# At what age does it become socially awkward to be in a carseat?



## muttmom92 (Mar 20, 2005)

My dd is 4 and in preschool. From what I've seen, almost every other kid in her class is in a booster instead of a carseat. My dd still happily rides in her Marathon and I don't think she realizes there is a difference b/w her seat and the other kids' seats.

She is on the smaller size for her age, so she has plenty of growing room in the Marathon. Is this going to become an issue for me? Have any of your children started to think they're in a "baby" seat? If so, how do you handle it?

And don't get me started on the fact that I see a ton of Britax carseats in my area, but I NEVER see any kids rearfacing my son's age (22 months).


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

DD1 is almost 6 and still in a 5 point harness will be for a while still. She is the only child that we know still in a harness really after age 4. We have a booster that she uses once in a great while but she prefers her car seat.







She has asked why are all the other children in a booster and I just explain that is what their families do but that our family feels a car seat is safer, and that has been enough for her. I did hear a little girl ask her once why she was still in a baby seat and she said that it wasn't a baby seat but a seat that she got because she was a big girl (it's a regent).


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

It's going to be hit or miss. But for us, it's a non-issue.

It wasn't so long ago that it wasn't "cool" to wear seatbelts. I would never let a child (or teen) ride unrestrained. Same thing goes for a carseat. We do what's safest in cars. That's our "family rule"

My kids will understand that not all families do things the same, and why we do what we do.

-Angela


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

My son is in K and had his first field trip the other day, he was the only child who rode in anything and he rode in a 5pt harness b/c his teacher wanted him in the middle (lap belt) so he couldn't use the spare booster. His 2 K classmates sat next to him in just a seatbelt, one illegally. It was sad and awkward for ME, not him.







He understands we do what we do to keep him safe, including still being harnessed. He's also seen the crash tests, at first on accident, but he asks to see them sometimes again and it kind of reinforces that a harness is better for now.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

I can't imagine a kindergärtner not even in a booster. That is illegal here. My daughter is one of the only one in her class who is not in a booster. She hasn't noticed yet, but I don't see it being much of an issue.


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## Baby Makes 4 (Feb 18, 2005)

The law here is some kind of child restraint (car seat or booster) until age 8 or 80 pounds so I don't anticipate it being a problem.

DS is 45 pounds and is in a 5-pt harness. All of the kids I know that are his age and weight are in boosters already.







:


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## mountaincaats (Jul 12, 2004)

My 9 year old is in a britax booster still. He is about 60 pounds. My 6 year old is in a Marathon 5 point harness. He is somewhere around 40 - 50 pounds. And we turned our 3 year old around FF when she turned 2. She is around 30 - 40 something pounds. Of course she is still in a 5 point harness. It is safer, and your kids will understand when you let them know it is the safest thing to do for them. My oldest does want to be done with the booster, but he needs to grow some more. I don't like how the seat belt fits on him or others his age without a booster. My middle boy doesn't complain but does look forward to having a booster.
~~


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## onlyboys (Feb 12, 2004)

Our son stayed in a 5 pt harness until the end of 2nd grade, when he weighed too much. We then put him in a BPB. If we had had a 65lb five point harness he would have stayed as long as it fit him.

Our 1st grader is in a 5 pt harness, so are a lot of his classmates.


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## muttmom92 (Mar 20, 2005)

Thanks for the replies. I love coming here where I don't feel like the odd one. I just want to be clear that I have no intention of switching her to a booster just because everyone else is doing it.

I'm glad it seems (from the responses) that most kids don't feel weird still in carseats when their peers aren't.


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## Jwebbal (May 31, 2004)

With my just turned 5 yo, we stress that each step up in restraints, is a step down in safety. He doesn't really care that he is in a regent, loves it actually, but does ask why certain friends are in boosters instead of car seats. Luckily those kids are much older, and we don't have many friends who put their younger kids in BPBs.


