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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Are your 9 year olds still in high back boosters?

112 replies

ADJ1151 · 12/02/2020 19:51

As above ^^ DS is nearly 9 and still in a high back booster. He’s happy in it, still fits in and it’s safe so planning to carry on.

I’ve realised a lot of his friends are now just in booster cushions or nothing at all.

Aibu for keeping him in the seat for as long as possible?

OP posts:

gospelsinger · 13/02/2020 22:03

Sorry I meant once they've got to the height.

torthecatlady · 13/02/2020 22:07

Dss is also almost 9 and still in one. He is way below the height and weight to use just a booster seat yet. It seems safer though, so I'm in no rush. We have one of the adjustable ones which comes apart as they get older and eventually becomes just a booster seat.

WreckTangled · 14/02/2020 06:38

What height is that gospelsinger? Because lots of people are staying the law (135cm) but lots of other people are staying 150cm, and for good reason.

I don't understand why people in this country are so quick to get their children out of car seats.

Mamimawr · 14/02/2020 06:44

My dd is 11 and ds 9 and they are both in Britax kidfix. My 5 year old is in a Britax Adventure but the older ones don't fit in this hbb. My dd is petite, I don't think.her brothers will fit in a hbb when they are 11.

BattenbergtheHatches · 14/02/2020 06:56

The problem I have with our HBB is the distance between the child’s shoulders and the headrest as they get taller becomes less. DD10 has started complaining her shoulders rub on the red seat belt guides so we will have to switch to a booster seat as she is 130cm but I would prefer her to be in a HBB. Maybe she has a long body!

lyralalala · 14/02/2020 07:02

Maybe she has a long body!

That can be an issue. My DD3 is a nightmare for car seats because she’s a light little thing, but she is very tall for her age and has a really long body.

Booboostwo · 14/02/2020 07:40

BertieBotts hello fellow reader of detailed and interesting safety reports! Have you seen the critiques of the crash dummies which are always modeled on men and therefore misrepresent the effect of crashes on women? Fascinating stuff! Regarding rear facing, I meant all seats for everyone (excluding the driver of course), not just for children. It would make a huge difference on fatalities and serious injuries in accidents.

BattenbergtheHatches in the Cybex Solution as you adjust the head rest the shoulder pad thingey goes up as well so that makes it roomier for long bodies DCs. Might be worth trying it out.

BertieBotts · 14/02/2020 07:42

The only reason using a booster would be less safe than using a seatbelt would be if the booster was contorting the seatbelt to come from behind the child's shoulder. Otherwise their height is immaterial, they are always safer in a high backed booster than just in a seatbelt, even if they were six feet tall (if such a booster existed!) because a high backed booster offers protection from side impacts, which a seatbelt doesn't.

Backless boosters don't offer any extra safety, their only function is to correctly position the seatbelt.

Battenberg you can get ones which go taller - if you need a cheap one try Britax Adventure, Diono Cambria 2 (here) or possibly Joie Trillo I think is tall as well. If you check in a shop you could see how many clicks she has to go on the headrest.

BertieBotts · 14/02/2020 07:57

Oh yes, good point about rear facing seats for all passengers - this would be good to see as an option! There are a few car seats as well which are designed as forward facing ones but can be used rear facing if the seat you install it on faces that way, as long as it's a seat which is approved for an adult to sit on while the car is moving. Most Britax forward facing seats are like this, and Kiddy ones used to be too. However if this became common you'd then have a problem with seats for babies under 9kg as currently these are ALL rear facing designed for a seat which usually faces forwards, and absolutely can't be installed the other way around. So possibly the designers of a car like that would have to solve that problem. TBH most of the "futuristic" self driving car designs I've seen have like a train type design with 2-3 seats facing each way, facing each other so that passengers can interact.

Snugglemonster84 · 14/02/2020 08:12

My 8 year old (nearly 9) is still only 121cm and is very skinny framed. So he will be in his high backed booster for a long time yet. To be honest I didn't know that booster cushions were still legal in the UK.
There is a large variation of sizes in his school year tho (year 4) and he is one of the smallest. So many of his friends now use nothing.

TeacupDrama · 14/02/2020 12:17

while sitting facing the rear is safer it also increases car sicknesses in those that suffer from it

most people prefer to face the way they are going also it is difficult to hear people behind you if you are back to back to the driver I have hearing problems so I know, I can not hear when I am driving what anyone says in the back only the person in the passenger seat,
my DD finds travelling in the back makes her car sick, she is now old enough and tall enough to use adult belt so she sits in the front most of the time

wornoutboots · 14/02/2020 16:19

My 9 year old is legally fall enough. However his seat is designed to hold him for another inch of height so he's staying in it for now. He doesn't get a vote!

(My tiny 4 year old is still small enough for her EFF seat, and will stay in it until she isn't small enough for it.

We are more worried about their safety than what their friends say!

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