# How long did you/will you harness your child?



## jazzharmony (Nov 10, 2006)

Hopefully the poll works.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I moved my daughter to a booster at age 7.25 and 48(ish)#.

ETA: she prefers a booster and I'm fine with it. I made her ride harnessed once a few months ago in a carpool vehicle with a lap-only belt, and she was not at all pleased.


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## jdg (Jan 17, 2010)

My state requires that all children be in at least a booster until they are 8 years old or 80 pounds, whichever they hit first.


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

As long as I can find a carseat that they fit in the harness in, and can come up with the money to buy it, they will be harnessed.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Just as a point of information, there is no evidence that children who can use a booster properly (size, age, maturity) are any safer harnessed than boostered.


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Just as a point of information, there is no evidence that children who can use a booster properly (size, age, maturity) are any safer harnessed than boostered.

As long as they never fall asleep in the car and end up all slouched over, sure. We've never owned a car with three shoulder harnesses across the back seat, and we have 3 kids. so when the youngest can no longer be harnessed, one of her siblings might have to sit in a lap only belt.


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## paxye (Mar 31, 2005)

My oldest will be moving to a booster when the new baby comes (I am almost 40 weeks, so soon) He is 7 1/2 and 60 lbs and still fits great in his Radian but logistically in the car we need to change him... he rather be harnessed than use a booster but we don't have much choice...

My other boys are still harnessed and will remain so until they no longer fit their seats (Radians also)...


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moondiapers* 
As long as they never fall asleep in the car and end up all slouched over, sure. We've never owned a car with three shoulder harnesses across the back seat, and we have 3 kids. so when the youngest can no longer be harnessed, one of her siblings might have to sit in a lap only belt.

Oh, okay. Lap belts and boosters are considered improper use, so absolutely a child would be safer harnessed than in a lap belt.

Some boosters have deep side and body wings that keep sleepy kids in position.


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

I said 3-4. DD moved to a booster age 3, 110cm, not sure on the weight then. I was a single parent, she rode in a car maybe 1-2 times a month, we had a FF silvercross stage 1-2 seat, but she was so tall that the highest insertion for the shoulder straps was below her shoulders (she actually grew out of the seat earlier but the plastic base and foam rubber they use had an extra set of insertion slots which the over-slip cover didn't, so i cut the cover to utilise them for another few months). I simply couldn't afford one of the harness seats which fits taller-than average kids.

After we moved in with DH she now rides in the car 4x a week, and we used the seat with the belt for a time but she quickly outgrew the back (it's adjustable but we have non-removable headrests in our back seats which prevent her headrest adjusting up much and affect the stability of the seat if we raise it anyway). We then moved her to a booster cushion, which i replaced just yesterday with a high-back booster which i'm far happier with (we have a mazda rx8 which doesn't take many conventional seats and no money to spend on really expensive seats - i found a high back with adjustable rake which happens to fit in our back seat on offer yesterday and snapped it up!). I intend to keep her in the high-back for another few years.

For the new baby we have a RF 0 infant seat good to 8kg, and after that we were hoping to buy a RF good to age 4 or so, but there are none available in the UK which will fit into our car. At the moment we cannot afford to replace the car, so i guess time will tell on that. Baby isn't due until June so we have hopefully 15months to worry about it before making a decision.


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## boheime (Oct 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Just as a point of information, there is no evidence that children who can use a booster properly (size, age, maturity) are any safer harnessed than boostered.

There really isn't any evidence to the contrary, either, though. Until someone can point me to an actual study which states otherwise (and I evaluate the information - I don't trust the average person to correctly interpret data), I'm perfectly comfortable with my 7 year old being in a harnessed car seat and actually prefer that.


