When does a child go into a booster seat?

j_twitchell

I was just thinking of how DS fits in his car seat, it's a good one but he always ends up slumping down in it. I saw that the Big Kid Booster seats are on sale and the weight range is from 30-100 lbs, and DS is 30lbs. So not that I'm in a hurry for him to grow up, but I generally don't know when you're supposed to transition them to a booster? 2? 3? Thanks

melody921

I always thought it was closer to 40 pounds, but I'm not positive.

historychick79

ETA: never mind, thought it was about table booster seats, not car. Haven't researched that at all yet.

 

<---needs coffee.

JENandJEH

4 years AND 40lbs is the minimum they should go into a booster.  Even then, it's best to leave them in a 5-pt harness until you are absolutely, positively sure they can sit correctly in the belt positioning booster 100% of the time (even if they happen to fall asleep in the car).  In a 5-pt harness, YOU are responsible for their safety in the seat since you make sure the straps are tight, hooked, etc.  Once you move them to a booster, THEY become responsible for their own carseat safety (even if you hook them in, they are responsible for using it correctly, not leaning over, slouching down) while you're driving. 

 

I plan to keep DS in his 5-pt harness for quite awhile.  He's happy and knows no other alternative.  Once he's ready or has outgrown the harness height/weight, we can switch him to the belt positioning booster (he's in the Graco Nautilus so we'll just "convert" that seat). 

j_twitchell

JENandJEH:

4 years AND 40lbs is the minimum they should go into a booster.  Even then, it's best to leave them in a 5-pt harness until you are absolutely, positively sure they can sit correctly in the belt positioning booster 100% of the time (even if they happen to fall asleep in the car).  In a 5-pt harness, YOU are responsible for their safety in the seat since you make sure the straps are tight, hooked, etc.  Once you move them to a booster, THEY become responsible for their own carseat safety (even if you hook them in, they are responsible for using it correctly, not leaning over, slouching down) while you're driving. 

 

I plan to keep DS in his 5-pt harness for quite awhile.  He's happy and knows no other alternative.  Once he's ready or has outgrown the harness height/weight, we can switch him to the belt positioning booster (he's in the Graco Nautilus so we'll just "convert" that seat). 

Thanks! That's plenty far down the road for me! I do need to find a way to make DS more comfortable in his seat though.. But anyways, thanks for the info! Very helpful! 

Angela814

4 or 5 years

They have to be able to sit in the seat correctly 100% of the time without moving around. They have to know not to move the shoulder belt. Also, most experts recommend that the child be at least 40 lbs. A 30 lb 6 or 7 yo might be safe in a booster. A 30 lbs 3 yo is not.

hopkins5

In Ontario, children under the age of eight who weigh 40-80 lbs, and stand less than 4'9 must legally travel in a booster seat.

I found this for the state of Maine

ETA: I don't know why this is bold and obnoxiously big, but it won't let me fix it. Sorry.

g8trkim

It depends. If it has a 5 point harness, I think they can use boosters when they get to the suggested weight. But if it's not a 5 pt harness, it's more like 4. A backless booster is even older. I'm not positive, but that's what I've gathered from previous posts on this board.