Not keen on 4 year old in backless booster- am I crazy?

[lilye13]

I can't decide if I am totally off the mark here but I'm not comfortable with the idea of my four year old DD 44 inches 48 lbs riding in a backless booster.
I think this is may be because when my son, now 8, was her age he didn't use one yet. I actually only just switched her Nautilus from the harness to the seatbelt when she turned four.
So I guess I am wondering- it is appropriate, safe, recommended?
It would make things easier in some ways, like riding in other cars, more flexibility where to sit in the car but just wanted to make sure.
thanks:>

[edurnemk]

No you are not crazy. I would not put my 4 yo in a backless booster, other than in an emergency situation (i.e. riding someone else's car with no other options, just one trip). In fact my 5 yo nephew rode in a backless booster during a trip abroad (we traveled together) because his mom didn't want to take his harnessed seat on the trip. He did not sit correctly for more than 2 seconds, he kept putting the shoulder portion of the belt under his arm or behind his back, he squiggled, slouched forward..... So DS will probably not ride in a backless before... IDK, 7?

[*myfoursons]

No, you're not crazy. Both of my older boys are still in high-back boosters.

One of my friend insists that it's safer for kids at a certain height to use a backless booster, but I have never been able to find information corroborating that.

[Joolsplus2]

I'm not even fond of putting 4 year olds in boosters at all (if you have a harness that still fits)
I'd wait another year or two before a backless.

[lilye13]

thanks everyone. Whew....:> I would rathre keepher int he harness but she is a tall leggy girl and the crotch strap was too uncomfortable especially when she'd be wearing skirts and leggings or those tutu like shirt skirt thing....she is a girly girl for sure!
Now I am stuck on my configuration of seats....we have a total of 5 car seats and one backless booster.

We have Marathon for the 'baby'- just turned 3.
2 Nautilus which are now both switched to seat belts.
These are in our Toyota Sienna

Then in DH's car is we can only fit two so:
A Frontier (pink) but harnessed for the baby:< oh well he'll survive
A Radian harnessed to put in for girly( take out when 8 yr old rides in his booster) and also use it for our 'extra' seat for friends cars
BUT she throws a fit now about the harness and it is a beast to haul in and out of cars but is nice and narrow. SO I tried to take off harness today- couldn't get the totally out yet ( didn't have time) but latched it but didn't like how the seat belt sits across the top for her.

So here is my new dilemma-
Before today I was thinking of get a Maestro or similar as our extra and travel seat but then today after posting started wondering if that was a best choice.
Or should I go with a Monterey Diono or a Britax Parkway SGL for DS1 and DD to use.
I would totally appreciate any ideas or preferences. Been a few years since I have bought( or looked at ) new car seats
thanks so much!

[essnce629]

I'm not even comfortable with my 8 year old being in a backless full time. He rides in a high-back booster full time and only uses a backless for field trips.

There's no way I'd put a 4 year old in a backless and probably not in a high-back either unless it was an emergency or something.

I'd get a Maestro for a travel seat.

[mom2binsd]

No not crazy at all, but my almost 6 year old DS (43lbs) is in Frontier harnessed and and my almost 9 year old DD is in a HBB Frontier.

I think of backless booster for really big/tall kiddo's.

[Joolsplus2]

A Radian harnessed to put in for girly( take out when 8 yr old rides in his booster) and also use it for our 'extra' seat for friends cars
BUT she throws a fit now about the harness and it is a beast to haul in and out of cars but is nice and narrow. SO I tried to take off harness today- couldn't get the totally out yet ( didn't have time) but latched it but didn't like how the seat belt sits across the top for her.
>>>

Am I reading this right? You're trying to use a Radian as a booster? The old Sunshine Kids models don't become boosters, which might explain poor fit, the new Diono ones do, in which case, that's annoying.

[peanut520]

i would not be comfortable at all. i plan on keeping kiddo in harnessed mode of her fr85s until the max or near max height/weight limits hopefully until 8-9. i really dont have plans to use the fr85 as a hbb as it isnt recommended/rated as highly as other hbb, and hope she will be able to got to a backless around 10.

[Joolsplus2]

i would not be comfortable at all. i plan on keeping kiddo in harnessed mode of her fr85s until the max or near max height/weight limits hopefully until 8-9. i really dont have plans to use the fr85 as a hbb as it isnt recommended/rated as highly as other hbb, and hope she will be able to got to a backless around 10.

Frontier makes a fantastic booster... http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/...best_bets.aspx
http://carseatblog.com/5671/too-old-...ster-says-who/

It's a bit more of a pain for kids younger than 7 to buckle, but it can be used with LATCH and is the tallest on the market.