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## bremen (Feb 12, 2005)

the only child i knoe who got out of a carseat for social reasons was a 10 yr old 5th grader. she was tall, but still only about 65 lbs.
when she started 5th grade, her mama let her stop using a carseat. she was around 4'6 and a lap belt fit appropriately


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

My 3.5yo dd1 hasn't mentioned anything... having helped on preschool fieldtrips it looks like her group (mixed age 3-5yo) have about half in car seats and half in boosters. And the 5yo girl she adores is in a seat rather than a booster so all is good.









That said, I think dd1 considers her carseat a "big girl" seat since she is FF while dd2 is still RF. We went FF at 3 and made it a "big deal". So hopefully we wont hear anything negative about her seat. That said, it's also the family rule and she knows that different families have different rules and some things are not negotiable.


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## Mama_Michelle (Mar 15, 2006)

My 5.5 yr old DD is in a Marathon and it is beginning to be an issue. Last week we went with one of her friends to a local climbing structure (her friend is also in K but she is 6 yrs old) and she did not even need a booster (I called her mom to make sure after she walked over). My DD started to throw a fit because she is still in a carseat. It went on for a bit and then we went our happy way with DD in her carseat but she was/is NOT happy about it. DD is not even 40 lbs so there is no way she is not going to be in a 5 pt harness for a while, I was just surprised by the fact that it has become an issue so suddenly. When she was in preschool, she never seemed to mind that she was the only one not in a booster but now that she's in kindy, she seems embarrassed about it.


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## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

My ds is 7 1/2 and just recently figured out that he is one of the few kids in second grade still in a booster. Once I really explained the safety and the fact that it's the law (8 and 80 here) he got over it.


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## BathrobeGoddess (Nov 19, 2001)

my dd was in a booster until she was 12...she is just 80lbs now at 13...


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## jjawm (Jun 17, 2007)

My younger stepson actually likes his booster. His mom doesn't use one, and the shoulder strap cuts into his neck.


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## Smalls181 (May 12, 2006)

This is one thing that I am completely dreading... I would LOVE to keep DD in a harness till she is 10!







But I do think about this all of the time.

So far, she is 2.5, RF, and the other kids that ride in our car are FF and in a booster. Once she asked if she could sit in her friends sit, and was kinda mad when I said "no, you sit in Scarletts seat." But she got over it pretty quick.

Yea.. its important to take their feelings into consideration. But her safety is vitally important as well. And like others said, as long as I teach her from an early age about safety, and about different family rules, my hopes are high that I wont have to worry about too much about it.


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

My son will be 6 in January and is still in a harnessed carseat (a Britax Husky) and will be for another year or two. All of his friends are in boosters now, and he has a booster to use in friends' cars, but he knows that I keep him in a harnessed seat because it is safer, and he appreciates that. He also says it is more comfortable for him.
My little one will be 3 next month, he was RFing until 2.5 (when he outgrew it by weight). Several children in his preschool class are in boosters already, but he knows he won't be able to ride in a booster (EVER) until 5.


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## Katie Bugs Mama (Feb 1, 2004)

I got DD a Britax high-back booster when she started kindergarten because I wanted her to have the independence of being able to hop out on her own. She was 5 years, 9 months at the time. I don't know if anyone would have commented on her being in a "baby seat" if I hadn't switched her. However, _none_ of the other K'ers were in 5pt harnesses.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

It *is* useful for them to be able to get out by themselves. I'm teaching dd how to unfasten herself now.







She's old enough and mature enough that she would never do it at an inappropriate time. She's been buckling herself for a couple of months now (I come behind and check tightness...)

She will be in a 5pt harness for years to come.

-Angela


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## amyk0202 (Sep 27, 2005)

My 10 yo dd is still in a booster. She doesn't meet the height or weight requirement yet. She is the only one in her peer group & really has been for years. My 7 yo is in a booster & my 5 1/2 yo & 3 yo are in 5 pt harnesses. None of them ever complain. They know that is just how it is.


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## ShadowLark (Aug 8, 2008)

Mine are still two and one, but they'll be harnessed for quite a while. And rear facing, if Brendon's weight is any indication - he was 24 1/2 lbs at his 2 year checkup.


