring but it doesn't indicate that children who are properly restrained RARELY die in your ordinary every day car accident - backing into someone in a parking lot, low speed rear end crash when the person behind you doesn't pay attention to the fact you've stopped for the red light - etc....it is much more rare that people are in high speed violent roll over wrecks - and those that are rarely survive in any case - restrained or not...so if you're in a 75 mph roll over crash I sincerely believe that the type of carseat you're in is going to have little effect on the survival rate...not to mention that if you research the children dying in these accidents I'd bet you dollars to donut holes those kids aren't restrained at all in any kind of seat but its real convenient to say that "the number one killer of children is car accidents"

I still maintain that the Federal Government standards must be as such that our children are safe if they allow the companies to market, manufacture and sell these seats with the age/weight/height limits on them that they do...

 

For me (the one who posted those horrible You Tube videos) it's simple. I never ever want to have a feeling that a child death (or serious injuries) could have been prevented (or less serious) by putting them in a booster too early.

Why would you get a booster, if there are still very good (and not too expensive, like Nautilus) alternatives available. Just look at the seat belt, look at the size of your body / organs and compare that with your 3 yo ... to me it doesn't make sense ... it doesn't match up.

BTW, I think the crash test with both the booster and the 5 point harnass is quite clear in the difference.

And to those you feel "attacked". When my oldest was 1 year old (and almost 25lbs) I turned her forward facing immediately. It was the law and I was following it ... little did I know when I started researching, read on forums, etc. that it is actually safer keeping them rear facing longer, which I did with the twins. It's these type of forums, that made me find the Radian 65 to put next to 2 Marathons in my car. It's this vital information that you can get by sharing. Nobody wanted to scare me when I told them I turned my 1 yo forward facing, I wasn't offended, I just didn't know any better. I learned. There were plenty of things we didn't know 10, 20, 50 years ago, but just because it was OK back then doesn't know it's still OK now. We're all learning, day by day, the world changes and we have to adapt. Traffic is not what it used to be when we were little (and I was in a bassinet in the back of my mom's Fiat 500). Why would I be offended if I didn't know any better? I probably would have felt way more defensive, if I knew there would have been a safer option but I didn't choose that for whatever reason.

The question was put a 3 yo in a booster. My answer would be "no" for the reasons stipulated. To each his/her own, as long as you have all the information to make an decision and that you decide whatever is best. I made mine, everybody is free to make theirs.

 

Research about children who are put in boosters before 40lbs ... http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/113/3/e153. Quite interesting ... also which booster, makes a big difference ...

And this (apart from the weight) is something to keep in mind too:

Children are not ready to be in a regular lap/shoulder seatbelt until:

* They are tall enough so that their legs bend at the knees at the edge of the seat; and
* They are mature enough to remain seated with their backs flat against the back of the seat and not slouch; and
* The lap belt sits high on the thighs or low on the hips (NOT on their tummy!); and
* The shoulder belt crosses the shoulder and chest (NOT on their arms or neck!); and

 

There's nothing wrong with not being educated about something... do you really think it's better to jump on someone's throat for suggesting something when they don't know better?

 

This site is very informative and opened my eyes to the importance of keeping my boys in a 5 pt. harness as long as possible.

http://www.kyledavidmiller.org

 

I agree with the others who state to find a new convertible seat. Most states don't even allow a child this young to be in a booster. Most states it's four years old and 40lbs. So I would first check your state laws to see what your state says is the rules for moving a child to a booster. Just because the seat is rated for younger kids, does not mean it's the law in your state. Also it's safer to keep them in the harness longer.

 

Yes! ITA! I dont think I could live with myself if I were in an accident and my kids were injured for the sake of convenience in not wanting to buy something with a 5 point harness. It would be awful enough but then to have to deal with the what-ifs of my decision to take a short-cut. Instead of looking at it as a scare tactic, look at it as education and make an educated purchase for you and your family. Whatever you decide to do is obviously up to you.

 

I'm sure there are other reasons, too, but for some people (including me) the answer is simply a matter of cost. Boosters can cost as little as $20 with a back or $13 without. The cheapest convertible 5-pt harness/booster I've seen is $55. I hate that this is an issue, but it is. I hate even more when I am made to feel guilty about it. One person's $135 "not too expensive" is another's "I would have to save for a year and never buy anything else to afford just one of those, much less two." Sorry, I just hate hearing that things aren't "that expensive" when someone is trying to guilt someone into or out of something. It honestly makes me want to scream.

I've said it before...apparently I should still be in a booster. I have to use one of these to prevent the belt from choking me. And since they sell them everywhere you can buy car stuff, I'd say I'm not the only adult who doesn't reach this requirement.

 

I am not trying to guilt anybody in something. I understand that what's expensive for one person, may not be so expensive for somebody else. And there is a whole lot in between. For some it is a matter of leaving something in order to spend the extra $100 on car seats, for others that's not even possible, I get that. It's about informing those who can afford a harnessed seat in some way. And based on the resources, the laws and the possibilities you make a personal decision, whether it's a booster or a harness (and nothing else, I hope we all agree on that ).

And by the way, the Kyle Miller Foundation does help families to get 5-point harness car seats for those who qualify. More information is on their website.

 

There is great information in this thread. Let's keep it civil.

There's no need for anyone to feel belittled and I'm sorry for those who do! This is a hot button issue and it would be great if we could share our opinions without emotions. Thanks!!!

 

Just wanted to say that for those who can not afford it go to a free car seat safety check point inspection (wording?). They will check the installation of your seat, make sure it is still safe )not expired or recalled). They will check it is safe for your child in height and length too. In the past for a small nominal fee they will provide a new safe car seat if they feel it is needed. The Highway Patrol also helps with car seats in some states. You can purchase a high back booster for around 35.00 that uses a seat belt. The trick is to pull the seat belt out all the way. This will make it lock. You can use it this way and it locks into place. This way your child can't be leaning down and onto the floor. IMO this is almost as good as a harness. I would definitely recomend a 5 pt harness if possible, if not consider this option.