Harmony?

[mariza]

Anyone have this or heard of it? Jools? Bubbaray?
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10992658

Looking for 2 inexpensive boosters for babysitter to pick kids up from daycare. Drive is 3 miles round trip. I was looking at the compass at Walmart for $59, I like that they fold so she can just keep them in her trunk the days she isn't picking them up. But then I saw this Harmony and it intrigued me.

p.s. DC's ride in MA's & Nautilus' in our cars just looking for babysitter pick-up seats. DD weighs 42 lbs and DS 37 lbs.

ETA: DS's weight is 37lbs, I just now realized after rereading this thread that I incorrectly posted his weight as 32 lbs. Sooooo, based on weight of 37lbs and height of 38.3 inches I would love more input on seats that will accommodate him for very short trips in babysitters car. And possible use in Grandparent's vehicles. Also, babysitter has an older model SUV (late 1990's Suburban I think) no LATCH and no tether hooks in the back (at least not that I could see). I had a hard time getting his MA installed tightly.
I need to get his MA back in our own car by this weekend though so I am open to any suggestions. Will definately look at the Apex 65 as Julie suggested, but am worried about longevity on that seat in terms of height. TIA!

[o_mom]

I have two backless boosters from them and they are very nice. They are different depths, though, so try it out before you commit - I think you can return to the store if it doesn't work. One of mine is very deep - I use it for a 9 yo who is almost big enough for the seatbelt. It would be too deep for a 4.5 yo, but the other one I have wouldn't be, so it's worth trying (they also make the Baby Armor (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10992657), which looks not as deep, but hard to tell online, I only have the backless ones). Your 3 yo is really too small for any booster - I would not recommend a booster at that age or weight, even for short trips.

[mariza]

I know, but I don't see much alternative. I won't be here to install it (it will have to be installed every Tuesday and taken out on Friday. I figured it would hard to mess up a booster install and was looking at the ones with the most side impact protection. With clothes on DS is over 40lbs so the only options are harnessed 65lb seats like another Nautilus (that I can't afford)
It will only be used in our development where the speed limit is 30mph. If it was on any type of main road I would not even consider it. DH has been unemployed since March and finally got a job, so I've already had to buy 2 Nautilus seats for our 2nd car so we can alternate drop off to daycare. Now we just realized that neither one of us will be home in time to pick up so we had to hire someone to do that. She can't have the seats in her car on weekends because she needs the space for adults.

I honestly wish he would just wait for another job offer since I feel like we are losing money on this one and the kids will be in daycare 10 hours a day 4 days a week :( But enough about my "issues" I guess I'm just feeling sensitive and defensive about it because I *know* better, but really don't see another solution.

Oh yeah, that solution was not hire the sitter, take DC's out of the small 8-neighborhood kid home daycare they know, love and thrive in and put them in Kindercare with 20 kids and a bunch of stranger teachers for 10 hours a day. But at least they'd be in a Nautilus. :dizzy:

[Joolsplus2]

Maybe the Evenflo Generations 65 for the little one? It's smaller and lighter than a booster to stash in the trunk.
Recaro Vivos are on clearance at BigLots! lately and if you can find one or two of those, they are light as far as boosters go and fit small kids very well.
Compass' folding ability is nice, but it tends to fit small kids pretty poorly, with the lapbelt on the tummy :(
:hug: I know how it is to feel broke and trying to balance everything... it sucks!

[o_mom]

I know, but I don't see much alternative. I won't be here to install it (it will have to be installed every Tuesday and taken out on Friday. I figured it would hard to mess up a booster install and was looking at the ones with the most side impact protection. With clothes on DS is over 40lbs so the only options are harnessed 65lb seats like another Nautilus (that I can't afford)
It will only be used in our development where the speed limit is 30mph. If it was on any type of main road I would not even consider it. DH has been unemployed since March and finally got a job, so I've already had to buy 2 Nautilus seats for our 2nd car so we can alternate drop off to daycare. Now we just realized that neither one of us will be home in time to pick up so we had to hire someone to do that. She can't have the seats in her car on weekends because she needs the space for adults.

I honestly wish he would just wait for another job offer since I feel like we are losing money on this one and the kids will be in daycare 10 hours a day 4 days a week :( But enough about my "issues" I guess I'm just feeling sensitive and defensive about it because I *know* better, but really don't see another solution.

