When are "most people" switching to boosters?

[Piglet]

My very well educated friends moved both their kids to boosters at age 3 when they outgrew their Alpha Omegas (due to low weight and low slot height). I gave them the dog and pony show, but they were very insistent that their girls were ALWAYS in position. I know these kids very well and they really are very well behaved in the car. I honestly think a lot of car seat manufacturers are to blame. If they all had high weight limits and high slot heights, the kids would stay put longer. There are just too many tall/heavy kids out there that that outgrow the commonly available (cheaper) harnessed seats too early. I also know that many of my friends figure, hey, if it was a real issue, I would have heard about it. The schools don't say anything, the media rarely says anything, etc. Finally, I think that kids overall ARE safe. I know that these parents DO care a great deal about their kids' safety. They know that there are risks. This is not something they take lightly. They just go by the averages and I can't fault them for that. If the seats are marked 3 year or 30 lbs, why do we expect that people would research any further? They are following the rules as the rules have been spelled out to them.

[sarsah]

Many of the 3 & 4 year olds at DS's preschool ride in booster seats. My DS will be 5 in May and still rides in his Britax Marathon most of the time. He should just make it to his 5th birthday before he's too tall for the Marathon. At that time I'll move him to a booster (he's been begging every day since he turned 4, since he sees his big brother in a booster). He's been riding in a Britax Parkway booster in DH's very, very occasionally (once every few months) since he was 3 1/2.

My older son is almost 8 and he rode in a Britax Husky until he was 5 1/2.

Some parents just don't do the research or want to go with what is easy. My DS#2 has two friends with birthdays right around his who ride in backless boosters -- one mom even offered to let my DS ride in the booster and her DS ride without the booster (which is illegal in GA since the child is only 4). I quickly gave her my DS's booster for him to ride in.

Sarah.........mom to Jason & Devin

[niccig]

Most people look at what the limits are on the box and figure it must be safe, otherwise it couldn't be sold. They don't understand that these are minimums and were set years ago. More research, more understanding about what is safe, but the law hasn't caught up. Until it does catch up, they'll still be 3yo in boosters.

But you can make a difference by doing differently. DS rf until 3yo - definitely the only kid in the preschool and amongst our friends. People asked and I told them it was 5x safer - some asked more, some got embarrassed as it meant their younger FF child wasn't as safe as my child. The other month I sent out an email that had a link to a recent study - it was an easy to read article and mentioned that the 1 and 20lb rule should be changed. 2 parents replied that their one year olds were staying RF - and I think it was all because someone was suggesting changing the rule.

It'll be the same for boosters. Once there's more talk about the increased danger of young kids in boosters and other options, more and more will consider it. I know there's been a few segments on Good Morning America etc. We just need more. Meanwhile my DS will stay harnessed and when someone asks why, I'll tell them it's safer.

[KrisM]

At preschool here, many of the kids are in boosters already. Most are just turning 4 now. I don't quite get the lack of research, either.

I have not been able to convince my brother, even. His kids are 9.5 and 6.5 now, and were 5.5 and 2.5 when DS was born and I was doing all MY research. So, by the time DS turned 1 and everyone started asking me why he was still RFing, I told them all that I knew. They still ask me when DD will be FFing. Plus, my oldest nephew has been sitting with just a belt for over a year. I honestly don't see him and don't know how he fits. The other nephew has been in a backless booster for that long, too.

I am fortunate in that my friends and those that DS sees in cars are very similar to me - RFing as long as possible and harnessed as long as possible.

[deborah_r]

Oh, goodness, my DH runs a local TV station (public access) and there is a woman who does a show about parenting and she asked him if I would come on and talk about carseats! My DH has apparently been passing along all the information I tell him (like how carseats EXPIRE - some people have no idea about that) and she said she doesn't know anyone who knows more about carseats than me and my DH.

Yikes, I don't think I can talk on camera. It's been a longstanding fear of mine.

[niccig]

Oh, goodness, my DH runs a local TV station (public access) and there is a woman who does a show about parenting and she asked him if I would come on and talk about carseats! My DH has apparently been passing along all the information I tell him (like how carseats EXPIRE - some people have no idea about that) and she said she doesn't know anyone who knows more about carseats than me and my DH.

Yikes, I don't think I can talk on camera. It's been a longstanding fear of mine.

You have to do it, or find a local car seat tech to do it - ask Jools how to find someone local - there's a couple of websites you can use to find someone, or post on car-seat.org for someone local who would be willing to do it. Most techs would jump at the chance to get the message across on TV

[deborah_r]

Hmm, finding a car seat tech to do it is a great idea! I hate the idea of being on TV. A couple years ago somebody else doing a program took footage of me just putting my son into his carseat, but that was more the type of footage they play while theyt talk over it (like on the news). Thanks for that idea!

[KrisM]

Hmm, finding a car seat tech to do it is a great idea! I hate the idea of being on TV. A couple years ago somebody else doing a program took footage of me just putting my son into his carseat, but that was more the type of footage they play while theyt talk over it (like on the news). Thanks for that idea!

How cool!

If you do find a tech, make sure it's one like Jools! Too many people come here saying things about their tech told them to turn their 1 year old FF just because he is 1.

[alexsmommy]

This is an interesting and timely thread for me. We just got back from a Disney trip. I purposely bought a Radian for DH's car when DS outgrew his RA b/c I knew I wasn't about to travel with a Regent (which I purchase for my car). I have to admit, even as the one most focused on carseat safety among my friends, I looked with jealousy at the people who were traveling with backless seatbelt positioners, many of whom had kiddos smaller than DS. It just seemed so much easier for travel. I don't really want to purchase one though, even if I relegate it "just for travel" because DS desparately wants to be out of the 5pt harness and I have a feeling if I open the door on that one in one of our cars we'd never hear the end of it. He's ridden in seat-belt positioners in other cars though as this is what most people have when they say they have an "extra" carseat in their car for after school play dates. I am struggling with what to do. DS really wants to sit in the last row of our Odyssey and the Regent there would be HUGE. I struggle with whether or not to go ahead and take advantage of the Britax sale and get a high back booster. The message from everyone around me is "he's waaaaay old enough already." So around here, boosters seem to be the norm at 3-4 years.

[lmintzer]

Most people at our preschool switch their kids on their 4th b-days. I'm sure there are some who switch earlier. : ( I have one friend their who waited until 5 with her small-ish daughter, and I praised her for doing that! She was out of the ordinary for sure. And she did move her into a good Britax booster at that point.

I only know 1 other person who rear-faced past age 1. And her husband is from Europe. People thought I was nuts rear-facing my youngest past his 2nd b-day.

I'm completely out of the ordinary with my 6.75 year-old still in a 5 pt. harness. I sometimes get negative comments, but I've learned to ignore it. My son (who is small for age) still fits in his Marathon. It's getting a little hard to buckle it at the bottom. I told him that when he turns 7, he can move into his Compass B510 full time. (We've used it for travel/carpooling since age 5 1/2). He was thrilled about that. Although he technically could be harnessed longer at his height/weight, I think I've done a good job keeping his harnessed this long. His friends are in "butt boosters" if anything at all!