Use of car seats with 8.8 year olds

[stoopstofolly]

We need to get a new car seat for DS (3) and we're wondering whether we should also replace DD's. We are considering getting a maxi cosi rodifix for each of them, BUT DD assures me that this is social suicide for her, and she'd just like a booster seat (no arms or back) like her friends.

I know they should be in car seats until they are around 12, and she's quite small and slim so wouldn't have any trouble fitting into one. However, how many 9yo are still in full car seats and is it worth us buying a new one for her now?

Really it depends less on age than on height and weight, and I don't think anyone recommends high-back boosters with arms for up to age 12, it's more booster seats for ones who are small for their ages.

How tall and heavy is she? DD was well over the legal requirement of 135cm by age 8, so stopped using even a booster seat. She's now 11 and over 5'5...

We only moved DS2 out of a high backed booster at 8/9 because he'd physically grown out of it. Booster cushions are fine for children over 135cm who still need lifting for the seatbelt to fit correctly in some cars, but don't offer any side impact protection, which is why the more reputable manufacturers no longer market them.

A high back booster is safer than just. Abooster cushion and they are stopping making and selling of just the booster cushions.

My tall for his age nine year old still has a high back booster seat, it holds the seatbelt in place ssecurely and is safer so that's it as fat as I am concerned.

Many of his ffriends still use them as well, some don't and we have had grumbles but I won't compromise on car safety.

Ds3 is 140cm btw but in many other countries they have to use boosters etc till 145-150 cm and he still fots as its aadjustable and as I said it holds the seatbelt securely.

Dd1 is 8.5 and uses a booster cushion, she is tall for her age ( not sure of her height but she's in 9-10 clothes ), if we are going on a longer journey then I put her in the high back car seat as it's more comfortable. My 10 year old doesn't use a booster anymore.

DS1 couldn't sit back comfortably in his HBB any more, 5madthings, which is why he came out at 136cm. The seat also wasn't suitable to be used above 135cm in the car that we had, at the time.

We ditched his cushion a couple of months ago (he's 10.5) when he could no longer fit his bum in it comfortably - he was getting cramp. Thankfully, the seatbelt no longer rubs his neck (and he has to sit in the front when DS2's in the car, now, anyhow, as they can't sit together without fighting and DS2 trying to escape from his seat completely - the front seatbelt is more adjustable and actually fits DS1 better than the rear ones)

Ds2 is 10 and already 5ft 5.
He doesn't have a booster or car seat anymore.

I thought the guidelines went by size rather than age, because ds1 was 5ft8 aged 12, I doubt I could have found any appropriate car seat

So- mixed messages! She's 8.8 and 128cm tall. Very slight so no problem fitting into the full booster. If hers didn't need replacing I'd leave her in it until she was 135cm and then buy a cushion but someone drove into the car in a car park and dinged the side with the seat....
I've just looked at growth charts and she'll be 135 cm around 10 years old, but as noted she could stay in it for longer if she can stand the social death....!

I think I'll err on the side of caution and buy her another new full seat at vast expense. Damn.