Booster seats - what age?

[mumtoboys]

DS is a big 2yrs 6 mths. My Mum went to talk about getting a car seat as she aften looks after him and the girl in Halfords said he's big enough for a booster seat, but recommended getting one of the big chair-type ones with the sides. (group 2/3 i think they're called)

I looked on the Britax website and it says these are from 4 yrs or 40lbs. I think DS is nearly 40lbs but it's hard to weigh him accurately as he's a right wriggler!! I'm surprised she said he's ready as he's so far under 4 and his head's nowhere near the top of the seat and I thought the advice was to keep them in a group 1 car seat as long as poss.

Any advice?

We bought a group 123 seat for dd when she was that age. She was huge, certanly big enough for a booster chair, but we wanted her to still have a 5 point harness. And now we use it as a booster chair.

I think the longer you can keep them in a 5 point harness the better.

Not sure why the girl in Halfords didn't think that

I've talked to Road Safety Officers about this, and they always recommend you keep them in a 5point harness until they physically outgrow the group 1 seat. Even if they are big enough for a booster-type seat, they may not be mature enough to stay within the car's 3point belt.

I really owuld not trust shop staff on this. Halfords were determined that we did n ot need a top tether for ds2's new Isofix seat, despite Ford and Britax both specifying in the respective manuals that it was needed.

group 2-3 seats are from 15kgs which is around 33lbs. My dd went into one at age 3.8years. I would tend to keep them in a 5 point harness until you really have to move them. Could you get a 1,2,3 seat as TellusMater suggests and then you'd have the harness for as long as you need it but will do your lo until he is a bit older.

My firend lookied into buying her 3 1/2 year old daughter a booster last week and was told to keep her daughter in her current seat until her head reaches the top.

My firend lookied into buying her 3 1/2 year old daughter a booster last week and was told to keep her daughter in her current seat until her head reaches the top.

Thanks for your help.

Prettycandles - So do they recommend keeping them in a group 1 even once they're over 40lb if they still fit into it??

I couldn't swear to it, but I think height is more important than weight. As long as the widest part of their head (front to back, so about eye-level) is still below the top of the seat, then they are safe to stay in that seat.

No time for me to find a link now (schoolrun) but why don't you look at the Britax website? They have a lot of general carseat info. Also Which is excellent forthis advice.

I would stay with the group 1 for as long as poss. DD(was 4 in Oct) has only just moved into the maxi rodi seat a couple of weeks ago.
Like others have said its only now she has outgrown the seat completely and also that I feel she is fine being in that sort of a belt. Certainly not at 2yrs 6mnths, she would have wriggled out of the booster.

I'm having this battle with MIL at the moment - she has another granddaughter who is almost a year older than dd who has outgrown the carseat she has for her, and needs to go in a booster, but MIL wants our dd to go into one at the same time "or they'll quarrel that they've got differnet seats"

TBH I don't give a flying f*ck if they argue, they are children and Gran's has the final say on who sits in what seat IMO, as do Mummy and Daddy when in our car. And, our dd is fairly compliant and accepting of these things anyway so I can't see a problem arising.

MIL has read and been told that once the child hits 15kgs they can go on a booster, and dd is 16kgs but only 3(birthday last month) and we don't feel she's big enough for one. We've told her no, and we've been told they are suitable from 15kgs, approx age 4. DD is a heavy child for her age I think, so she may weigh enough but she's not big enough. MIL keeps quoting the salespeople to us, saying how weight is more important than height and they don't specify a height. Weight in her opinion is also more important than their age and 3 is fine.

Any help on giving her a more definite "no" answer, maybe backed up with facts would be appreciated - MIL doesn't like being wrong and hates not getting her own way.

TIA

weight is more important than height but the group 2 seats do up to 18kgs which is roughly 40lbs. If your lo was over 40lbs then the seat is no longer safe and they should go into the next size seat.

from the Child Car Seats website: Only move your child to a booster seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the child seat, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat.

Thank you! I'll check out that site and get myself clued up.