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## s_kristina (Aug 9, 2004)

As long as they fit in a seat with a harness and the seat will fit in our vehicle. For my dd that was age 3 and the only seat that she would still fit in harnessed was the Husky which won't fit in our vehicle, truck. With ds1 it's age 4 when again the only seat he would fit in is a Regent and amazingly it still won't fit in our truck even though they changed the name. For ds2 I expect it to be longer as he is a tiny thing at 21 months 34.5" and 25.6lbs.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *boheime* 
There really isn't any evidence to the contrary, either, though. Until someone can point me to an actual study which states otherwise (and I evaluate the information - I don't trust the average person to correctly interpret data), I'm perfectly comfortable with my 7 year old being in a harnessed car seat and actually prefer that.

Right. There's no evidence either way. I have nothing against extended harnessing -- as I wrote, my own child was harnessed past age seven -- but since "as long as I can come up with the money to buy it" was brought up, parents shouldn't feel pressured to spend big bucks on big seats IF children can use boosters properly. (If they want to, super. If they feel they *need* to, that could maybe be re-examined.)


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I voted 5-6 years. Ideally, that means through age 6 (right before turning 7) b/c I know at that point my kids can sit properly in a BPB. Before then, it's not every time. That said, my kids are tall and even with 'extended harnessing seats', their shoulders get too tall right around, or a few months before their 6th birthday. So in reality, they are harnessed until 5-6 years.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

I can't really say an age - it has more to do with weight.

My DS car seat is up to 55lbs. He has another 15lbs to go and is currently 4. His weight has slowed down _a-lot_ so I have no idea how long it will take him to get to 55lbs. He is the same weight now as he was a year ago (but obviously has gotten taller! ...so he has just thinned out a bit).

Once he outgrows that - thats it. Cause thats the highest harnessed car seat you can get in this country. I could try to import one from America that did not require a top tether (cause our cars dont have that compatable feature - as required for something like the Britax Regent that harnesses up to 80lbs for example) but according to many users here, he would have outgrown those by height before weight so there would be no point.


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Right. There's no evidence either way. I have nothing against extended harnessing -- as I wrote, my own child was harnessed past age seven -- but since "as long as I can come up with the money to buy it" was brought up, parents shouldn't feel pressured to spend big bucks on big seats IF children can use boosters properly. (If they want to, super. If they feel they *need* to, that could maybe be re-examined.)

I wouldn't go so far as to buy a special needs seat for my kids if they weren't special needs. If the price range stays around $300, I'll try to come up with the dough to keep them harnessed though. We have a sunshine radian XTSL now for the new baby. I went with the XTSL because I had one long lean child and one super chubby kiddo, so I'm not sure which this little one will be. I wanted the higher weight limit just in case. My son could have stayed in the XTSL (if it existed) through kindergarten. DD would have been able to stay in it through 1st grade....when it would have expired for her (if she'd had it as a newborn). She started out with rolls on rolls on rolls, but thinned out by the time she was 4 and became long and lean. DS was a long lean baby, but started chubbing out after kindy. I've been having my friend's kids sit in the seat when they come visit so I can check the harness slots against their shoulder heights. So far, in our group of friends....5 out of 7 six year olds would fit in the seat still for height and weight. 3 out of 6 7 year olds still would fit....and all of the under 6 group would still fit. So I'm pretty happy with the seat we've chosen. After she outgrows this seat we'll probably need to move her to a booster, and I'm really hoping that we've been able to start buying newer cars by then so that we have enough shoulder belts to go around. I really hate to put ANYONE in a lap belt.....even though DD would technically be grown up at that point. She'll probably still be at home while she goes to college.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

Ds#1 was harnessed until 5 1/2 (he's now 12)
DS#2 was harnessed until 4 (he's now 10)
DD was harnessed until 5 1/2 (when she outgrew her Marathon by height, still in a booster at 7)
DS#3 is still harnessed at 4, and will probably stay that way for at least a year, we're hoping to get him Nautilus to replace his Marathon before he outgrows it

DS#4 is only 5 weeks old, as we're still researching seat options for once he outgrows his bucket (Graco SafeSeat)


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## colobus237 (Feb 2, 2004)

My first two kids outgrew their harnessed seats right around their fourth birthdays. I had already bought an expensive (to me) specialty seat to keep them harnessed that long, so that was the end. They have done fine in boosters.


