AIBU DD 6 wants to ditch the car booster seat

[littlewaltham]

How old were your kids when you ditched the car booster seat?

12 years is the law age or until they reach a certain height i think its 4ft 11.

they legally have to use the seat while they are under 12 and under 135cm tall. DD is still in a hbb at age 9 as is ds age 6.

Unless she's a leaping giant for her age I assume she's nowhere near the legal height to be out of a booster so she's on a hiding to nothing. Or would be if she was mine anyway.

12 years! really?! how times have changed I had a go of my mum's car when I was 13 :)

here
It's the law. 135cm or 12 years old, whichever is earlier.

mine will have the booster seat until they are 5 foot, as this is the height that adult seat bellts are designed for. (local road safety thing recently)

at six it is illegal surely to go without the booster seat?

to clarify they need to reach EITHER their 12th birthday OR 135cm in height

DS2 is 11 and only just stopped using it. DS3 & 4 are 9 and still in high back booster, as is DS5 who is nearly 6.

What chipping said. Not sure what the penalty is but the rules are there for safety so there you go.

Tell her no.

How much does she weigh? I may have misremembered this, but haven't they changed the rules on minimum weights for booster cushions? CHeck the actual seat and see if there's anything on there.

I think the penalty is points on your licence or a child with a severe injury through an accident.

My dd1 was 6 when we ditched the booster. She was 6yo and 137cm when the law came in, so we decided then that she shouldn't need it.

My niece is still in hers at 9 because she hasn't reached 135cm yet.

It depends on the height of your child really.

She is four feet four inches not sure what that is in meters but if kids of 9 are facing the "shame" of being in a car seat then she can read the thread and weep.

Legal stuffs

Boster seats are 15 - 25kg
Booster cushions are 22kg.

Nice and vague then

You can use them after either the age or height is reached. Alot of booster seats have a recommended weight limit as well.
My nearly 8 year old is only just off the 135cm and he's already nagging me to stop making him use his. But he will until he's abit older/ taller/ heavier.
Better safe than sorry.

DS is 6 and it feels like we've only started to use the booster.
That said DD is nearly 4, almost 2 and a half stone, average height (I think) we should probably stop using her baby car seat now!

ooh thanks RB

4'4" is 132cm, so she's still got some growing to do before you can legally get rid of it.

Do you reckon the difference of a booster or not would result in a risk of serious injury. I guess they have tallied the car crash results and the booster makes a difference.

My 8yo has just stopped using hers as she's over the required height limit.

My leaping giant of a six year old is currently 133cm tall and is still in hers.

My 2yo is 105cm and still in a HBB.

Clearly, I breed Amazons...

DS is 9, we measured him last month for a theme park and he was 135cm. He's shot up about 2 inches since then, had a right growth spurt. He's fairly slender though I assume so well under the weight guide for someone of that height.

At his height is it dangerous to keep them in? His seatbelt looks right on him and sits where it should so I assumed he's well off the mark for not needing one but this thread has me doubting myself. No idea what make of seat it is so can't even google.

My friend let her DD stop using it the day she reached 135cm because the DD had been watching the growth chart and told her Mum she wouldn't be using it after that Luckily for her she gets away with being a cheeky little madam with her Mum, she wouldn't with me. She is a wisp of a thing - she would still be in a booster if she was mine.

On the other hand - I should still be in a booster according to Blackeyedsusan

I measured 135cm on the door frame and told DD we would ditch it as soon as she reached that mark, no discussion, no pleading, full stop.

She measures herself daily at the moment because she's only about a CM off

the booster raises them to the right level for the seat belt so it doesnt cut into their neck which could be dangerous in the event of a crash. Booster cushions are not as safe as high backed boosters as they dont offer any side impact protection.

You get plenty of booster cushions that are from 15kgs, I dont think i have seen any that are only from 22kgs. That website linked does not give the full story about types of car seats and suitable weights - you can get cushions that are Group2/3 or just approved for Group3 so the Group2/3 cushions are ok from 15kgs.

More info on different seats can be found here

Superman you seem to but then again - lots of people seem to!! I forget that I'm not exactly average!! I wasn't 135cm until I was about 13/14