Parents: Booster Seats

SpydrMnky27

I would use the booster seat.( I am that mom that has their child rear-facing until the very last pound recommended though. I don't mess around with car safety.) I would be a mess all day just thinking about my kid riding without it.

amyrobynne

I would talk to other parents in the class, especially those with smaller kids, and plan to all send booster seats so your child isn't the only one.

My 8 year old is the same height as your child and he's lucky I don't still make him use a 5 point harness. He'll be in a booster until he hits 4'9".

helloitsmes123

hey, i'm under that height.... do i need a booster seat??
is that the law everywhere?

JessieArt

I'm in Texas and you don't have to put your kid in a booster seat when they turn 8. Not sure if you have that part of the law where you are.

Don't you find it funny that kids don't have to be in safety seats on the bus? They don't even have seat belts. Just find it incredibly ironic.

quietlywinning

I would send the seat, but I would also be pretty shocked if they actually use it. Schools are above the law, and in some states, the school trumps parental authority while school is in session - google "in loco parentis" and check your state law to see if your school has that right. It has sometimes been taken farther than intended, to include pretty much anything the school wants to do with - or to - the children in their care.

AZKristi

Whatever parent ends up driving your child should thank you. If something were to happen to an improperly restrained child while they were driving the legal consequences could be severe. I would try to identify other smallish kids and talk to their parents directly. Maybe you could do a small kid car where every child in the car was in a booster seat. The group could meet once in advance so the other drivers could learn to properly install each booster.

mooglysmom

Um, yea...
Law is 8 AND 80lbs AND 4'9". The reasons for this are simple. You have to properly fit the seat belt for it to WORK in an accident.

I'd send the car seat.

My oldest (nearly 7) just switched to a low back booster because of the way the seat belt fits when he's in the high back. It wasn't a proper fit, therefore I changed it to a low back. He fits MUCH better now.

I've been in several car accidents (again, don't worry about your own driving worry about everyone else's!!), and I know the pain of not having a proper belt fit. I've seen kids in accidents without a proper belt fit.

And just beccause your kid is OK, and you've never had an accident doesn't make it OK. Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do, and most of us do it everyday.

CheleLynn44

I am and always have been a big believer in taking control of what I can because there is so much out there we cannot control!!

My daughter was in a booster seat until she was tall enough for the seatbelt to lay properly on her. I know she was in it a lot longer than some of my friends kids but I didn't care.

Don't ever question yourself when it cones to your kids safety.

spareparts79

im gonna get flamed, but the minute my kids turned 5 I threw away all booster/car seats/ These laws are ludicrous.

In Oregon if you get pulled over and your kids are not in the proper child/booster seat you can be sited with Child Endangerment which if the judge deems so gives the state an opening to take your kids.

I don't pass judgement on other peoples parenting, but when advise is asked for . . . send the booster with him.

Basically what the school is doing with the insurance form is passing the blame to the people the are stupid enough to sign the paper. If something happens the school just says here is the form the driver signed and they are off Scott free and the poor driver that was helping the class by driving is stuck with the ticket(s).

r1ghtpath

i just rode on a school bus for a field trip. it was NOTHING like the school bus i grew up riding.

*I* barely was able to see over the top of the seat in front of me. NONE of the kids could at all. and every single seat had a two seat belts for two kids. the driver would not drive til every child was buckled in. these are not lap belts either, they are the shoulder and lap belts.

the kids were not allowed to stand at all, and there were no bags allowed in the aisle either. it was soooo different!!!!

I'm in Texas and you don't have to put your kid in a booster seat when they turn 8. Not sure if you have that part of the law where you are.

Don't you find it funny that kids don't have to be in safety seats on the bus? They don't even have seat belts. Just find it incredibly ironic.

jenbusick

Send the seat, and tell him if anybody gives him grief to roll his eyes and say "I know! My mom is SUCH a freak about stuff! Can you believe it?" My parents let me blame them for all sorts of stuff so that I didn't have to take the heat. "Gosh, Mr. Stupid Loser, if it were me I would LOVE to go out with you, but my parents! They are SUCH heels, you know? I totally don't know what their problem is, but I gotta live with 'em. Sorry!"

NoAdditives

I would send the booster seat. A lot of people, kids included, may think the laws and recommendations are stupid, but it's what's best for kids' safety.

emczech5

I just read an article today that said the American Academy of Pediatrics had changed car seat recommendations, (these are only recommendations and haven't changed any laws.)

New Boostering Recommendation: Children should ride in a belt-positioning booster until they are at least 4 foot, 9 inches, AND 8-12 years old. (I want to stress the 8 - 12 years old) Personally, I don't care when people decide to move there kid from car seat. It's your choice. But, if you feel strongly that your child should be in the booster seat don't be afraid to keep him in one because he will get teased. His safety is more important.