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## Thompson'sMommy (Jul 15, 2006)

I had a day care boy that was 7.5 and he rode in a Marathon. He fit nicely and he was fine. I think if you just don't make it an option, they won't have anything to say about it.


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## northwoods1995 (Nov 17, 2003)

My son is 5 and very small for his age. He'll still be in a 5pt harness for a long time. He doesn't know any different and he's never questioned it.

I've seen quite a couple kids from his class that ride in the front seat, no carseat or seat belt even. I've only seen a couple in boosters and I don't recall seeing any in 5pt harnesses.


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## meetoo (Apr 15, 2008)

My DD is 5.5 and did start getting a little upset about this. We ended up getting her the GN and that help tons because it looks more like a booster. She is also able to bukle/unbuckle her self easly. I plan on buying a booster for a spare soon because she doesn't fit in the Marathon any more, but I'm kinda hoping we can hold off until closer to six, but I really do need a spare she fits in.


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## Momily (Feb 15, 2007)

DS9 is old enough, and heavy enough for his age that when he his 40 lbs at 4 years there weren't higher weight limit seats available (as an aside, this has been true for him all along -- infant seats that went over 20 lbs appeared just after I bought his infant seat, the Roundabout appeared just after I bought his convertible, the Marathon and Regent appeared months after he moved to a booster etc . . . ) so he went into a booster, and did well so I didn't move him back to a harnessed seat when I had an option.

However, a couple of years ago, when he was in early 2nd grade, we went on a playdate with a friend from school who was in a Regent (or rather the predecessor, which I don't remember). He was in a booster but it didn't seem to even register that the other child had a harness. He had another friend who was harnesses in a Marathon until almost 7, and again he didn't seem to notice.

Now he's out of a booster (he's very tall and very heavy and fits better in the seatbelt than any booster we've tried), but it doesn't phase him that his friends, including one of his 6th grade friends ride in them.


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## Hazelnut (Sep 14, 2005)

We switched from marathons to radians to get them to fit, and a lot of people think it's a booster. Sometimes it's awkward, esp. when I've declined carpooling my 5yo for that reason (I don't know how people do that so often). My son does ride the bus for two blocks to school now, b/c he really really wants to, and it freaks me out. I'm surprised I let him. But otherwise yeah, I'm the only one I know who still uses a carseat and I intend to for a long time. It hasn't been a huge issue, although sometimes people act surprised that we don't use a booster.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

DS was convinced that his HBB was a "carseat" and he wanted a "booster seat" (backless booster) like some of his friends. Too bad- safety comes before vanity. I think he was 5 or 6 at the time? In any case, to him a high backed booster and a harnessed seat look the same.

He now knows that he's going to continue using this booster seat until he outgrows it. It's become a non-issue, in spite of what other kids his age ride in.


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

Maia will be 6 this month, she is between 40 and 45 pounds. She had been in a HBB for a little over a year, with her dad is is in a LBB. Last month we switched her back to harnessed in a Nautilus and she loves it. She knows it is much safer and she said it is much more comfortable than a booster. She is currently pressuring her dad to get one because she does not feel safe in the LBB.

She did tell me that she is the only one in her kindergarten ina Harness, apparently the kids had a big discussion about harnesses and Boosters, I asked what got them talking and I got an eye roll followed by "Mooommmm, its a long story and I just don't have time now." I asked if anyone said anything mean about it and she looked like I had 2 heads "Why would they? I'm the safest and the most comfortable in my class, besides I'm the littlest except for Tori. I told the other kids that their parents should get them Nauticals too so they can sleep comfortabley in the car and be super safe."


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## LowFlyingAnimals (Nov 30, 2003)

My 6 year old, second year of kindergarten, is still in a harness. She is little, weighing just over 40 lbs. She doesn't notice a difference. However, I did just last week get her a high backed booster for times when she might need to carpool.

