Is she too old for a booster seat?

Natalie - posted on 12/29/2012

My daughters 12 and she still uses a backless booster seat in our car. She's tecnically fine without it but she still likes to use it because she can see out of the window better. There's also the added bonus of her own cup holder and arm rests. Although my husband doesn't like it and would prefer it if she threw out the "baby seat". I might let him throw it out when she turns 13. Whenever we pick up a younger child she sits in a regular seat and they use the booster. We don't bother taking it in friends cars.

Hermione - posted on 10/09/2012

That is a bit too old, the law says children should have booster seats from 4 to 9 years old. My kis stopped having/ are going to stop the booster seat at 9 3/4.

Josselyn - posted on 10/08/2012

When my daughter was 7 she wanted to stop using a booster seat because a lot of her friends stopped using it. So for her 8th birthday I let her throw away the booster seat. I think it's extremely weird that she is 11 and using a booster seat.

Alison - posted on 09/25/2012

Well Sherri My post was clearly talking about kids in boosters who have OUTGROWN THE AGE AND HEIGHT RULE....therefore they are completely safe to be taken out of a booster! ..my 6year old is still in a five point harness too but he won't be when he meets the HEIGHT AND AGE RULE of 80 pounds or 8 years..where did you ever get the idea I was making fun of you for being safe? I thought I was being clear when I said IF they have outgrown the seat and you don't take them out then you are embarrassing them!

Kim - posted on 09/24/2012

My son was in a booster seat if he sat in the way back of my minivan until he was 11. The seatbelt did not sit right on him. My daughter was 9.5 before we let her go without one, but if she sits in the way back, she is in it. I have a lot of friends whose kids are buckled in until 7 or so.

Sherri - posted on 09/24/2012

@Meri yes I can because mine will be in one till they are tall enough. My 6 1/2yr old is still in a 5pt car seat and my baby will be rear facing till 40lbs. Which could easily be till he is 4yrs old.

Meri - posted on 09/24/2012

According to my pediatrician, kids should be in there until they are 4'9". Seems a little excessive to me, personally, I think that 8yo and sixty pounds is enough for safety's sake. Pediatrician said that her daughter used a car seat through the 8th grade, but, to each their own. Could you imagine being "that kid"?

Sherri - posted on 09/21/2012

@ Alison specifically set for friends like yours who don'care about humiliating their children lol!



You think because we opt to keep our children safe, we are are humiliating them? I still have my 6 1/2 yr old in a 5pt harness car seat. He doesn't even question it and loves it. Many of his friends still are as well. He has never been humiliated. When we move him to a booster he will be in it until he reaches 4'10" tall and most likely won't be allowed out of it till he is at least 10yrs old.



Trust me be in a major car accident. You won't ever hesitate to do what is best for them. I was involved in a major car accident in 2010. The only thing that kept my kids safe was the car seats. The children in seat belts all ended up in the emergency room with severe injuries, the kids in car seats were not injured at all.

Julie - posted on 09/18/2012

Depends on your State Law requirements. California Law is kids under Age 8 and less than 4 feet 9 inches must be in a booster seat/buckled. Was she a short 11 year old?

Courtney - posted on 09/17/2012

I am trully sorry you feel it is to embarass a child it is purly for the safty of any child. My 12 almost 13 year old is still in the loback booster seat due to her small stauter and is not in the least embarrased as she would be more embaressed if we were to ever get in a car accident and get hurt . A child under the hight and weight could be cut by the seatbelt not fitting properly or thrown from a car and be permintly injured or killed safty is always first in my mind heart and car for all 3 of my children.

Patricia - posted on 09/16/2012

Well our Daughter is 10 1/2 and she still uses the small booster only because she is very small for her age and the seat belt hits her in the neck and she can't see out the window without it. She doesn't mind. She is under 4'9 and under 50 pounds.

Alison - posted on 09/15/2012

In Ontario it's eight years old or 80 pounds.....my twelve year old isn't even eighty pounds so technically she would still be in one if it wasn't for the age rule.....specifically set for friends like yours who don'care about humiliating their children lol!

Tena - posted on 09/10/2012

Check your state laws. Here in Ohio it is 8 years / 4ft 9in for a booster seat and they recommend that children under age 12 should ride in the backseat to prevent airbag injuries and fatalities.

Patricia - posted on 09/08/2012

in Australia it is 7 years old my daughter is 7 but i still have in a booster seat

Sherri - posted on 09/05/2012

Yes if she is under 4'10" tall she definitely should be in a booster. The recommendation is that most 10yr olds should still be in a booster seat. My 6 1/2yr old is still in a 5pt harness car seat.

Desiree - posted on 09/04/2012

Every state has different laws. In WA its 4"9 and 80 lbs. My daughter has been out of a booster for a couple of years now because she met the height requirements. When she was 8 YO I pulled her booster because I thought that was what the law said was the age cut off. I was promptly pulled over and re informed!



I think that the type of vehicle needs to be taken into consideration as well. My husband has an old suburban and the way the seats are if she were in a booster her head would be over the headrest, which was not safe.

Kristie - posted on 09/04/2012

Age should not matter at all. It is height and weight that make safety of seatbelts an issue. At 12 years old my son was 5'8'' and weighed 150 lbs. A large as, or larger than some adults. Putting arbitrary ages on such laws is absurd. To put someone of this size in a booster seat would be unsafe. You can't legislate the growth of a child.

Brittney - posted on 09/03/2012

In Iowa, you have to be in a safety seat until 12 years old, then when you're 13 you can ride up front and 14 you can drive! It sounds like she just wants to keep her child safe.

Courtney - posted on 09/03/2012

I think there might be many reasons she still has her 11 year old in a booster seat and no one should judge a parents decision to keep their child safe. My girls are very small for their age's and i have discussed it to length with their dr's, my oldest is 12 and a healthy active pre-teen however she is only 68 lb's and very short so for the seatbelt to fit her corectly and be safe she still needs to be in a low back booster seat. I also have a six year old daughter not as small in stature but still small she is 43 lb's and the seatbelt does not fit her well at all so as parents and with speaking to the dr and the police department on car accident prevention we have her in a high back booster seat with the harness still atached. We do alot of travling and want our children to be as safe as they can possibley be , people can choose to do what they feel is ok and right for their children but we feel theys guidlines and laws have been put into place to prevent injuries in case of an accident and the dr's and law enforcement believe going by hight and weight is safer than by age and so do us as parents. I could never forgive myself if i was to get in an accident and my kids were injured do to me not taking any percautions i could.

Jane - posted on 08/30/2012

As JavaMama said - if she is small for her age it would be safer and also more comfortable as otherwise the seatbelt will be in the wrong place and come up around her neck - very uncomfortable!



I would just assume the mother is doing the safest and most comfortable thing for her daughter which can never be a bad thing! :)

Karla Marie - posted on 08/30/2012

Yes i guess she would be kinda old for a booster seat. But i have a question for you. I dont know what to do. My 12 year old daughter wets the bed sometimes. What do i do? It happens like 4 times a month! Please help me.

JavaMama - posted on 08/29/2012

In my opinion at that age a booster seat is odd. But the guideline for booster seats are children ages 5 to 9, who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall and less than 80 to 100 pounds, a car seat or booster seat is a must for the best protection. Maybe she falls in this category even at her age?