I bet if people were less concerned about the teasing you would find a lot of kids would still be in boosters past age guidelines and it wouldn't be a teasing issue because it would be more common place and kids would expect to see other kids in car seats.

And for people who are short who joke that they should be in a car seat it's not all about height. A lot of it has to do with strength and muscle development. An adult will fair better in a car collision than a child because the adult is more physically developed.

glennstoudt

My 9 year old son is in the 3rd grade. He is 4'3" and weighs about 67 pounds. According to my state's laws, kids should be in a booster seat until they are 4'9" and/or weigh 80 pounds. He does not meet either of these. So I still have him in a booster seat. I have tried to set him in the seat (in the garage) without the booster to see where the lap/shoulder belts lays on him. It cuts him across the face. So, the way I figure it, he's got a good 6 inches to grow before he can get out of his booster. He doesn't mind as my other 2 young children are also in car seats. (My daughter is heavy enough to be out of one, just not quite tall enough yet.)

So here's my problem: the school has 4 field trips coming up for the 3rd grade kiddos. Two of them are meant to be taken with parents driving the children in their own vehicles. They are using buses for the other two. I think it is for budget reasons that they take the trips with parent drivers on the other two trips. The parent drivers have insurance forms on file with the school, but I am concerned because it is not safe for him to ride in a car without a booster seat. There has to be other kids in the 3rd grade on the smallish side. The school seems to think that they are following the law because he is 9 and considered old enough to be without a booster. I say different and I get the information right from the highway patrol's website.

Do I send his booster seat with him on the field trip and instruct the teachers that he is to use it. This could especially be problematic since the parent may not buckle him in properly and the other kids may tease him. It is simply not possible for me to go to both of these trips since they are all day trips and I can't miss that much work.

Do any of you have kids that are older but just not big enough to be out of their boosters? Has anyone had this same problem with a school or daycare? I see kids not in car seats all the time and it makes me so mad! I am not putting my son's safety at risk just for this field trip. I could use some advice. Anyone?

The stuff that you think could happen to your child doesn't. happen. That is no reason to not take normal precautions. On the other hand, you can't plan for 1% of the outrageous stuff that does happen. Four sons grown. Some went through minor car accidents without car seats. All are fine. If schools don't put seat belts in school buses, I can't imagine why anyone would be overly concerned why they need car seats in a school trip not involving school buses.

busymom11

My kids are beyond that age now, but the laws changed back when they were in early elementary school. Our school district quit allowing parent drivers after that. It was too much of a liability, because even though it was now a law, many parents didn't go out and buy boosters for their kids that had been out of car seats for years. It was too bad because they didn't get to go on as many field trips as before.

luvsherhubby

okay... maybe im not worried enough but Im in texas and was shocked to find out that kids had to be in a booster till they were 8. It is a relitivly new law here to my knowledge. i NEVER remeber having a booster and I know in 3rd grade...even 1st actualy I wasnt in a booster. My son is 8 but since age 6 he was in/out of a booster I never made too much fuss about it, if it was in the car fine if not ehh whatever, Now tht he turned 8 I was relived and chunked tht thing. He is tall for his age but only 60lbs I had no idea there were even weight requirements.

the thing that i find odd is why are you so worried about him not being in his booster in the car trips, but not worried about the bus trips wheres there isnt even a seat belt!? I say if he can ride in a bus with no seatbelt he could ride in a car with no booster 1x but thats me. I would take the others advice if it bothers you that much. call and see if any other kids in his class are in one.

JessieArt

I just honestly can't imagine a third grader in a booster/car seat. Maybe because my kids are tall. Maybe becase 9/10 years old is quite old and I"m sure completely embarrasing to be in one.

And I completely understand about safety. My kids all had the shoulder strap fit them properly before we chunked it.

Ready2Rock206

The law is the law. If it says kid needs to be in a booster then send the booster. I'm not so into teaching my kid we only follow the laws when we want to or when it is easy and convenient.... Also it's YOUR kid - that means you get to say what happens to him.


My kid was so mad. Right when he got old enough to ride in the front seat they changed the law and he was sent to the backseat for 2 more years! Poor kid! Now he's got his driver's permit - scary stuff. They age so fast!

Brea_81

My daughter's 8 years old, 56lbs and 51". She'll be in a booster seat as long as the law requires, and even more than that - till I feel like she's ready. There have been a few occasions where we didn't use the booster (like if she had to sit in the middle seat where there's no shoulder strap). She's not at all concerned about being teased b/c I'm a freak about car safety and have explained to my kids many times what can happen if they're not properly restrained. My kids'll also be in the backseat till they're old enough for the front. Just not worth risking your kid's life over.

RekindledRose

Do whatever it takes so that you can take the day off and be one of the parents driving kids on the field trip. Take your child in your car. Problem solved, because you can control how your child is secured in the car and he/she can have friends in your car who won't tease.