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## Erica09M (Jul 28, 2008)

I'm estimating around 6 years old (she's currently 4 yrs 8 mo. and my younger is only 19 mo. and still rear facing). However, if she still can't sit properly in a booster at that age, I'll keep her harnessed. If she can sit in a booster properly at that age, then great! Same for my youngest, unless there is new info out in another 5 years


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## jillmamma (Apr 11, 2005)

DS moved to a high backed booster full time when he outgrew his Marathon at almost 6. DD I think will fit in her Decathlon a long time yet (she is 4), but it will expire when she is 6.5, so we'll probably get her a high backed booster then. I plan on getting a Radian for the new baby after she outgrows the Snugride, so probably 6 or 7 for her to be harnessed too.


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## soxthecatrules (Oct 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moondiapers* 
As long as they never fall asleep in the car and end up all slouched over, sure.

Shoot....I'm 36 years old and not sure I meet this requirement at times.


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *soxthecatrules* 
Shoot....I'm 36 years old and not sure I meet this requirement at times.

Both of my kids so far are belly sleepers and naturally lean forward when they fall asleep, so I kept them hanressed as long as possible, then kept them in boosters as long as possible. For dd this was until she was almost 10 (booster), for dh it was until he was 8 (booster).


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## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

Ds1 was 5.5yo and 48lbs when we moved him to a booster. I can't use LATCH in my minivan past 48lbs, and I couldn't get the Radian to install with the seatbelt. I WOULD have kept him harnessed longer if I'd been able to install the Radian in the van.
Our options were either a booster or $300 for a Britax Frontier, and since we were comfortable enough with him in a booster (he sits properly, and is aware enough when he is asleep to stay in a good position), we opted for the Parkway with slideguard.


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## eclipse (Mar 13, 2003)

DS1 was harnessed until he was 4.5 and I realized he was 5 lbs over the harness weight of his seat. He went into a booster then because we were expectingds three and needed a small seat to fit three across the back of our station wagon. DD was under 4. Probably closer to three. I know that's awful, but she was too tall for her harnessing seat and we absoloutely could not afford one of the taller seats. There was nothing in our buget that would work for her







. DS2 is still harnessed at 4 years 4 months old, and will be for the forseeable future. He still fits comfortably in his Marathon and is only 34 lbs.


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## MilkbarMom (Mar 28, 2003)

Mine were in a 5pt. harness in a Britax Huskey until hit the weight limit of 80lbs, and were 7 and 10.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ann_of_loxley* 
I can't really say an age - it has more to do with weight.

From a safety standpoint, age is far more important than weight.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

DD1 is 7, still harnessed and will continue to be for several reasons. She does lack maturity to ride 100% in a booster, she rides in one with DH and in carpools, but likes to wiggle around. She is average height but very thin, weighing only 43 lbs. And the last reason is that she rides in the 3rd row, she frequently gets the seatbelt tangled in a booster, but can easily buckle herself in and out of her regent saving me the hassle of climbing back there to help her.







A must when I have three children of my own and frequently haul around extras.


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## pixiekisses (Oct 14, 2008)

About 5-6 yo. because they have grown out of their RF'ing seats then.
And I will not harness a ff'ing child, so booster it is after RF'ing. But luckily we have RF'ing seats with 55 lbs. weight limit and tall shells. And they are ready to be in boosters after those.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

I clicked other. For me they need to be a minimum of 4/40 and sit properly all the time. For my oldest ds who was highly motivated it was a little after 4. I don't know when my younger 2 will be mature enough.


