For everyone mentioning a height requirement, remember that it’s really the torso height that matters. My oldest are twins, and the shorter one got out of a booster first bc he had a proportionally long torso, so the belt hit him correctly earlier than his taller twin.

No but my son is big. He stopped using it ag age 8. Last year there were still a few kids using them and i kept one in my trunk for carpool. At age 9.5 now (4th grade) none of his friends are in them. I drive a lot of them around and not one parent has mentioned it and the boys hop in the back and buckle up without question. Im honestly glad to be past that stage!

If your child needed one, I would be happy to oblige, but would need you to tell me and provide the seat.

My 9 year old, 4th grader, just got out of a booster. She's 4'9.5" and 84 lbs. She has a long torso, so the seat belt hits her at the right spot.

But we waited far longer than many because I wouldn't budge on the height requirements. Some of her very petite friends haven't been in boosters for quite sometime. She's literally one of the tallest of her friends and last to get out of a booster seat.

Anonymous wrote:I’m 60 inches and some days wonder if I should be sitting in a backless booster.

Another 60 incher here and I don't wonder - I assume I should be in some seats. But...my rear doesn't fit in one (I've tried my kids').

Anonymous wrote:I’m 60 inches and some days wonder if I should be sitting in a backless booster.

Ha! Same here, at 5'1".

My older DD (8.5) is 50 inches and just under 50 lbs. She's still in a backless booster in my SUV, but on the rare occasions she rides in my DH's car, she just sits in the actual seat. The seat belt in the back of his car hits lower and rests across her shoulder. We're not quite there yet in mine, but likely will be by the end of the school year.
Of all of her friends, I can think of one other child that still sits in a booster.

I’m 60 inches and some days wonder if I should be sitting in a backless booster.

My 10 year is still in a booster… hasn’t hit 57 inches yet.

My child is small. And they stayed in appropriate seat until it was safe.

If your kid’s friends didn’t wear helmets biking, would you be crowd sourcing safety?

Anonymous wrote:Have literally never seen a 3rd/4th/5th grader in a booster.

We are not one of those families that you'll see quoting The Car Seat Lady, but my kids were generally in a booster through 3rd, and the short ones (1 of my kids is tall for age and 2 short) longer. No seatbelt on the neck is kind of a big deal, even if you're more relaxed about car seat safety in general.

I'm sure people on this thread will judge me for admitting to be more relaxed, but oh well.

Have literally never seen a 3rd/4th/5th grader in a booster.

Anonymous wrote:These questions always come up and the majority of the answers you get are going to be "yes my kid is still in a booster". But you know the reality is that most 3rd graders aren't in a booster. Your school/car pool is not unique, its just that those parents just don't answer.

I have to agree -- major selection bias here. We started doing several weekly carpools in third grade. None of the various different kids were using boosters (at least not during the carpools, including in their own cars). My DD stopped at age 9/3rd grade.

Our booster goes to 57 inches of 120 lbs. 9yo is still very comfortable in it, will keep using it until she is not

9yo 4th grader is still in a booster and will be until she reaches the weight limit

In my experience, by 3rd grade parents are more inconsistent than in the younger years. My DD stayed in a booster until about 9.5. It did become uncomfortable for her, so that was really why we stopped.

I have a new-8 year old and I'll keep him in his seat until next about the same.

My 5th grader has friends who ride in the front seat. I am not there yet because she's still too small, it's definitely happening with peers.

My small 10 year-old DD is still sitting on a booster in one of our cars. She prefers it because the seatbelt hits her at an odd angle on the neck without it.