how big was your child when you started booster training?

[AnnieW625]

DD1 is 42", and about 38lbs. She will 5 in just under 3 months. She sits in a Graco Turbo Booster three days a week to and from preschool for about 10 minutes (if that each way) in a BMW 5 sedan (her DCP takes her, and picks her up). So yesterday on the way home she is pulling the seatbelt and wants to use it over her harnessed seat. I believe DD1 won't make the belted weight limit of 40lbs in the Frontier yet so I think I have some time to delay this for a few months, but just curious when everyone started booster training. I would do all of the training in my 06 Honda Pilot vs. the 01 Toyota Corolla.

[HIU8]

DS was 5 1/2 when we started booster training. He sits in a HBTB in DH's car. We started this over the summer with the goal to have him in booster mode in his FR85 full time in my car by age 7 (next November). DS was over 40 lbs when we started booster training. The one thing that we have had to work hard on is that DS CAN have his coat on in DH's car in the booster. He is so used to taking off his coat and using a blanket that he has been somewhat resistant to keep his coat on in the booster.

[Joolsplus2]

If she's already riding in one, she'd better be already ;)

The FR is much harder to buckle than the turbo and i consider self buckling to be a requirement, so i wouldnt switch it to booster mode before 6.5 or older.

[bubbaray]

DD#1, age 5y1m. She was 40lbs. I wouldn't start booster training until the child was 40lbs (clothed with shoes & light coat on -- like they will be riding in the car). She started in the Monterey, fit was checked by an tech instructor and at our tech clinic by a bunch of newbie techs. I borrowed the instructor's Monterey for 2w to try it out, DD#1 did GREAT. She was buckling it herself after a day or 2.

We got a Parkway about a year later. She STILL has trouble buckling that seat. Not sure if its the vehicle buckles or the PW. She MUCH prefers the Monterey.

[RunnerDuck]

It never occurred to me to do booster training. We moved my son to a booster full time when we realized he was too big for his marathon. Wouldn't have made much sense to split his time between a booster and a seat we knew didn't fit him anymore. :D (He was in it way too long by height - I didn't realize how useless the weight limits are when he was younger. He was 5 1/2 or so... only like 48 pounds but waaaaaaaaaay too tall)

[jjordan]

My dd is currently 4 yrs 9 months, about 38#. If it were just all about her, I'd probably get a booster right around her 5th birthday in April (assuming she is 39-40# by then) and see how she does. But, the complicating factor is that starting in July, we'll need 3 across in our cars, and so boosters may not really be a viable option.

Funny that you bring this up today. Last night I had a dream (nightmare?) about dd riding in a booster where, for some reason, I hadn't been able to check the seatbelt fit or instruct her in proper booster riding behavior. I was totally panicked!

[Gena]

DS started booster training a little after he turned 5. We got a Highback Turbobooster for DH's car, which he only rode in for short trips around town. He was about 44lbs unclothed (I think) and I don't remember how tall he wa, but he was using he top slots in the Nautilus in my car.

He moved to full time boostering when he was 5.5. He was close to the Nautilus's LATCH limit in winter clothes and I had time getting a good install with the seatbelt. I found a Monterey on the clearance shelf at Target and DS fell in love with the cushy, red (his favorite color) seat. So he was highly motivated to sit properly.

[hillview]

DS1 is 5.5 and just starting. He is ~47 inches and 51 lbs
/hillary

[RunnerDuck]

My dd is currently 4 yrs 9 months, about 38#. If it were just all about her, I'd probably get a booster right around her 5th birthday in April (assuming she is 39-40# by then) and see how she does. But, the complicating factor is that starting in July, we'll need 3 across in our cars, and so boosters may not really be a viable option.

Funny that you bring this up today. Last night I had a dream (nightmare?) about dd riding in a booster where, for some reason, I hadn't been able to check the seatbelt fit or instruct her in proper booster riding behavior. I was totally panicked!

We have 3 across in our van with a booster and two MAs, no problems. Why do you think it won't work? What kind of car and what are the other seats? (We have a Sienna which I assumed to be about the same size wise as the bigger Toyota Sedans...)

[bubbaray]

I would be leary about putting a booster close/tight to a child restraint installed via belts because a child could accidentally release the buckle for the restraint instead of the booster. The same goes for an adult sitting beside a restraint installed with a boooster -- you need to check that install every.single.time someone sits beside the seat.

[jjordan]

We have 3 across in our van with a booster and two MAs, no problems. Why do you think it won't work? What kind of car and what are the other seats? (We have a Sienna which I assumed to be about the same size wise as the bigger Toyota Sedans...)

We don't have "bigger" sedans; generally the bigger ones are not too bad to get 3 across in.

We have a 99 altima (smaller than current altimas), which has VERY contoured seats and makes it hard to get seats installed toward the outside of the seat, which in turn makes 3 across very tricky.

We also have a 97 subaru legacy wagon. I don't foresee this one being too much trouble as I have very quickly tried 2 Britax convertibles & 1 radian and it seems like that, at least, will work. I think there is a decent chance that we could use a booster in the 3 across in this car. BUT, I also want to be able to use as many of our current seats as possible, so if we end up getting 2-3 new seats for the altima, then I'm going to want to make our current seats work in the other car if possible! (Which would mean no booster...)

[ilovetivo]

booster training?!? Never heard of it!

DD just turned 6. 47 inches, 49 lbs. I was just wondering when she should switch. I was going to wait out the height/weight. I do need to check her shoulders and ears I guess.

She's in a Boulevard (original) in my car (Honda accord 2004)) and Marathon (regular i guess) in dh's car (Honda Civic 2004). When a friend is in the car she's in a high back booster with a cross/lap belt.

I don't know if i can handle seeing her move around in a booster. I had her tightened in our highback, but then turned the car on and off and forgot to re-pull out the strap to re-tighten it. She was moving around and i about had a heart attack.

Are there 5 point boosters? Do you all let your dc's buckle themselves in lap/shoulder ones? In the Accord, with our highback, it's too hard for dc's to buckle b/c the armrest in the middle is down (cupholders in it).

[bubbaray]

You need to check the DOM of your current seats (should be a sticker on the side of the seat). Britax convertibles expire 6y from DOM. I'd be pretty surprised if a 6yo still fit in either of those seats, but I suppose its possible. The harness needs to be at or above her shoulders. If the harness is below her shoulder, the seat is too small. ETA: My not-quite 4yo just outgrew her MA last week.

*I* wouldn't get a harnessed booster for a 6yo, but YMMV.

[KrisM]

We have 3 across in our van with a booster and two MAs, no problems. Why do you think it won't work? What kind of car and what are the other seats? (We have a Sienna which I assumed to be about the same size wise as the bigger Toyota Sedans...)

Boosters can be tricky 3 across because it's hard to get a hand in to buckle. We finally found a 3-across that works for us in a Malibu, but DS can't at all buckle it himself now. The Probooster has a narrower bottom than others and I have a little tunnel that I can just snake my hand in to buckle it. and, I don't let him unbuckle, since the Radian is buckled in right next to it. I want to put Velcro on the Radian one so we both know.