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## 4Marmalade (May 4, 2004)

Ds1 went into a booster when he was about 4 and 45-50lbs. Dd1 is 4-1/2 and still harnessed and probably will be for some time yet. She is only 38lbs. Even though she is in a Radian which harnesses to 65lbs I can see her reaching a point when she's older (thinking 7 maybe?) that she will be ready for a booster. 65lbs for her is a loooong way off I think







. Ds2 and dd2 will follow the same trend. They are r/f in Truefit's right now and they harness ff until 65lbs so it will be whenever they are old enough and prepared to sit in a booster or they reach the limits of the seat. We bought the Truefit's so that they could be harnessed for a long time and we would not have to worry about buying more carseats until booster age.


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## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

DD was just over 5 when she reached the weight limit for the harness (18KG). It's a convertible seat so we removed the harness and she's using it as a booster. It keeps her nicely in position when she is asleep.

It was much easier to faster her in with the 5 point though, I hate having to lean over her to fasten the seatbelt and she can't reach yet.

I think DS will be younger, as he has always been bigger than DD.


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## colobus237 (Feb 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pixiekisses* 
And I will not harness a ff'ing child,

Explain please?


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

My brother races cars, and they have to wear 5-point harnesses for that for safety reasons. If 5-point harnesses are safer for adults, it seems like they're safer for all kids regardless of age. Still, I switch when the child can't fit in the harnessed seat anymore. I am not going to spend hundreds more dollars if the child can sit up properly in a seat and not slouch or wriggle out of the belt all the time. I think she was somewhere around late 4 to early 5 years old.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

I clicked other because it has more to do with maturity than with a set age. DD moved mostly full time to a booster at about 5 1/2, she is excellent at sitting still and I have no concerns for her safety in the booster. We rarely drive further than in town. When we do go much farther than an hour (anything longer than to my mom's house) we put her Regent back in so that she can sleep, wiggle, etc, and not be fussed at for needing to hold still. My DS, I suspect will be another story. I doubt he will really be holding still well at 5, but we'll see!


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

The concern -- and there is one study but it is not conclusive -- about older/bigger kids in forward-facing 5-point harnesses is neck loads. The shoulders are held back by the harness and the head is not, so there is quite a bit of stress on the neck. Tethering reduces head excursion, so it is one way to reduce stress on the neck. Many racecar 5-point harnesses also have a head harness that attaches the head to the seat, thereby eliminating the concern for neck loading.


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## boheime (Oct 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
The concern -- and there is one study but it is not conclusive -- about older/bigger kids in forward-facing 5-point harnesses is neck loads. The shoulders are held back by the harness and the head is not, so there is quite a bit of stress on the neck. Tethering reduces head excursion, so it is one way to reduce stress on the neck. Many racecar 5-point harnesses also have a head harness that attaches the head to the seat, thereby eliminating the concern for neck loading.

I've heard this mentioned a few times, but no one has been able to provide the actual journal article or even point to where it is located. Do you have a link or reference for this? I don't feel it is prudent for *me* to base my decisions on an inconclusive article which can't seem to be produced. I would love to read it if anyone can link to or reference it.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

I chose other. I don't know at what age I will allow my child to ride unharnessed. That is dependent on when he is too large/tall for a 5-point harness seat.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I don't have it in linkable form. It's a Swedish study. The NHTSA testing, which is on the NHTSA site, does show that some harnessed seats have higher head excursion than some boosters, especially for big kids.


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## pixiekisses (Oct 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ccohenou* 
Explain please?

