Booster seat or another Husky/Regent ?

[thehelferfamily]

Hello,
I need some advice on what to do with our oldest daughter. She just turned 5 and is approx 38lbs. She currently rides in a Britax Husky (which I love even though it's HUGE)...our 3 year old is in a Britax Marathon and our 5 mo old is in a graco snugride. In the next few months we will need to move baby into the marathon.....middle dd into the Husky.......sooooo what do you suggest for the 5 year old? I have looked at the recaro start, the britax parkway, or getting another Husky/regent. My oldest is just starting to notice that the other kids at school have "Big" girl seats....so I don't know how long she'll want to ride in a Husky. Her spare seat in my hubby's truck is a graco turbo booster which I DON'T like because it seems very flimsy and she just doesn't sit properly in it. She twists and turns around and likes to put the belt under her arm! I'm constantly reminding her to sit the right way...but she is in my hubby's truck very seldom so it hasn't been much of an issue.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Heather
mom to 3 girls :)

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

How much does your 3 year old weigh? What about getting her a combo seat if she does not weigh as much as your older dd? I think if you have room in your car i would either get antoher Husky or another MA. If she does not sit properly in a booster i would not reccomend buying one. Maybe if you show her some pictures of older children sitting in 5 pt harness seats she will not protest as much?

HTH

Ilana

[thehelferfamily]

Thanks for the suggestion. We can fit 2 husky's side by side on the rear seat in our minivan...with a narrow space in between so that is probably the route we will go. Our 3 year old is only 27lbs...tiny little peanut so I'll keep her in the marathon for as long as possible until baby sister needs it. My 3 year definately needs the harness of the husky, but my 5 year old is right at the age where she "could" go to a booster, but I'm not all that comfortable with it. Just didn't know if anyone else had any other suggestions before we order a new regent/husky. I really like the recaro start as a booster option, but some folks have said the lock offs are a real pain.

Thanks for the suggestion :)

Heather

[uccomama]

Is your three year old still RF in the Marathon? If you have turned her already, I would look at getting her the Recaro Young Sport which is a very high quality harnessed combo seat with harness slots as tall as the Marathon's. The Young Sport converts into an awesome booster with lots of side impact protection. By the time your 3 year old has reached the maximum weight for the Recaro's harness you can move them into the Husky and use the Recaro as a booster for your oldest.

My five year old in a Recaro Young Sport:

http://members.tripod.com/uccomama-ivil/id14.html

Tons of photos of the Yong Sport:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/threerugratz4me/album?.dir=e6ea&.src=ph

Deborah

[thehelferfamily]

Thanks Deborah for all of the pics :) I had never even thought about getting a different seat for the 3 year old. She is sooo tiny that the Husky just swallows her up, but I definately want her to stay harnessed....so this may be the best route. If we do decide on the young sport is it good in booster mode? From your pics it looks like the shoulder and lap belt are well placed, but just wanted to be sure. This option would at least allow us to keep the 5 year old harnessed in the husky longer, but still have a booster for her when she's mature enough to switch. Thanks for the suggestion :)

Heather

[uccomama]

The Young Sport makes an awesome booster. I like it best of all the belt positioning boosters.

I really think the Husky/Regent is overkill for little kids. My DS hated it because he didn't feel safe in it with all that space around it. He was used to are more confining seat.

Deborah