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janedoe
3 GIRLS!!!!
Member since 8/09 3184 total posts
Name:
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spinoff - car seat and age
DD is almost 6 and still in a 5 point harness
I do not see this ending any time soon!!!!!!!
However, now that she is in kindergarten and I have done play dates and driving etc...
I am noticing that a lot of her friends the same age are using a booster with a seat belt
What is the right age for a seat belt booster seat??
When did you switch your child to a seat belt booster seat??
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Posted 4/6/16 8:34 PM  |
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NewLeaf2012
LIF Adult
Member since 1/11 2741 total posts
Name:
....
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My son is 6 and a half and still in a harnessed seat..
It all depends on how the child is with just a seat belt. Does it fit the right way (most don't), does she sit still in the seat? Will she unbuckle herself when the car is moving? Does she still sleep in the car? How big is she?
My son is small for his age and I just bought him a newer seat with a higher weight limit for the harness. So much safer IMO. And he can buckle himself in and get out now..
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| Posted 4/6/16 8:41 PM |
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ElizaRags35
My 2 Girls
Member since 2/09 20494 total posts
Name:
Me
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spinoff - car seat and age
http://csftl.org/harness-or-booster-when-to-make-the-switch/
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| Posted 4/6/16 9:54 PM |
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NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!
Member since 5/11 10413 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Posted by ElizaRags35
http://csftl.org/harness-or-booster-when-to-make-the-switch/
Great article!
Personally, I'd leave your daughter in the 5-point as long as possible since it's safer.
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:33 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Honestly if I could wear a 5 pt harness while driving I would. It's just all around safer than a 3 pt lap/shoulder belt
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:37 AM |
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Funkybutt
LIF Adult
Member since 4/15 3049 total posts
Name:
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spinoff - car seat and age
I feel I'm the opposite. I don't want him to graduate to a booster b/c I feel 5 point is safer (even though it says they're the same in the article if used properly). DS is 6.5 and tall for his age so his shoulder straps are actually lower than his shoulder (causing the straps to come up and over his shoulder). I'm guessing he should be moved to a booster, but I don't think I'm ready!
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:43 AM |
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summerBaby10
let's be nice
Member since 9/07 10208 total posts
Name:
Wifey
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My son is 6 & in a 5pt harness & I also see his friends who are smaller than him in a booster. I can imagine how much easier it is but it's not worth the risk. I will revisit once he turns 7 :)
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| Posted 4/7/16 9:49 AM |
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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Posted by NervousNell
Honestly if I could wear a 5 pt harness while driving I would. It's just all around safer than a 3 pt lap/shoulder belt
This! I would keep the harness as long as possible.
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| Posted 4/7/16 10:06 AM |
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Jonsgirl04
Love my two girls! xoxo
Member since 9/08 6079 total posts
Name:
Stephanie
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My daughter is also 6 and still in her 5 point harness car seat. She is tiny and I feel safer keeping her in it for now. My car seat does say it goes up to 100lbs so we are ok keeping her in it. 
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| Posted 4/7/16 11:20 AM |
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TheDivineMrsM
2 girls 4 me!
Member since 8/08 7878 total posts
Name:
Mama mama mama....
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My daughter is 5 and in kindergarten, and still in a 5-point harness. I think I'm going to let her finish out the school year in it and then reevaluate.
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| Posted 4/7/16 11:36 AM |
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ali120206
2 Boys
Member since 7/06 17795 total posts
Name:
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spinoff - car seat and age
My son is 6, in kindergarten and is still in a 5 pt harness.
I feel I am in the minority when I do pick up and drop off at school.
I do let him sit in a booster seat if we have to drive other children though (usually my friend's son who is 4 - he will sit in the 5 pt harness and I will have my son sit in a booster).
He's been asking to switch but, I want to wait as long as possible since his brother will want to switch as well.
Message edited 4/7/2016 12:26:01 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 12:25 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
I think this all depends on what type of seat you have, the fit, and the weight limit for the 5 point you own. My DD outgrew her Britax right around K if I recall correctly. She went to a high back booster for a couple years, and she is now in a backless booster at age 9.
5 point is safer for younger children I feel, but I don't know how comfortable I would be using a carseat right at the weight limit as 5 point. I would feel like the straps would bust in a strong impact crash. Seatbelt straps can hold a lot of force and people that are hundreds of pounds.
My nephew is 10 and still in a 5 point harness carseat. Extreme IMO.
Message edited 4/7/2016 1:20:05 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 1:15 PM |
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hidingin1516
LIF Adult
Member since 9/15 1009 total posts
Name:
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spinoff - car seat and age
dd is 6 and we just switched her. I am do with #3 in a few weeks and she will be in the 3rd row and able to do it herself. She needs to get in and out her self. I was super nervous but have rules in place. She has to ask if she can unbuckle. and I always check the seat belt.
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| Posted 4/7/16 1:19 PM |
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KangaMom
...
Member since 1/06 4593 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
6 y/o 45 lbs is still 5 point harness in Britax Frontier 85. The weight limit is 85lbs. Most people I know switched much earlier but to each is own..
Our 9 y/o 55lbs (same seat) was fine in it too but last year DH felt it was time to go to regular booster.