We live in Scandinavia now, and we have the Swedes knowledge, they are way ahead of any other contry in car seat safety for kiddos. We are on the same levels as they are in RF'ing kids to 4-5-6 yo. before putting them in belt-positioning boosters. And they are mature and ready for it by then.
I have many reasons, but it's all swedish research, and not something I can link, so it doesn't really matter in that way.
Head excursion is one, and another is that a larger part of the childs body is "absorbing" the forces of the crash in that a larger part of the body can move a little forward. In a tight harnessed seat, there is a lot more stress/force on the neck because only the head is thrown as violently forward, obv. not good.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamazee* 
My brother races cars, and they have to wear 5-point harnesses for that for safety reasons. If 5-point harnesses are safer for adults, it seems like they're safer for all kids regardless of age. Still, I switch when the child can't fit in the harnessed seat anymore. I am not going to spend hundreds more dollars if the child can sit up properly in a seat and not slouch or wriggle out of the belt all the time. I think she was somewhere around late 4 to early 5 years old.

There is a world of difference between racecar harnesses which are bolted straight to the car frame and include a head tether, and 5 point harness car seats which are attached secondarily to the car and have no tether on the head to reduce excursion. It's like comparing apples and oranges.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

So I emailed my brother, and he said his race class doesn't have their heads tethered, though faster classes do have their helmets tethered to their shoulders and backs. And that the crotch strap is to keep him from sliding under the belt. It is attached to the frame, he said.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
From a safety standpoint, age is far more important than weight.

Considering that our car seats in this country - only go up to 55lbs harnessed (and the general UK public doesn't know that - so would settle for the 35lbs top max harnessed car seat)...yeah - it has more to do with weight here! I can only harness up to 55lbs no matter what I feel like! lol


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I'm sorry if this feels like semantics to you, but IMO it's a pretty important point. Once the child meets the legal and manufacturer's minimum to use a booster, age -- physiology and maturity -- does matter much more than weight. A 34# 7yo is far safer in a booster than a 55# 3yo.

What you can legally do based on the seats available to you is not necessarily the same as what is the safest thing to do.


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

I am aiming for about 6 or so. We have a True Fit and my DD is on the smaller side (23lbs at 18mo) so she will probably be within the 65lb weight limit past 6. But I would be willing to start using a booster for short trips around then, all things being equal.

I expect that we have at least another year and a half of rear facing in our future, so booster seems oh so far away at the moment.


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## expecting-joy (Sep 15, 2007)

I didn't vote, as it will depend on the best current research and what is available where we live. Unfortunately, we cannot get RFing seat up to 55 lbs. here. That would be most excellent.


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## lotus.blossom (Mar 1, 2005)

My ds1 is 3.5 and harnessed in his FPSVD. I had to turn him FF at 13 months for our sanity. He screamed bloody murder his entire first year and when we turned him forward on an experiment, he stopped crying in the car, entirely.
I am currently contemplating when to put him in a booster. I think that I will probably put him in a Nautilus for the next year or so harnessed, then buy a booster for him when he is 4.5 or 5. My baby is still in his bucket and will need to go into the FPSVD rear facing till he hits the 35 lb mark. Then I will put him in the Nautilus and put ds1 in the booster. (yay, that makes more sense written out than in my head







)


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## busymama77 (Jun 16, 2009)

DS will be harnessed until he's 4.5 because at that time, we'll need to purchase a booster seat for him as his younger brother will be taking over his current car seat.

I've always read, heard that it's 4 years old AND 40lbs before a child can be moved over to a booster seat and use a lap belt.


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *busymama77* 
DS will be harnessed until he's 4.5 because at that time, we'll need to purchase a booster seat for him as his younger brother will be taking over his current car seat.

I've always read, heard that it's 4 years old AND 40lbs before a child can be moved over to a booster seat and use a lap belt.

Yes, in most states that is the minimum safety requirement.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

I selected "5-6". DD is 4.5 now and will be harnessed until she hits 40 pounds or outgrows the Regent.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

As I am not talking about anyone elses child but mine - the point is, I don't have a choice. If my son reached 55lbs by the age of 4 (and that was a very near possibility as he was 35lbs at the age of two!)...he would have _no_ choice but to go into a booster in this country. If I did not find this norwegian car seat, he would have had to go into a booster at the age of two! _regardless_ as 99.9% of the car seats in this country only harness up to 35lbs. Thank God I have a brain (and can research and use google to my hearts content...finding these car seats are not easy in this country) ...cause I can't tell you how many parents (_ALL_ of them that I know! lol) put their child into boosters once they outgrow their 35lbs harnessed car seat (which - according to 'averages' should fit a child from 9 montsh to 4 years). But my son was born big and has stayed big for his age.

