Need help explaining to her father why she needs the high backed booster seat...

[abigailsmom]

I posted this in the BB Bitchin' Post as well to vent, but I am posting here to ask for help.

Can someone point me in the direction of some great web sites to point out the safety concerns/benefits of different styles of booster seats.

Background:

My DD is 41 months old, about 36 lbs, and almost at the end of her convertible car seat. I want to research some of the boosters that have harnesses and then change to high backed boosters. (Ala the Evenflo Generations-I think) Her father wants to get her the bare bones booster that isn't even a belt positioner. He wants one like the picture shown on this page.

http://www.babyage.com/products/8491...r_car_seat.htm

I am not saying that these aren't right for some people and I am certainly not bashing anyone who uses these, but I just do not feel that my dd is ready for this and will all of the 2-4 hour trips we have to make that these are safe or comfortable enough for her to have to ride in.

Now, to finally get to the point...

Can someone please help me? i am ready to scream ans cuss at him I am so angry, but I would rather hit him with facts ans statistics so that he can't argue with me anymore.

As a side note, $ isn't an issue for him as he has plenty to blow on being a Disney World Dad, but I would think that something in the mid-range is what I *might* be able to talk him into.


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Post from BB Bitchin' Post:

My STBXH is at it again... except now it will directly concern DD. She is getting to the age/size that the life span of her car seat is rapidly coming to an end. He wants her to go straight to a backless, $20, bargain-store booster. He does not seem to understand her comfort for her every other weekend 3-4 hour trips should be considered, but most importantly her SAFETY!!!

Duh!!! You would have thought that he would consider that. No... he wants something cheap and easy to hide in his trunk so he can act like he is not a father when she is with me.

Sorry to drop in and rant, but I am about to explode. I am the one on the shoestring, college budget and I still have no problem re-arranging my budget to buy her a SAFE and comfortable booster.

UGH!

I am off to find some web sites with safety statistics to show him what is safer for her!!!!

GRRRR again!

Edited to copy for cross-posting in Toddlers carseat forum...

Robyn

[kijip]

Check the law in your state. Some states require a harness until 40 pounds. That should be a motivator for him. And perfectly reasonable of you to say "she can't ride with you unless your car seat is LEGAL!!!".

Perhaps something like the Cosco Apex? It will convert to a nice booster later.

Also BACKLESS boosters are not rated for kids less than 40 pounds. Until 40 pounds, the only boosters that are labelled for use are high back boosters like the Graco Turbo Booster and the Britax Parkway. Some high back boosters require a min weight of 40 pounds too (Britax Bodyguard for one) so be careful when buying. In WA state for example, the law regures you to use a seat according to the manufacturers recs. So using a backless booster with a 37 pound kid is illegal even if it is not spelled out in the law.

Tell him that she has outgrown the convertible by height and thus your choices are the combos or SOME high back boosters.

http://www.safekids.org/tips/tips_car.htm

You are in GA, right? Here is the law for Georgia:

http://www.inventiveparent.com/lawsreg4.htm#Georgia

So no backless booster unless she is 4 and 40 pounds, as specified by the labelling.

(b)(1) Every driver who transports a child under six years of age in a passenger
automobile, van, or pickup truck, other than a taxicab as defined by Code Section
33-34-5.1 or a public transit vehicle as defined by Code Section 16-5-20, shall, while
such motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a public road, street, or highway of this
state, provide for the proper restraint of such child in a child passenger restraining system
appropriate for such child's height and weight and approved by the United States
Department of Transportation under provisions of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
213 in effect on January 1, 1983, or at the time of manufacture, subject to the following
specific requirements and exceptions:
(A) Any such child weighing at least 40 pounds may be secured by a lap belt when:
(i) The vehicle is not equipped with both lap and shoulder belts; or
(ii) Not including the driver's seat, the vehicle is equipped with one or more lap and
shoulder belts that are all being used to properly restrain other children;
(B) Any such child shall be properly restrained in a rear seat of the motor vehicle
consistent with the requirements of this paragraph. If the vehicle has no rear seating
position appropriate for correctly restraining a child or all appropriate rear seating
positions are occupied by other children, any such child may be properly restrained in
a front seat consistent with the requirements of this paragraph;
(C) A driver shall not be deemed to be complying with the provisions of this paragraph
unless any child passenger restraining system required by this paragraph is installed and
being used in accordance with the manufacturer's directions for such system; and
(D) The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply when the child's parent or
guardian either obtains a physician's written statement that a physical or medical
condition of the child prevents placing or restraining him or her in the manner required
by this paragraph. If the parent or guardian can show the child's height is over 4 feet
and 9 inches, such child shall be restrained in a safety belt as required in Code Section
40-8-76.1.
(2) Upon a first conviction of an offense under this subsection, the defendant shall be
punished by a fine of not more than $50.00, except in the case of a child who is five
years of age, if the defendant shows to the court having jurisdiction of the case that a
child passenger restraining system meeting the applicable requirements of this subsection
has been purchased by him or her after the time of the offense and prior to the court
appearance, the court may waive or suspend the fine for such first conviction. This
exception shall apply until January 1, 2005. Upon a second or subsequent conviction of
an offense under this subsection, the defendant shall be punished by a fine of not more
than $100.00. No court shall impose any additional fees or surcharges to a fine for such
a violation. The court imposing a fine for any violation of this Code section shall forward
a record of the disposition of the cases annually to the Department of Public Safety for
the sole purpose of data collection on a county by county basis.
(c) Violation of this Code section shall not constitute negligence per se nor contributory
negligence per se. Violation of subsection (b) of this Code section shall not be the basis for
cancellation of coverage or increase in insurance rates.
(d) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to buses, as defined in paragraph

[abigailsmom]

Thank you for this post as well as the other one. I am so emotionally drained on this topic that I didn't even think about looking up the laws. We have been arguing about this for a couple of months now.

His main argument besides the ease of hiding/moving her seat around is that his neice ans nephew are both in the backless booster seats and if it is ok for them then it should be ok for my dd. Ummmm nope that is not how it works buddy!!! I went through this on the RF/FF issue with him too. His nephew got turmed around at about 7 months of age and he wanted to know why I was adamant about not turning dd around until after 1 year old.

Ugh! I should be used to this!

Anyways, I digress as usual! THANK YOU!!!!!

[androniki]

check out safeguardcarseat

my friend just got it for her 4yr old and it fits her 8 yr old

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

the backless booster is for 40lbs and up... she is too small to meet the minimum requirement.

also... a harness is safer...

You would think he would want his baby girl as safe as possible... my dh does... which is why he has not said word one against our daughter being rf at 22mo and 30lbs... or our 4.5yr old being harnessed in the Marathon.. or my quest for the Husky/Regent for our 6yr old and for when our other son outgrows the Marathon.

He knows I'm safety obssessed and he leaves carseat decisions to me.

also... tell him the backless won't last as long... the seat is outgrown when the tops of the ears are at the top of the vehicle seat... the highback adjusts so it will continue fitting your child till they reach that limit with the booster's headrest.

and, if nothing else, LIE... tell him you tried her in one and she put the shoulder belt behind her and climbed out of the seatbelt... so she isn't ready.

I doubt he'd want to be responsible for her doing something like that in his truck and crashing the car.

Kat