Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my children were in a 5 pt harness in Kinder. They only outgrew them late in K. Then moved to HBB. They were able to do the buckle them selves so pick up and drop off was fine. No issues. Do what's best for your kid.

I am always suspicious when people say this. In order for the harness to be tightened properly (no more than two fingers of room at the armpit) - the harness has to be loosened to clip, and then tightened after clipping. Every.Single.Time. There is no way a person (child or adult) has the right angle to tighten their own harness once they are already clipped in. So all these kids clipping themselves have straps that are too loose. At least the seatbelt is self-retracting.

Huh? I don't know about your seats, but in mine it doesn't need to be adjusted every time. Pop it open without loosening, and put it right back on. Passes the pinch test. If you're loosening when you're opening then yes, you need to readjust when you buckle again.

+1

Must depend on the seat. Ours is fine. If by some chance it's too loose my kids can tighten themselves too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my children were in a 5 pt harness in Kinder. They only outgrew them late in K. Then moved to HBB. They were able to do the buckle them selves so pick up and drop off was fine. No issues. Do what's best for your kid.

I am always suspicious when people say this. In order for the harness to be tightened properly (no more than two fingers of room at the armpit) - the harness has to be loosened to clip, and then tightened after clipping. Every.Single.Time. There is no way a person (child or adult) has the right angle to tighten their own harness once they are already clipped in. So all these kids clipping themselves have straps that are too loose. At least the seatbelt is self-retracting.

Huh? I don't know about your seats, but in mine it doesn't need to be adjusted every time. Pop it open without loosening, and put it right back on. Passes the pinch test. If you're loosening when you're opening then yes, you need to readjust when you buckle again.

Anonymous wrote:Both my children were in a 5 pt harness in Kinder. They only outgrew them late in K. Then moved to HBB. They were able to do the buckle them selves so pick up and drop off was fine. No issues. Do what's best for your kid.

I am always suspicious when people say this. In order for the harness to be tightened properly (no more than two fingers of room at the armpit) - the harness has to be loosened to clip, and then tightened after clipping. Every.Single.Time. There is no way a person (child or adult) has the right angle to tighten their own harness once they are already clipped in. So all these kids clipping themselves have straps that are too loose. At least the seatbelt is self-retracting.

Both my children were in a 5 pt harness in Kinder. They only outgrew them late in K. Then moved to HBB. They were able to do the buckle them selves so pick up and drop off was fine. No issues. Do what's best for your kid.

Anonymous wrote:In the real world, OP, yes.

+1.

OP, I think its going to be neighborhood/zipcode specific. In my neighborhood, WE were the holdouts, waiting until K started to switch to the HBB. Most people switched in PreK, and DEFINITELY by K.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who basis a carseat decision by grade (K) or age, is pretty ignorant about carseats. Carseats (and boosters) are purely height and weight.

The fact that OP asked the questions about grade - shows the lack of understanding about carseats in this country.

Give me a break - she was asking about the norms, since the kid is physically able to sit in either. You do know the size limits overlap, right?

My daughter was in a Britax Frontier 5 point harness all through K. We just switched her this summer, she starts 1st grade this fall.

High-back booster starting at age 5

Anonymous wrote:My rising second grader is still harnessed in a Britax Frontier. We could switch to the hbb function in this seat, but I see no reason to do so at this point. He buckles & unbuckled himself. He's never been teased. He has ridden in low back boosters on occasion when riding with friends.

This is us, too. It's easier for him to buckle than the seatbelt + booster. We use a booster for our other cars since it goes in and out more easily.

My rising second grader is still harnessed in a Britax Frontier. We could switch to the hbb function in this seat, but I see no reason to do so at this point. He buckles & unbuckled himself. He's never been teased. He has ridden in low back boosters on occasion when riding with friends.

Anyone who basis a carseat decision by grade (K) or age, is pretty ignorant about carseats. Carseats (and boosters) are purely height and weight.

The fact that OP asked the questions about grade - shows the lack of understanding about carseats in this country.

Our DD is entering K and is in 5 point harness - a Radian in one car and a Frontier in another. She still fits and we rarely drive anyway, so I'm in no hurry to move her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they are mostly all in high back boosters, some in backless boosters. At 5 or 6, a 5 point harness isn't safer than a high back booster anyway.

I disagree. Did you see the story about the 5 year old who was in a car seat, but was killed on 66 last week.

My K sits in either a Boulevard or Pioneer. He prefers the Boulevard.

Everything depends on proper usage. Just because a child uses a 5 pt does not mean they are safer if it is not installed properly and the harnesses and clips are not properly placed on the child. If the straps are loose and falling off, they will do nothing to protect the child.

Same with the a booster. It can be just as safe as a 5 pt. But it depends on the child. Can you trust that they will sit properly and not squirm around, let the strap fall of their shoulder, put it under their arm, etc. If you are confident they can, than a booster may be ok.

My first grader never thought to complain. He never knew any different and didn't care enough about car seats to notice or compare what the other kids had. I moved him in the second grade to a HBB. It's easier, but there was no rush for us.

My rising 1st grader is still in a 5 pt harness in his Frontier. He turns 7 in January. The seat expires this October so we'll probably switch to a HBB then. He doesn't complain about it and easily buckles himself out and in for car pool so I haven't seen a need to switch earlier. My average-size, newly 9 year-old is still in a backless booster. He definitely complains, but he also frequently falls asleep and is a floppy mess in the car so he's going to stay in a while longer.