Its not semantics....I am talking about facts because she asked about MY child! lol He will not be 34 pounds at 7! lmao...He was more than that at TWO! lol (and there was no way in hell he was going into a booster at two!) ...and for a few months, that was the only possible reality for me - and for many UK parents who don't know otherwise.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moondiapers* 
Yes, in most states that is the minimum safety requirement.

Very few states have that as law. Most states defer to manufacturer's minimums ("proper use").


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## mommy2two babes (Feb 7, 2007)

As long as they fit in a Nauti.
Along time probably DD 5 is 37# and DS 3 is 27 # the are both on the shorter side of average.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

DD1 outgrew the harness in her seat a month or two before she was 5, and we moved her to a booster. I think she was 41 or 42 pounds. In retrospect, I think she was a bit young for it, probably, but she's done fine as far as sitting correctly, and doesn't sleep in the car. She rarely rides in a car, actually-- only to church on Sunday, and to her dance class. Anyway, I'm at peace with the decision at this point. The only seats that will harness a kid her size (HEIGHT is our issue) would never fit in a 3-across situation.

At least one of my twins will HAVE to be harnessed until they go to kindy at least, at 5 1/2, because it'll be until then before I can go back to work, and I can't buy a new car until I have some money, and the car I have doesn't have three shoulder belts in the backseat. We have two Radians back there with DD's Turbobooster, one forward facing and one rear facing. If the Radian won't harness them until I can buy a new car, then we're seriously screwed. (My 5 year old can fit the Radian by height by about a quarter inch







, but the twins are shorter than she was at the same age, so maybe we'll make it longer.)

So probably at least six, or until they outgrow the Radian by height, whichever comes first. There's no way on this green earth they'll outgrow it by weight-- I have very skinny kids. DD1 is only 43 pounds, although she's already probably too tall to ride in the Radian, which supposedly harnesses to 65 or 85 pounds.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

I put 7-8, not entirely true. AJ is moving to a booster now at almost 7 b/c he's getting too big for his GN and we lent out one of our seats so he's in a booster. Evan is still rfing at 5, so I have a hard time believing he'll be in a booster full time before 7 or 8, same w/ the girls. All of them are smaller than AJ.


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## Sk8ermaiden (Feb 13, 2008)

Until she's 65 lbs. or outgrows her myride by height. If she's still too little to sit properly, I'll invest in a seat with a taller shell.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sk8ermaiden* 
Until she's 65 lbs. or outgrows her myride by height. If she's still too little to sit properly, I'll invest in a seat with a taller shell.

AJ would've been about 50# and 5.5yo when he outgrew the MR.


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## MJB (Nov 28, 2009)

My oldest moved into a booster at 6.5 (4'/50 lbs.) when he started first grade, although he still fit in his Husky. I plan to keep my 4yo and the new babe harnessed until 5-6 as well.


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## KMK_Mama (Jan 29, 2006)

When they outgrow their Radians....all 3 are still harnessed now at 7 1/2, 6 1/2, and almost 4.


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## urchin_grey (Sep 26, 2006)

No set age. He'll stay harnessed until he's heavy enough and mature enough to sit in a booster. That could be quite some time for DS though because he's 26lbs at 4.5yo and very immature.


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## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

I selected 7-8yrs. My eldest is 7y10m old now and in the Regent in our van, with some room to grow (though he's grown 4" in the last 10 months, so that room is quickly disappearing!). I need to shift seats around because of the 2yo, though, and may end up moving him full-time to a booster, despite my desire to keep him in the harness until he outgrows it. He's currently got a Monterey booster as a second seat for grandma's or dad's car. He's showing that he can sit well in the booster now, so it's probably reasonable to make the move.