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| Posted 4/7/16 3:18 PM |
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blu6385
Member since 5/08 8351 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
I would like to keep her in a 5 point harness to the max but I don't think I will be able to do that.
I know people who have their kids in seat belts as young as 3 .
I will say I have let my 5 yo DD a couple times sit in a high back booster with a seat belt in a friends car when they picked her up for a play date. it wasn't my first choice and I wasn't thrilled but I allowed it.
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| Posted 4/7/16 3:21 PM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My Britax goes up to 70 lbs -and the one we have in the other car- name is escaping me now- goes up to 100 lbs. DD is almost 6 and weighs 43 pounds.
LONG way to go.
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| Posted 4/7/16 3:47 PM |
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iluvmynutty
Mom to E&M
Member since 12/08 1762 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My DD will be 6 in a few weeks and I plan on keeping her in the 5pt harness as long as possible. She's also quite tall (95%) and the britax frontier 90 fits her well.
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| Posted 4/7/16 3:48 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
My DD was in a 5 Pt harness until about 6.5. She has the Graco Nautilus so we just switched her over to the belt but she's still in the full seat, we didn't make it a backless booster yet and she's now 7.5
Message edited 4/7/2016 5:10:35 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 5:10 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Keep in mind that just because the seat has a higher weight limit, they also have height requirements, and other limitations such as the strap slots should come out above their shoulders, not below. So even if your child is still shorter than the requirement, their torso could be too long, making the straps fit inappropriately and then it's unsafe. I know that is the case with someone I know, who refuses to acknowledge that the seat is unsafe like that because the child is below weight/height.
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| Posted 4/7/16 5:22 PM |
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ny55angel
car seat tech & geek :-)
Member since 2/06 4346 total posts
Name:
P
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Posted by BargainMama
Keep in mind that just because the seat has a higher weight limit, they also have height requirements, and other limitations such as the strap slots should come out above their shoulders, not below. So even if your child is still shorter than the requirement, their torso could be too long, making the straps fit inappropriately and then it's unsafe. I know that is the case with someone I know, who refuses to acknowledge that the seat is unsafe like that because the child is below weight/height.
 She's putting them at risk for severe neck and back injury in thr event of a crash if the straps are coming from below (applies to foward facing only, rear facing you want the straps to.come from below)
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| Posted 4/7/16 6:03 PM |
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janedoe
3 GIRLS!!!!
Member since 8/09 3184 total posts
Name:
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Thank you for all the opinions and the article
DD is thin for her age
She is soon to turn 6 and only weighs 41 pounds
The carseat - britax pinnacle goes up to 100 pounds and she is no where near the height limit
I have no intention of moving her out of her 5 point harness any time soon
I was just shocked that we seem in the minority when I am around her friends cars/carseats
Message edited 4/7/2016 6:11:06 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/16 6:10 PM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Posted by BargainMama
Keep in mind that just because the seat has a higher weight limit, they also have height requirements, and other limitations such as the strap slots should come out above their shoulders, not below. So even if your child is still shorter than the requirement, their torso could be too long, making the straps fit inappropriately and then it's unsafe. I know that is the case with someone I know, who refuses to acknowledge that the seat is unsafe like that because the child is below weight/height.
If that were the case now (thankfully it's not as DD is tiny all around) I would shop for a 5 pt harness seat with a higher height limit before I'd switch to a seatbelt...only because DD falls asleep in the car way too much and there is no way a seatbelt would properly restrain her when she's asleep. It's too scary imo.
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| Posted 4/7/16 8:28 PM |
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Mags1227
Just a mommy ...
Member since 10/10 2665 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
Posted by BargainMama
Keep in mind that just because the seat has a higher weight limit, they also have height requirements, and other limitations such as the strap slots should come out above their shoulders, not below. So even if your child is still shorter than the requirement, their torso could be too long, making the straps fit inappropriately and then it's unsafe. I know that is the case with someone I know, who refuses to acknowledge that the seat is unsafe like that because the child is below weight/height.
This is why i know I have to switch DS soon.
He is 5 1/2, but tall and heavy. He's got about 5lbs for the weight limit, but only about 1 inch for the height. I'm thinking we'll be switching from the 5-point harness to the high-back booster by the time he gets to 6.
to the OP, I know for a fact I am one of the only moms in my group of friends who still has her kid in a 5-point. Most have them in boosters, one even has hers in a backless booster. I get so scared every time i see him in the car.
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| Posted 4/8/16 10:12 AM |
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MarisaK
HELLO Manolo !!
Member since 5/06 14562 total posts
Name:
Marisa
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Re: spinoff - car seat and age
depends on the kid - My preference is to keep them in the 5pt harness as long as possible.
My older son was out of the harness at about 6 because it didn't fit properly anymore. He was just too big.
He was in the full booster, with the seatbelt until just last week when we switched him to the backless booster (He'll be 7 in 2 weeks)
The belt on the full seat was no longer laying correctly. He's average height, but thick and muscular - You could tell just by looking at him it was 'off' ......
My younger son is very tall and thin. He'll be in that 5 pt harmess as long as it fits -
He's also only 37 lbs and will be 5 next month so ..........
As long as I can!!
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| Posted 4/8/16 10:40 AM |
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