Travel w/ 6 yo - WWYD?

[patti_b]

Hi all,

We are about to go on a trip. My 6 year old has been wearing the RideSafer Travel Vest when traveling. I just pulled it out to pack and he whined, "Ohhhh, Mommmm, I don't want to use that anymore, I want to sit in a booster seat. I sit good and up straight in my friend's booster seats when I ride with them." Options as I see it are:

1. Make him wear the RideSafer much to his displeasure
2. Borrow a backless booster from sis (she doesn't have highbacks)
3. Buy a highback Turbobooster or something when we get up there. Ride home from airport would be in backless booster unless I annoy my sister by asking her to go pick one up ahead of time. We go up there at least a couple times a year and would be able to use it for it's lifespan. So the $60 investment is not a big issue. We have a Turbo Booster we use for guest riders in our car, but I think I'd rather spend the money on one to leave up there than lug it.

I was hoping my 4 yo would be able to use the Ridesafer if the 6 yo doesn't, but I just weighed him and he's 32 lbs, a little shy of the min 35. Bummer, it would have been really nice not to have to take his carseat anymore.

Thanks for your advice!

Patti

[Joolsplus2]

I despise traveling with boosters, so I'd bribe him if it were ME :D
If he's not a major car sleeper, a backless is fine. If he likes to zonk out on vacation drives, then a Turbo booster is light and splits easy for packing and is good for travel (Parkway SG probably is, too, but I doubt you can find one in time, they only just now hit shelves).

[AnnieW625]

You can always have the booster sent directly from a site like Amazon so your sister won't have to actually go and buy it, just make sure that it is in the car when arrive. Does he sit in a high back booster when he is in his friends cars?

[patti_b]

He sits in backless boosters in friends' cars, but those are short trips, just a few miles. We'll be driving 60 miles to my mom's and if he's tired he'll fall asleep, so def need a highback.

Jools, I'll consider that bribe suggestion!

I looked at the Parkway SG, looks good, maybe I'll either make him wear the RideSafer or lug our spare Turbo highback and get the Parkway for next trip. We're leaving Wednesday, so there won't be time to order the Parkway for this trip. I like the True Side Impact Protection.

[patti_b]

Jools, DS's Marathon will expire in January (he will be 7 in April) . Would the Parkway be a good option for our main car, or would something else be better?

Thanks!

Patti

[Joolsplus2]

Parkway, Sunshine Kids Monterey, Recaro Vivo are all good choices for main seats... Clek Oobr is coming out any week now and looks nifty, too. So those are the 4 I'd concentrate on if shopping this winter (and maybe the Cybex, a brand new one promised in 'winter 2010' that's been in Europe for years and looks really protective and comfy).