I recently got pulled over by the police for a minor traffic infraction. It was only the second time ever that I'd been pulled over in 20 years of heavy driving, so I got off with just a warning. However, the officer cited that he was letting me off _because_ I had both my kids harnessed, so I obviously cared about their safety and just made an error. He said he didn't see that too often. I thought that was pretty cool, and used the opportunity to impress upon the children how important it was to be safe.


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## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

I fully intend to explain to DS that he has a special kid-size race car restraint system, just like all those drivers Grandpa likes to watch drive in circles.









Of course, I'll end up with a kid who is constantly urging me to turn left, eh?


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## mirlee (Jul 30, 2002)

Ds is 8 1/2. When he rides in my truck, he is in a booster. When he rides in our other car, we have just recently done away with the booster.


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## Summerland (Aug 9, 2005)

My 6 year old son is still in a 5 pt harness ( I recently bought him a truefit so he will be in it until 65 pounds or until he outgrows it in height) he is only 45 pounds now, so im hoping he will be in his 5 pt harness until he's 8.
My 2 year old will be rearfacing in a true fit until she is 35 pounds (she is tiny and only weighs 23 pounds right now)


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## A Mom's Love (Sep 21, 2008)

DD just turned 4, but is over 40" tall. She is still in a 5-pt harness, a Britax Regent. We've never had issues with her about it. She actually likes it because she finds it comfy to sit in.

My main issue is DH. He puts her in it, but complains to me about it sometimes.









When DD rides with other people, we've always been able to move her car seat over, although it is heavy & bulky. We don't do that very often, though. If it were more frequent, it would probably get annoying to have to move it over. I might get a light booster for those times. Not sure. It hasn't come up.


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## 1littlebit (Jun 1, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jocelyndale* 
I fully intend to explain to DS that he has a special kid-size race car restraint system, just like all those drivers Grandpa likes to watch drive in circles.









Of course, I'll end up with a kid who is constantly urging me to turn left, eh?









i like this idea!


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

I think Janelle is the only kid in her class who is in a 5pt harness... I don't care though, and thus far she doesn't either. The law here is 40lbs before you can be in a booster, she is 6 years old and 35lbs, so it will be awhile before she hits 40lbs...but even then, I don't plan on putting her in a booster till I have to!


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Dd is going to a 3-6 montessori class, and some of the kids are still harnessed, but I'd say mosy are in boosters....dd has a gn, so she will be harnessed a long time...probably until 7ish with her height.....but as stated, the GN looks like a booster, so hopefully that will help is things gets ucky...at this point, dd would be okay with rearfacing, but alas, her weight is over the limit. I do consider emotional issues when making safety decisiosn, but I think physical safety trumps emotional issues at least uneil 6ish......at that point, I might let her booster with friends, for example.


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## jillmamma (Apr 11, 2005)

I think my DD is one of the only if not the only one in her preschool that still rides rear facing. She is 3y2m, and just over 24 lb, so has awhile to go yet. I will probably turn her by age 5 as it might be kind of wierd to be the only rear facing kid in kindergarten. DS JUST switched to a hbb at almost 6 because he got too tall for his Marathon. I can see him in the booster till we can't adjust it any higher.


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## SAHDS (Mar 28, 2008)

My 9 y/o and 8 y/o (in 2 weeks) are in HBBs.


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

My ds is 6 1/2 and in first grade and in a Marathon. He REALLY wants a booster.....so bad. He knows that ALL of the kids in his class who are 6 and older don't even use a booster ( which is legal), and feels the booster is a compromise. I keep telling him that I'm researching it.....sigh. He's small- between 40 and 45 pounds so I just don't feel comfortable with it all. And man...many kids SMALLER than him are using nothing. I cannot even fathom it.

My 3 1/2 year old is of course still harnessed like her brother and it just dawned on me at pick up at the preschool the other day that most of her classmates are in boosters. I think most parents just think that 30 pounds = boosters. ANd I think they don't mean harm, but just don't know just how much safer their kids are harnessed.