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## Adventuredad (Apr 23, 2008)

Harnessing older kids, 4+ years, doesn't offer any safety advantage so my son went straight to a high back booster after rear facing to about 4.5 years.

My now 3.5 year old daughter will do the same thing.


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## mommy2two babes (Feb 7, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Adventuredad* 
Harnessing older kids, 4+ years, doesn't offer any safety advantage so my son went straight to a high back booster after rear facing to about 4.5 years.

My now 3.5 year old daughter will do the same thing.

As long as they are able to sit properly.

DD 5 the one time I allowed her to ride in a booster decided to throw a temper tantrum when we were leaving and was sliding herself down in the seat.
After that I decided to keep her harnesed until that is not an issue.


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## boheime (Oct 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Adventuredad* 
Harnessing older kids, 4+ years, doesn't offer any safety advantage so my son went straight to a high back booster after rear facing to about 4.5 years.

My now 3.5 year old daughter will do the same thing.

Please share the journal article information or links to the studies proving this. Thanks!


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mommy2two babes* 
As long as they are able to sit properly.

DD 5 the one time I allowed her to ride in a booster decided to throw a temper tantrum when we were leaving and was sliding herself down in the seat.
After that I decided to keep her harnesed until that is not an issue.

My DD has known since before she was 2 not to mess with her belts, not to touch the harness release button, not to slide about etc. I am a gentle mama as it goes but that is totally different - she would no more mess about in her seat in a tantrum than she would lift burning coals from the fire during one, it's NOT negotiable in our family. The only time she tucked the belt under her arm (early on after moving her to the booster) i noticed immediately (i am very vigilant) i threw a FIT and she still remembers! My father was the same (and we were in seatbelts a good while before the law required it too!) and he too has sternly asked DD about good booster use and she answered him more fully than i imagined she was capable of. She's not 4 until April.


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

DD will be harnessed for as long as the height/weight allows. Seems the carseat industry is finally changing so by the time she's out of RFing, who knows how long that will be!

Heck, DH and I would love to have H belts in our cars, too. I think car manufacturers are in the dino age w/ the stupid shoulder belt.


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## npl (Nov 29, 2008)

We tried ds in a booster as he was turning 5. He sits really nicely and is developmentally ready for a booster. But, he fell asleep in the booster after 5 minutes in the car, and flopped right forward. My other kids flop against the sides, and it was never an issue, but this kid was really not safe when he was asleep. He also sleeps soundly in the car, so even though we woke him up, he went right back to sleep and flopped forwards and to the side.
DH was happy for me to spend the extra money on the Nautilus when he saw that, and we installed it this morning. Although ds was very happy with it when he tried it in the store a few weeks ago, he didn't want to go back to a harness after being in the booster for a couple of weeks, so we told him it was like what astronauts sit in for blast-off. Height-wise he'll fit harnessed for a long time (my8yo ds still fit), but the crotch strap may only last him for another year or so.


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## mrskingred (Aug 3, 2006)

I chose other. The disadvantage with polls like this, is that they do not take into account the wide difference in what is legal and available in other countries. I would have loved to have gotten one of the higher harness weight seat that are regularly discussed on this forum.
My 3 yo outgrew his harness seat by height not by weight, so he is now in a german seat that uses a complete body shield up to 18kg. (After shopping around, we discovered that group 1 seats here in the UK, would only gain us an extra half inch in torso height. If he continues his current growth pattern, he will be using the body shield until his 5th birthday (when he will be approx. 18kg), then the seat converts to a hbb.


