I'm curious as to how your kids did when you moved them from a harnessed car seat to a booster seat with a lap/shoulder belt. Anna is .6 lbs. from the 40 lb. limit on her seat, and I'm really afraid of making the switch. I guess I'm afraid of how much she'll be able to move around in it. I'm actually considering purchasing a car seat that I can use the harness on until 47 or 48 lbs. just to put it off for a bit. We'll need 2 booster seats eventually anyway. How did your kids do?

I'd say 90% of the time I don't have any problems with Alex in his booster seat. The other 10%, I have to remind him to sit in it properly or I'll stop the car and he scootches back into place pretty quickly. It IS easier for him to reach over and poke at Christian now, that's a big downside:lol:

When traveling last month, we got a low back one for both boys. Colin looooved it. He keeps asking for it. It says 30lbs, but I am not comfortable with it full time for either boy.

We moved Aidan a little before Colin's current age into a high back booster - a converted Alpha Omega. So basically, we removed the harness on the seat he used since moving from the infant seat. We haven't had a single problem with Aidan and I feel very secure with him like that. And so we're about to do the same with Colin. We just discussed it over the weekend, and it's only a matter of when DH gets around to it.

Jordan is 43 pounds and about 43 inches and we still have him harnessed in a car seat. It was important for me to buy him a seat that would last for a long time. We have both the Britax Marathon (goes to 60 pounds) and Husky (goes to 80 pounds).
That said, we bought a booster as a spare for him when he does field trips and stuff at school, and while I know it is classified as being safe enough, I really am uncomfortable with it. It just seems so much less secure than his harnessed seats.
Take that for what it's worth, but I am planning on keeping him harnessed as long as I can. Call it denial for him growing up, or call it protection :lol:

Sarah, I am struggling with this, too...Julia is actually a hair OVER 40" and 40lbs and I have GOT to make a decision as to what I am going to do with her seat. I've looked at the Britax Parkway booster ($90US), the Compass B500 ($90US), and the Britax Regent (booster with 5-point harness to 60lbs) and I just can't decide what to do.

Kelly, what did you end up with for Alex??

We ended up w/ the Turbobooster w/ the extra padding. I really wanted the Parkway, but Alex HATED it. And I couldn't find a Compass to look at in person, so the Turbobooster is was. We really like it!

Yeah...I'm not so sure about how the headrest sticks out on the Parkway. I think Julia would be annoyed by it since you lose peripheral view but I like it for when she falls asleep in the car (which is rarely but still... :lol: ).

I LOVE the Compass and TRU here has them (so does our Target). I'm guessing we'll end up with that one.

Kalyssa did fine. I was worried about her taking her seat belt off but I told her how dangerous it was and she listened. At times she does slump down but I tell her to keep her bottom against the back of the seat or she will not be safe.

I'd say try it out. I've also seen seatbelt shields that keep them from being able to unlatch the seat belt.

Mason is 4½ and he's still in a 5 pt. harness Alpha Omega because he is only 37lbs.

:secret: I have snuck him in the booster a few times if I'm in the car not the van. He is in an Evenflo Everest in the car and he's fine. He moved the seatbelt once over farther on his shoulder and I told him he wasn't allowed, that it had to be over by his neck. I did go buy a little pad thingy from TRU so the strap wouldn't cut into his neck.

Micayla is in a booster (Alpha Omega). We've not had any problems with her messing with the belt or undoing it. She knows that it's dangerous and needs to leave it alone.

Aidan is still in a 5pt harness. However, when we went to CA, he used my nephew's old AO booster seat in belt-positioning mode and was ok with it 90% of the time. I caught him a few times playing with it, putting it under his arm and whatnot. By the end of the trip, I think I put enough fear in him to get him to leave it alone, though.

We've only just starting using the normal seatbelt with Emily, who is nearly 7. When they get too big for the carseat, we put them in a booster with a harness. We recently moved Sam to the booster and did have trouble with him at first. he kept scooting down, slumping forward, pulling the harness straps off :tearhair: He's much better now although he does still occasionally move around. I wish he wasn't too big for a 5 point harness, but this is the best we can do.

We just started using a booster seat for Lauryn about a month ago. She's 4 years old, about 42 pounds and about 43 inches tall. I wish we had kept her on the Marathon but we took it out of the van temporarily to clean it up and now she refuses to sit in it. She loves the big-girl feel of the booster. I don't like it because she moves way to much and it's so much harder to buckle up.

Question for you folks using a booster-- when there is not a kid there, do you leave the seat buckled? I was just thinking that an unbuckled booster is a hazard, isn't it?

Question for you folks using a booster-- when there is not a kid there, do you leave the seat buckled? I was just thinking that an unbuckled booster is a hazard, isn't it?

No, I don't buckle it. I've never really thought about it being a hazard :dunno: No more then the stroller, shopping, school bags etc in the back.

Ellie has been in a booster since about a month before her 4th birthday. She was not *quite* 40 lbs. I think she was like 39, but she's so tall the harness was just too small for her. It kept leaving marks on her shoulders. :( I haven't had any problems with it at all. She's really good about sitting the right way and not playing with the buckle.

I don't keep the seat buckled when there's no one in it. The seat belt comes through this positioner and there's no way it would go flying if there was an accident.

I still use our 5 pt harness but we bought MIL a booster (low back) for her car. She might have Alyssa once a month and if she goes anywhere it is less then a mile to the store. The one we got is for 30 lbs so she fits the bill *she is 36 lbs). She seems to do well in it. They have never had a problem. My parents have a high back booster for Alyssa and she does wonderful in there. THey have her all the time and she has never ever got out. She does know how to hook her own seatbelt and unhook it and she only does this when the car is fully stopped. (we have taught her what it is when the car is in park!)

I will be keeping Alyssa in the 5pt harness for as long as I can. Especially on long trips. After knowing that her car seat saved her life it is really important to me. I know it sounds like I am not so worried in her Grandparents cars but I know she is safely in those seats and they are not going far with her.

I buckle the booster when no one is in it because it is a projectile in an accident. I realize grocery bags and other stuff are too, but this is something super heavy and dangerous that I can prevent from being a projectile.

I often worry about things being projectiles but I didn't even think of the booster! Ours isn't very heavy (much lighter than the stoller that is laying free behind the seats) but in an accident, even something light can cause major damage.

Unless you have a car with a trunk, most other vehicles are not properly designed to safely hold all the gear you need to carry for 1+ children (or even groceries).

Well, I got home last night and DH converted Colin's seat, so he is officially in the high back booster. :aok:

I never thought about buckling them in when the kids are not in the car, but they'd have to flip over the captains chairs. :dunno: (Remember, I'm talking the high back ones, not the other ones. Those are lighter and I could see them flipping more easlily.)

We have the Graco Turbobooster and Lindsey has done very well in in.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000E0IKS0.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg

I didn't even think to buckle it down when she isn't in it....:scratch:

No, I don't buckle it. I've never really thought about it being a hazard :dunno: No more then the stroller, shopping, school bags etc in the back.

I would tend to think the same way. The coffee mug, umbrella, toys, 30+ lb stroller, portable booster seats (for eating)....eh...