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## True Blue (May 9, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama_Michelle* 
My 5.5 yr old DD is in a Marathon and it is beginning to be an issue. Last week we went with one of her friends to a local climbing structure (her friend is also in K but she is 6 yrs old) and she did not even need a booster (I called her mom to make sure after she walked over). My DD started to throw a fit because she is still in a carseat. It went on for a bit and then we went our happy way with DD in her carseat but she was/is NOT happy about it. DD is not even 40 lbs so there is no way she is not going to be in a 5 pt harness for a while, I was just surprised by the fact that it has become an issue so suddenly. When she was in preschool, she never seemed to mind that she was the only one not in a booster but now that she's in kindy, she seems embarrassed about it.

We have a spare booster at our house, and I make kids who come in our car ride in it....because I will not allow kids to ride unsafely in my car. This kind of helps this kind of situation as well. However, it's weird now that we are living in FL where boosters are only required to age 5!!!!


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## Smalls181 (May 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Parker'smommy* 
My ds is 6 1/2 and in first grade and in a Marathon. He REALLY wants a booster.....so bad. He knows that ALL of the kids in his class who are 6 and older don't even use a booster ( which is legal), and feels the booster is a compromise. I keep telling him that I'm researching it.....sigh. He's small- between 40 and 45 pounds so I just don't feel comfortable with it all. And man...many kids SMALLER than him are using nothing. I cannot even fathom it.

Is a Graco Nautilus ($150) in your budget? If so, I would consider that. Like others have said, it looks more "grown up" than a Marathon. My 7 year old niece rides in a Marathon occasionally, (her main seat is a Radian) and yea, it does seem weird for me to see her in it.

Depending on when the expiration date is on his Marathon, you might be able to sell it on craigslist for a decent amount of money. People are going to buy used car seats no matter what (until it becomes illegal, I suppose) so you might as well see to it that somebody gets a SAFE used car seat, as opposed to one that has been in an accident, or dropped down a flight of stairs, etc.


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smalls181* 
Is a Graco Nautilus ($150) in your budget? If so, I would consider that. Like others have said, it looks more "grown up" than a Marathon. My 7 year old niece rides in a Marathon occasionally, (her main seat is a Radian) and yea, it does seem weird for me to see her in it.

Depending on when the expiration date is on his Marathon, you might be able to sell it on craigslist for a decent amount of money. People are going to buy used car seats no matter what (until it becomes illegal, I suppose) so you might as well see to it that somebody gets a SAFE used car seat, as opposed to one that has been in an accident, or dropped down a flight of stairs, etc.

I second this. and you can get the Nautilus for $125 on amazon and Baby Universe with the codes right now.

We have a Marathon in dh's car and Maia (the almost 6 year old) had to ride in it the other day and she was not happy. Said it was not comfortable at all and that she felt like a baby. And this is from a kid who was in a Booster for over a year and voluntarily returned to a Harnessed seat to be safe. Since the GN looks like a HBB and is sporty looking I think it makes it easier onthe kids to not mind the harness. And it really is roomier, I can sit in the GN with lots of room, I can sit in the Marathon but it is no where near as comfortable


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *True Blue* 
We have a spare booster at our house, and I make kids who come in our car ride in it....because I will not allow kids to ride unsafely in my car. This kind of helps this kind of situation as well. However, it's weird now that we are living in FL where boosters are only required to age 5!!!!










I also keep extra boosters, Our van has 3 Graco Nautilus's installed and two extra seats in the back. If I do not have one of my girls then extra kids go in the GN if they fit, I also have an extra HBB and a LBB in case of a full load of kids. They just know that everyone rides in a car seat or a booster in my car unless they are 4'9" or over 100 pounds


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## mamato2boys (Nov 22, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *True Blue* 
We have a spare booster at our house, and I make kids who come in our car ride in it...


I've done the same thing. My oldest was in a HHB until he was 10.5, I use that now when any of my younger son's friends ride in the car. My 6yo and 5yo are both still in 5pt harnesses and will be for some time.