Oh yeah, that solution was not hire the sitter, take DC's out of the small 8-neighborhood kid home daycare they know, love and thrive in and put them in Kindercare with 20 kids and a bunch of stranger teachers for 10 hours a day. But at least they'd be in a Nautilus. :dizzy:

I'm sorry. :hug: I wasn't trying to be harsh.

Do you think you would be able to teach the babysitter to install and use a harnessed seat? Could you find a CPST to teach the sitter?

If so, maybe get two boosters, but put one in your DH's car for your older one and give the babysitter a Nautilus from DH's car. I would feel better about a 4.5 yo in a booster a couple more mornings a week rather than a 3 yo everyday.

If not, then I think Julie's suggestion of the Vivo is good. I have liked the backless Harmony, but I don't know of anyone that has one of the highback ones - I haven't even seen pictures or measurements online to be able to say if it would be a good choice for a smaller child. I would really avoid the Compass for a small child - a Turbobooster would give a better lapbelt fit, even though it doesn't have as much side-impact protection.

[o_mom]

This just in today! http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1020152#post1020152

That is the Baby Armor HBB, so not sure how it compares to the Dreamtime. Looks like it isn't too deep - maybe you could call Harmony and ask them the seat depth on the Dreamtime to compare. Keep an eye on that thread and I'll be you can get more info in the next day or so. The Dreamtime just looks so much deeper on the website, but it could be the angle, the cover, etc. With a small child, a seat that is too deep will cause them to slouch down so that they can bend the knees over the edge. When this happens, the lap belt rides dangerously high on the abdomen, not low on the strong hip bones.

[bubbaray]

Hugs! I think you've gotten some workable advice. We are looking for safER, not necessarily safEST. I like Julie's idea of a TB and possibly a lightweight harnessed seat (Chase? Vision? Generations?). While I wouldn't want a 3yo in a booster if I could help it, I know 2yo's that have been in boosters. You do what you have to do to make it work.

Congrats to your DH, BTW! :thumbsup:

GL!

[mariza]

[quote=o_mom;2498050]I'm sorry. :hug: I wasn't trying to be harsh.

Yeah, I realized after I re-read my reply it came off kind of b!tchy, I guess the result of racking my brain over and over combined with lack of sleep! I really do appreciate all of the advice. :signthankspin:
I haven't even met the sitter yet, so she may be perfectly capable of installing a carseat. We have been dealing through email and phone all week (I found her on sittercity.com) I ran her background check and references, we had a really good rapport on the phone and she was supposed to come meet the kids tonight at 5:30. Well, at 4:30 she called to say that she "forgot" she was supposed to pick up her in-laws at the airport but she really did want the job and could she come on Monday? :banghead:
I really want to tell her forget it, but she has been the only candidate I hit it off with, BUT I need someone to start next week and if the kids don't like her I'm stuck. I may be moving daycare's after all. Somewhere this turned from car seat advice to the bitching/"pathetic me" post. Thanks for listening!

[mariza]

Bumping because I edited my original post to correct DS's height & weight. Also to say I found a new sitter :cheerleader1: so things are looking up! Thanks to all that have been "listening" to me during this crazy process!
So please check out my edit in the 1st post and feel free to share your thoughts, TIA!

[o_mom]

I think the Generations65 might be a good option. If you can find a 15-20% coupon at BRU, it would be $80-85. The top harness setting is comparable to a Marathon or even slightly higher, so if he still fits a Marathon, he should fit the Generations. Here's a comparison with the Radian, which is taller than the Marathon: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1021516 It doesn't make a good booster, but it is a good harnessed seat at a much lower price than the Nautilus. It also doesn't have the headrest restrictions that the Apex does.

I would just try to make sure that the sitter is able to install it and use it well. It might be worth paying her for an hour to have a CPST teach her how to install and use it. Hope things continue to look up!

[Joolsplus2]

My thinking cap got lost in a pile of laundry, so I won't offer any advice right now, but I can chime in that I've seen a Harmony highback (not sure which one) and the belt guide was vertical and the shoulderbelt kept falling out of it. That has made me cross it off the list of potentially good seats for now, unless the carseatblog review that comes out soon declares it to be golden... but I won't hold my breath :)

[mariza]

Thanks for the additional input ladies! I did get a BRU coupon a few weeks ago so I will make a stop there later this week with DS to try it out. Thanks :waving4: