At what age to you migrate from five-point harness to booster seat?

[Anonymous]

The general guideline my pediatrician gave was to try to stay in the five-point harness seats until 6 years old. Son is five, and I am struggling to loosen the straps enough to squeeze him in. Would be interested in seeing what age everyone else migrated.

FWIW - he is about 45" tall and 45 lbs.

[Anonymous]

If he's outgrown the seat, then move him. Are his shoulders above the straps?

[Anonymous]

http://csftl.org/harness-or-booster-when-to-make-the-switch/

Some five year olds are ready to sit properly in a booster, but not all. Seats like a harmony defender or graco tranzitions are good, because they are five point harnesses, and also covert to high back boosters and no back boosters ( and are slim, side to side).

[Anonymous]

We moved my older when he started kindergarten at 5. He couldn't get himself out of the car seat for the school drop off lane, he was embarrassed about being in a car seat, big for his age, and mature enough for a booster. My 4 year old's carseat straps were getting too tight so I called Britax and they sent me an extender. Apparently it's a common problem.

[Anonymous]

My son is about the same size (maybe off by an inch or pound) and 5 1/2. He fits fine in a britax marathon in one car and a frontier in the other. I will probably move him
To a seatbelt when he turns 6 because we have a 3rd on the way so I need to move him to the third row in our main car. That far back, he'll need to unbuckle himself for the carpool
Line at school. I'll keep him in a narrow 5 point though in our other car (bench backseat so I can do 3 across) until he complains since I think it is safer. Could you move to a larger seat that can convert to a seat belt booster when he is older?

[Anonymous]

I have my nearly five year old in a Britax Frontier, and he can easily buckle himself in and out, so I'll keep in him a five point for a bit longer, I think. In the second car (much less used) he's in a HBB, but he actually can't figure out how to buckle himself in to that one.

[Anonymous]

6.5, outgrew two seats and I hated the frontier. Planned to go to 7. I would not switch before 6.

[Anonymous]

At 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At 4.

Huh? No way! Too young

[Anonymous]

Mine was 6. She was 50 inches and 58lbs.

[Anonymous]

I switched a little after 5. I tried her in a booster and after a couple of reminders she is great about sitting properly in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At 4.

Huh? No way! Too young

No, it's been fine with three kids.

[Anonymous]

I just took the harness out of my 6yo's Graco 3-in-1 Nautilus, so now he will sit in the high-back booster with the seatbelt. He is 50 lbs. and 50 in. I wish I could do the booster with the high-back, but my gut is telling me to keep the back for extra support.

That said, does anyone know of any research out there that says the high-back really makes a big difference when using the seatbelt (instead of harness)? Or is it really no different than having them just sit in the booster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just took the harness out of my 6yo's Graco 3-in-1 Nautilus, so now he will sit in the high-back booster with the seatbelt. He is 50 lbs. and 50 in. I wish I could do the booster with the high-back, but my gut is telling me to keep the back for extra support.

That said, does anyone know of any research out there that says the high-back really makes a big difference when using the seatbelt (instead of harness)? Or is it really no different than having them just sit in the booster?

So long as the seatbelt is positioned properly it makes no difference.

"Is a harness safer than a booster?

There is not any scientific information that gives us reason to believe that a harness is safer than a properly used booster seat. The key is the booster being properly used: where the child is of appropriate age and the belt is positioned properly.
NHTSA recommends utilizing a 5 point harness until the child outgrows it. There’s no rush to move to a booster right away, but if your child is nearing the weight or height maximum of their seat and is behaviorally ready to ride in a booster; don’t feel that you are reducing their safety by moving to a booster"

http://csftl.org/harness-or-booster-when-to-make-the-switch/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just took the harness out of my 6yo's Graco 3-in-1 Nautilus, so now he will sit in the high-back booster with the seatbelt. He is 50 lbs. and 50 in. I wish I could do the booster with the high-back, but my gut is telling me to keep the back for extra support.

That said, does anyone know of any research out there that says the high-back really makes a big difference when using the seatbelt (instead of harness)? Or is it really no different than having them just sit in the booster?

I personally preferred high back, however both my children liked to sleep in the car. So, the wings help to hold their head in place. fwiw My kids are eight and 11 and both in backless Boosters in my car and nothing in DH's car. I viewed going from a harnessed to a non-harnessed seat as a step down in security and therefore tried to wait as long as I could to move them each time. One child started using a booster at 6 1/2 and the other started using it at six.