While the law here is 8/80, less than 1/2 of the kids in my 5yo's class are in boosters. I know of one other 5yo still in a harness.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

DD is 4.5 yo, but doesn't go to school yet (long story) and is still harnessed in a Regent. We see a lot of kids driving around that are just bouncing around their cars and they're usually not much bigger than she is. All hope is not lost though, I have seen a few people around town that have kids her age in harnesses! I was actually kicking myself for not getting one mom's number. Her DD was only a week or so older than mine and while we were leaving the pool I saw her hop into a MA! I've seen a few others in MAs and Regents around town. Anyway, right now DD doesn't mind, but flippin' MIL tried to sneak out of the house and take her to church w/o a seat and DH caught her and made her take our car. Since then DD started asking for a booster. GRRRR.... So I let her sit in some boosters at Target and she told me she didn't like that there wasn't a belt on them. So I showed her pics of kids in boosters and she said it didn't look as safe. She knows we take carseat safety seriously. I lugged a Radian through the airport and on the plane to keep her harnessed on vacation. She'll be getting a back up booster soon, probably a Monterey, to use in my friend's car in case of emergency. Once she's six she'll be able to move into the booster full time, at which point she'll be very close to outgrowing her Regent anyway.


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## Alison's Mom (May 3, 2007)

My DD turns 4 this week, and will be in a radian 5pt harness for a long time, if I can help it. She's really petite and was RF until after her 3rd bday. DS is 27 months and still RFing. We don't generally get into other people's cars, or have other kids ride with us, so it hasn't been an issue yet, and hope it doesn't become one, because I know DH will cave.

We had an issue on the plane when our friend's DD (same age as my DD, but much, much taller) was in just the seat belt on the plane whereas we brought our DD's radian for the flight. She didn't like it and kept asking why she had to use it when her friend didn't. I used the same argument - different families have different rules and I deem this is the safest option for you. Problem is that DH doesn't really care so much and more 'mainstream' and lax about safety - he thinks I'm just overly paranoid. He says he gets teased by coworkers because DS is still RFing.


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## kohlby (Dec 5, 2005)

It hasn't been an issue. My son is 5.5 years old, 47" and 52 lbs. He can get into his Britax Regent by himself and do and undo the top of the seatbelt himself. When DH drives, he car undo the carseat with his long arms. I have to get out of my seat to undo it though! My son does have a 6 year old friend who is still in a 5-pt harness, but his friend is very, very small for his age while DS is large for his age. Niether has had any issues with it. We'll have to move DS into a booster at around 6 since his long torso is almost too long for the Regent. I've never seen a kid anywhere near my DS's size in a 5-pt harness. (DS outgrew the Marathon before he turned 3 due to torso height so it wasn't easy to find a seat he could use).

*We do have a full-back booster with side-impact protection that is in DH's car. DS started using that for rides of all of a mile if I had the van. We have relatives visiting at Christmas time and their 5 year old will use the Regent then since he's 31 lbs and DS will use the booster for those few days. We have a backless booster as well somewhere. So we'll offer that to the 8.5 year old who will be visiting. (He's the size of an average 8 year old). We haven't had any reason to transport any other kids. If we did, I'd make their parents provide a carseat for them if I didn't feel it was safe. People can decide what to do with their kids in their cars. But if I'm the one driving them, then I need to feel comfortable with it too.


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## KayleeZoo (Apr 8, 2003)

Well, it's definately not "cool" for 3rd graders to be in a 5-pt harness, but mine was until this week. She's 49.5lbs and 8.5yo. Last week she started complaining about her legs hurting in the Nautilus and no wonder- I think her femurs grew 4 inches in the past month! Her thighs are so long that more of them hang off the seat than fit on it. We talked a lot about booster safety vs. harness safety (she's been perfectly happy to tell kids who have teased her in the past about sitting in a baby seat that she is much safer in a harness, and then ask them why their parents don't buy them a harnessed seat, too, since they're so much safer







) and I think she's ready, maturity-wise, to sit still. She has a lot of trouble with self-regulation, and doesn't usually sit still in the car, so remembering to keep the shoulder belt in place, to sit back, etc. will be a challenge for her. But she's ready to try and I don't want her to be uncomfortable in her Nautilus. She is also dead even with the top harness slots, so she's pretty close to outgrowing it by height.

