Booster Seats

Nope, not the "sit up at the table" kind... the carseat kind. The save your child's life or end your child's life kind. A few months ago, I posted about extended rear facing in carseats and the benefits of it. Now, because I have a soapbox I like to climb up on every now and again, I'd like to discuss carseats again. Booster seats. Ahh, they make my stomach turn. Ok, if a child is five or older and sitting in a high back booster, my stomach turns a little less. A seven year old in a backless booster? Less stomach turning. Won't be my kid, but thats my choice.

The ABSOLUTE minimum for using a booster of any kind should be 4 years and 40 pounds. Not two years and 40 pounds, not five years and 36 pounds. They aren't safe unless used properly and the margin of error with them is huge!

Did you know...
A booster seat should NEVER be used with a lap belt only? They must be used with a shoulder and lap belt.
Backless boosters need to be used on seats that have a high back and a head rest. If the seat has a low back and/or no headrest, a high back booster must be used.

A booster seat is only safe if your child sits properly in it, keeping the shoulder belt on their shoulder and lap belt properly positioned. If they move around, bend forward, slump to the side while sleeping, they are no longer being kept safe.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says: "It is best for children to ride in a harnessed seat as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age. If your child outgrows his seat before reaching 4 years of age, consider using a seat with a harness approved for higher weights and heights."

There are lots of seats now that harness to higher weight limits than what used to be the traditional 40-45 pounds. Graco Nautilus, Britax Regent, Britax Frontier, Sunshine Kids Radian, Safety First Apex 65 are all carseats that are widely available and harness up to 65lbs.

Seatbelts are built and designed for adult use. Please don't rush your child into using something not designed for use by them, their life could depend on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

And yes, our six year old still rides in a seat with a five-point harness. It is safest, after all. Don't you want the safest thing for your child?

I just want to clarify that I'm not trying to be condescending or anything like that. I've been fortunate enough to learn a lot about carseats over the past few years and I'm passing the knowledge on, so that hopefully someone else's child will be safer too. Carseat safety is a big deal- actually it is a huge deal. Everyday I see kids loading into cars, stopped at red lights or driving down the road that are not properly restrained and it makes me so sad that for a few bucks more spent on a carseat or with a little research, those children could all be so much safer.