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## halomancer (Jun 2, 2005)

My DS will be harnessed in our car until he outgrows his Regent. At 2.5, he is 40 inches tall and very long torsoed, I do not expect him to be in it past about 5.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

DS will stay harnessed as long as possible. He's currently in a Regent (in my car, used the most often) and a Nautilus (in dp's car, used a couple times a month). He will fit harnessed in the Regent for a few more years, I'm sure, as he's pretty small for his age (he's 6 years 3 months). The Nautilus I bet he fits in for another couple years before we move that to booster mode.

I do NOT trust my ds to sit properly in a booster seat. He is big on safety and follows most rules pretty well (especially if I tell him something is a "safety violation" because he doesn't want any safety violations!). But when he gets in his moods (he has autism) there's no telling what he will do. I wouldn't put it past him to get out of his booster seat and jump out of the car while I'm driving down the road at 70mph. So, he'll remain harnessed (and I've not taught him how to unbuckle himself either) as long as possible.


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## MoonStarFalling (Nov 4, 2004)

DS was only about 3 when he outgrew his harnessed seat by weight. I would have liked to keep him harnessed longer. I'll keep DD harnessed as long as possible.


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## Smalls181 (May 12, 2006)

DD is 3 years 10 months and just hit 30lbs. I wont booster her until she is at least 40lbs, and that probably wont be until she is 6. At that point, we will evaluate maturity and overall readiness to use a booster seat and go from there.

She is currently RF in an 06 Radian with a RF weight limit of 33lbs. I could get her a Radian with a 40lb RF weight limit, but not sure if I want to spend the money on a seat she will only use for 2-3 years.


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

Other. My kid is 5 and rides in a booster in my car most of the time and also in his dad's car. In his grandma's car, he rides in a regent and will until he outgrows it, it expires, or DS can buckle himself in the booster correctly every time (which will probably happen before he outgrows it or it expires). Grandma can't be trusted to buckle him in a booster (she tries to do it over the armrests every time!) so even though I feel he's safe in one (exactly why he's in one in the other cars), it'll be a while before I get one for her car.

So probably till 6 or so but not because HE'S not booster ready...grandma isn't.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

Ds is rearfacing in a Radian now, so it depends on when he outgrows it. It has an 80lb weight limit, but it might expire before he reaches that! When he outgrows the Radian, OR it expires, then I will decide weather or not to buy another harnessed seat. It would depend on how old he is at the time.

I guess I'd harness him until he is close to 80lbs.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leighi123* 
Ds is rearfacing in a Radian now, so it depends on when he outgrows it. It has an 80lb weight limit, but it might expire before he reaches that! When he outgrows the Radian, OR it expires, then I will decide weather or not to buy another harnessed seat. It would depend on how old he is at the time.

I guess I'd harness him until he is close to 80lbs.

He will probably outgrow it by height WAY before 80lbs.


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## butterfly_mommy (Oct 22, 2007)

DS is now RF in his Radian XT (this is his 3rd convertible as he keeps outgrowing the RF limit just as a seat with a higher RF limit is released in Canada) Anyway he will stay RF till he out grows his Radian XT and then I will FF him in it if he still fits the straps. I will most likely buy a Harness/Booster seat combo when he outgrows the Radian if there is one that fits him and if not he will go into a high back booster.

So I will keep him harnessed in a 5 point harness as long as I can even if it means buying a new seat. I do believe that it is safer to be in a 5 point harness (if it wasn't then race car drivers would only use a 3 point) Also if there is an accident and DS needs to be removed from the car he can be removed in his seat in case there is neck or back injuries. Not to mention the story of the little guy being ejected from his car because the seat belt failed on his booster.


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## RedPony (May 24, 2005)

I voted other. I'll keep them harnessed to the limits of their seats, but I have no way of knowing how old they'll be then.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
He will probably outgrow it by height WAY before 80lbs.

Yeah, that. My 5 year old is just on the verge of outgrowing the Radian by height for forward-facing, but is only 42 pounds. Granted, she's a tall kid. But still a LONG way from 80 pounds.


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