My kindergartener will be 6 in January and at 31lbs, she'll be in a harnessed seat for many more years. Her friends are all in backless boosters or nothing at all. She knows she's safer, too, and worries about her friends who are in boosters.

It's all about how you present the data, IME. My kids have seen the crash test videos and that was the thing that really made an impact on them. Teasing doesn't compare to what can happen to their bodies in a collision, and they are aware of that. I tell them that I love them more than anything in the world and my first priority is to take the best care of them that I can; keeping them in the seats that have the highest degree of safety is one way I can help keep them safe. They get it


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## JoyofBirth (Mar 16, 2004)

I recently had a conversation about this with 8 year old twins that I watch. They are in second grade. One of them commented that one of their classmates has the same seat as my dd. A marathon in a flower print. I asked her what she thought about her friend sitting in a seat like that. She said it's kinda babyish. I asked them if they ever said anything mean to her. And they just said, no it's no big deal, they're just glad they don't have to. They were moved into boosters at 4 and then nothing at 5 or 6. I made them ride in their boosters in my car until they were about 7. I was interested in getting their opinions on the subject since I see my dd in a harness until she's about 7ish, depending on her height, she's big.


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

My eight year old and five year old are both still in a 5-point harness. We haven't had any issues with their friends or them complaining that they didn't want to use the carseat because of social issues.


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## SoCaliMommy (Jun 11, 2004)

My daughter is 5 and in Kindergarten and she rides in a britax frontier harnessed and will be harnessed in it til she reaches the weight at 80lbs or height for the harness since the selt then switches to be able to use withe a seatbelt til 100lbs.


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## kijip (Jun 29, 2005)

My son is 5 and rides in a Regent. Just like my parents made us wear seatbelts before it was the law and told us it did not matter what others do, that is what I would do with him if he started whining about it. As it is, so far it has not been an issue and he prefers the Regent to the booster seat he has occasionally sat in.

RE other kids in my car: my spare seats are a Wizard and a HBB. If a child is to ride in my car, they ride in a safe seat. I don't care if the parent says they don't need a seat or just need a low back booster for a 4 year old. My car, my rules. However, the fast majority of a close friends with kids the same age as my son have 5 pt harness seats for them or they have HBB. So it just seems normal to them.


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## Graceoc (Mar 26, 2002)

Let's see we have 2 BIG 5 pt Britax Huskey's that until a few months ago were in the back of the van for my 8 year old DS and 6 year old DD.

Once we moved the baby out of the Roundabout to the Marathon (but still rear facing) we decided it was ok for my oldest to move to a high back booster seat with the seatbelt.

So now we have 8.5 DS in the highback booster using a seatbelt. 6.5 year old DD in a 5pt Husky. 4 year old (almost!) DS in a 5pt Husky and the baby (newly 1) rearfacing in the 5pt Marathon.

My kids haven't really ever said anything. On field trips they usually take the bus. Both the older kids fit in seatbelts fine in our little Escort, but not in our van (and both reach the requirements by law). I am not sure I would send their seats if it were a driving field trip....


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## ollineeba (Apr 12, 2005)

My dd just turned 4. She is still in 5pt harness (Regent) and I noticed that when we went on a field trip recently, almost every other child was also in a 5 pt. There were one or two booster seats, but all the rest were 5 pt


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## onlygirls (Mar 16, 2008)

Quote:

Once she's six she'll be able to move into the booster full time, at which point she'll be very close to outgrowing her Regent anyway.
My DD turned 6 last month and is very comfortable in her Regent. She is 50 lbs. and is really comfortable. She is in the very back of our Yukon so I can't help her with it. She does everything herself.

I plan on keeping DD in her seat as long as possible! When we traveled, we used a low booster for her in the rental car and she hated it.


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