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How on earth did some of you keep them in harness? What car seat systems did you use that still accommodates a 7 year old based on height and weight. When I was 7 I was out of a booster and riding regularly without one. This is obviously something new i guess? How did all the kids back in the day survive without 5 point harness when they were 4 and 5??? I asked my dad and he is surprised by the new set of safety rules too.
Are you guys using britax?? Or other systems?
You keep saying Britax, in multiple posts. You do understand there are Graco and Evenflow and other brands, right? They all make harness seats to fit 5 & 6 year olds and over 50 pounds. I have the Graco Nautilas which is a 3 in 1. It's a harness, goes to a highback, and then just a plain booster. It goes to 100 pounds, I believe.
You might not have had a carseat growing up, like I didn't, but that's why crash tests are done each and every year, to see how safe cars are and what better ways to protect our kids. If you don't want to accept the new research, that's on you and you alone if something happens to your child in a crash.
You keep saying Britax, in multiple posts. You do understand there are Graco and Evenflow and other brands, right? They all make harness seats to fit 5 & 6 year olds and over 50 pounds. I have the Graco Nautilas which is a 3 in 1. It's a harness, goes to a highback, and then just a plain booster. It goes to 100 pounds, I believe.
You might not have had a carseat growing up, like I didn't, but that's why crash tests are done each and every year, to see how safe cars are and what better ways to protect our kids. If you don't want to accept the new research, that's on you and you alone if something happens to your child in a crash.
I'm 28. I had a car seat growing up, but when I was 4 and 5 I had a booster, and by the time I was 6 I was riding like a regular passenger. I'm not going to get into the research argument--because there is a lot of research about a lot of stuff(even research that contradicts other research) so much so that you have to determine what works best for you. I kept mentioning britax because that is what was told to me was the best option. I will look into the systems you mentioned as well. I didn't know about the other options--seems like everyone I know uses britax or just uses the regular highback booster seats like I am. No in between lol!
Last edited by Faith2187; 05-21-2016 at 08:36 PM..
How on earth did some of you keep them in harness? What car seat systems did you use that still accommodates a 7 year old based on height and weight. When I was 7 I was out of a booster and riding regularly without one. This is obviously something new i guess? How did all the kids back in the day survive without 5 point harness when they were 4 and 5??? I asked my dad and he is surprised by the new set of safety rules too.
Are you guys using britax?? Or other systems?
My almost- 6 year old is still harnessed in a 5 point. She has a Graco Nautilus and a Harmony Defender, both of which are 3-in-1s. She will be harnessed until she hits the limits of her seats and will be in an appropriate booster until she safely "5 steps" to just use a seat belt. Also keep in mind that laws are waaaay behind safety when it comes to car seats/boosters.
As for how did all the kids survive back in the day? They didn't. 99% of people who pull the " I survived with no car seat, my kids can do the same" (or something similar) card weren't in a serious car accident (or, likely, any accident at all). Kids that were aren't here to say "I survived" because *they* didn't survive.
My almost- 6 year old is still harnessed in a 5 point. She has a Graco Nautilus and a Harmony Defender, both of which are 3-in-1s. She will be harnessed until she hits the limits of her seats and will be in an appropriate booster until she safely "5 steps" to just use a seat belt. Also keep in mind that laws are waaaay behind safety when it comes to car seats/boosters.
As for how did all the kids survive back in the day? They didn't. 99% of people who pull the " I survived with no car seat, my kids can do the same" (or something similar) card weren't in a serious car accident (or, likely, any accident at all). Kids that were aren't here to say "I survived" because *they* didn't survive.
Between the graco and harmony which one do you like the most?
My point was that it seemed slightly strange and distancing how on one hand you have parents who are harnessing their children until they are 7, but on the opposite end of the spectrum are many parents that are not because they weren't when they were kids. I admit that I was in the latter category... I didn't realize that it was the norm tbh. The friends I have with kids my sons age are either using boosters, or if their child is small or average for their age the harness system--no one ever commented about my choice to use the booster until yesterday and I guess it was an awakening experience for me. I only have one friend who has older kids that would still qualify for harness (kids older than 4 but younger than 8) and she has 6 kids and is poor and I won't even say how she lets her kids of varying ages ride in her car. Needless to say I made the decision to get the booster after moderate research and saw the guidelines but felt he was fine for the booster because I was when I was his age.
Now that I know that it is not necessarily safe even if I feel it is, I will look into other options.
Thank you everyone for the comments.
Last edited by Faith2187; 05-21-2016 at 08:44 PM..
seems like everyone I know uses britax or just uses the regular highback booster seats like I am. No in between lol!
Britax is very expensive. There are several less expensive options and no need to spend that much money when the others are rated just as safe.
I remember sitting in a seat with no seatbelt whatsoever, right behind my mom and leaning on the arm rest. Not done today. I remember sitting in the front seat with my brother and we would put the seatbelt around both of us. Not done today. Kids aren't even legally allowed in the front seat until they're 12! Lots have changed since we were kids.
Is he mature enough to sit up straight in just a seatbelt and booster? I know my four year olds were nowhere near it. We have one of the Britaxes (old model, they last nine years), and it's not just got the harness to keep them in the exact right position, it's also a lot wider and comfier than any of the high back boosters I've seen. My kids are probably just naughtier than other people's, but in boosters they're always leaning over to pick something up, or hit a sibling. Harnesses until the suze limit are so much safer and easier (because it also distracts me if I need to monitor their behaviour).
Britax is not just the rating, It's the straps that don't ever fold over, the width and height to fit a small adult and the ease of installation. The OP said her child is tall and large for his age, so higher limit seats are going to be more sensible for her. Our Britax will fit a 4ft 11 85 pound person. Her child will developmentally be out of it before he grows out of it. (It's not the current model)
Last edited by WildColonialGirl; 05-22-2016 at 07:27 AM..
With Built-In Harness:
Weight: 22 to 65 lbs
Height: 27 to 49 inches
Booster mode:
Weight: 30 to 100 lbs
Height: 38 to 57 inches
Britax Pioneer $184
Quote:
Harnessed:
25 - 70 lbs.
30 - 58 in.
Booster mode:
40 - 110 lbs.
45 - 62 in.
The vast majority of children outgrow seats by height. The Britax gives an extra NINE INCHES over the Graco. That $30 is going to give you years of extra harnessing. For the OP, her son at the 98% percentile for height could still be harnessed at age ten. At the 98% percentile for weight he'll still get to age 7 in the harness.
Last edited by WildColonialGirl; 05-22-2016 at 07:33 AM..
Is he mature enough to sit up straight in just a seatbelt and booster? I know my four year olds were nowhere near it. We have one of the Britaxes (old model, they last nine years), and it's not just got the harness to keep them in the exact right position, it's also a lot wider and comfier than any of the high back boosters I've seen. My kids are probably just naughtier than other people's, but in boosters they're always leaning over to pick something up, or hit a sibling. Harnesses until the suze limit are so much safer and easier (because it also distracts me if I need to monitor their behaviour).
Britax is not just the rating, It's the straps that don't ever fold over, the width and height to fit a small adult and the ease of installation. The OP said her child is tall and large for his age, so higher limit seats are going to be more sensible for her. Our Britax will fit a 4ft 11 85 pound person. Her child will developmentally be out of it before he grows out of it. (It's not the current model)
I'm a fan of Britax as well - my 6yo will fit in her five point for a good while to come.
For anyone that's interested, the Graco Nautilus is on sale at Wal-Mart right now for $75. I just bought one yesterday.
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