convertible seat to booster

ladylisalt

What age/and or weight did you transition your toddler from a convertible car seat to a booster seat?

carlab44

Do you mean a 3-in-1 seat that converts from a harness to a high back to a backless booster? We moved DD into a 3-in-1 when she was around 3 years old (when DS was ready for her convertible). She remained in the harness mode until she was 6, which is when we converted the seat to a high back booster.

We moved DS into the 3-in-1 when he was 4. He remained in the harness until he was 5.5.

ladylisalt

carlab44 said:

Do you mean a 3-in-1 seat that converts from a harness to a high back to a backless booster? We moved DD into a 3-in-1 when she was around 3 years old (when DS was ready for her convertible). She remained in the harness mode until she was 6, which is when we converted the seat to a high back booster.

We moved DS into the 3-in-1 when he was 4. He remained in the harness until he was 5.5.

ha ha I am trying to figure out myself what I mean. lol I saw one by evenflow(I dont think its a 3 n 1) but it looked like the next stage from a booster. It seems like 4 would be the right age.

JENandJEH

My oldest was in a Nautilus (which is considered a 3-in-1 or combination seat) and used the 5-pt harness until he turned 6.  At 6, we started trying him in a booster seat (only uses the car seat belt) and he is now in a belt positioning booster full time.  

A combination seat is just as safe as a convertible seat as long as the 5-pt harness is being used until they are mature enough to sit properly in their belt positioning booster seat 100% of time time.  I also looked at it as when he was in the harness, I was responsible for his safety (correctly installed seat and buckling him in properly)...when he's in his booster, he is responsible for his safety (making sure he sits correctly by not slouching, bending forward for a toy, looking behind him, knowing to put his head up/back when he sleeps so he doesn't slump forward).  

yeah.

DD1 is 5.5 and still in a 5 pt harness in one car, and in a high back booster in the other (as of about a week ago). She's 48" and 41 pounds.

TiffanyBerry

DD is 4 and is in a Britax Pioneer 90.  She will be in it for rather a long time to come, in 5-point-harness mode.

carlab44

ladylisalt said:

carlab44 said:

Do you mean a 3-in-1 seat that converts from a harness to a high back to a backless booster? We moved DD into a 3-in-1 when she was around 3 years old (when DS was ready for her convertible). She remained in the harness mode until she was 6, which is when we converted the seat to a high back booster.

We moved DS into the 3-in-1 when he was 4. He remained in the harness until he was 5.5.

ha ha I am trying to figure out myself what I mean. lol I saw one by evenflow(I dont think its a 3 n 1) but it looked like the next stage from a booster. It seems like 4 would be the right age.

You have awhile to figure it out. Personally, 4 is the EXTREME young end of when I'd consider a booster. I wouldn't go just by age and weight and I certainly wouldn't make that decision now based on how I thought she would be. I'd have 4 as a minimum requirement and then go by maturity. I have a very well-behaved daughter and she wasn't ready for a belt positioning booster until she was 6.

ASmallWonder

ladylisalt said:

carlab44 said:

Do you mean a 3-in-1 seat that converts from a harness to a high back to a backless booster? We moved DD into a 3-in-1 when she was around 3 years old (when DS was ready for her convertible). She remained in the harness mode until she was 6, which is when we converted the seat to a high back booster.

We moved DS into the 3-in-1 when he was 4. He remained in the harness until he was 5.5.

ha ha I am trying to figure out myself what I mean. lol I saw one by evenflow(I dont think its a 3 n 1) but it looked like the next stage from a booster. It seems like 4 would be the right age.

This is easy to figure out  Does the one you saw have a harness?  If it does and can later be used as a belt positioning booster, that's called a combination seat and is just as safe as a forward facing convertible when used in harness mode.  But if it does NOT have a harness, that's a booster and a four year old, regardless of the legal height and weight requirements, is very unlikely to be mature enough to ride safely in it.