Question on boosters for toddlers?

A 5 pt harness seat and a booster are not the same thing. A backless booster and a high back booster are two different things, too.

A 5 pt harness is much safer than any type of booster. First, it's strapped into the car, so if your car gets into an accident, the car seat is latched in and isn't moving, and the harness spreads the force of the crash out across your child's body. It also helps pad the force of the crash.

Some 300 dollar booster seats have the LATCH system built into them, but most cannot be used in your car, as the lower anchors in most vehicles can only accommodate 45 lbs, so those won't help out at all, so if that was someone's argument for using a booster, that's useless-check the car's manual.

According to statistics, adult seat belts only work correctly 50% of the time in car crashes, so if your child were in a booster seat in an accident, he or she would have a 50/50 chance of being thrown from his/her seat. Whereas, if he/she were properly restrained in a car seat that was anchored, teathered, and belted to the car, and he/she were strapped in, he/she would be in the seat.

A high back booster should be used for children who have outgrown a 5 pt harness (which is the safest option), but are not big enough to move to an adult belt yet. This helps position the belt so it does not cut into a child's neck and makes sure the belt sits across the chest correctly.

A backless booster is meant for older children who are tall enough to sit unassisted and are able to sit properly without a seat belt cutting into their necks.

Personally, I have a seat that harnesses to 80 lbs on one side of my car, and one that harnesses to 65 lbs on the other. 7 year old goes on one side, the 5 year old on the other. I'd rather not risk someone dying on my watch just so I can say they're in a booster or because boosters are cheaper or easier. If I were in an accident and something happened to one of the kids, I'd like to know that I had done everything I could have done to ensure their safety in my vehicle. I will cheer on the day that they require children to be in 5 pt harnesses until 5 or 6, even if I'm 85.

Oh, and boosters are not for toddlers, they're for school-aged children. Toddlers are still in five point harnesses.

EDIT: In the US, not one state allows the use of boosters for children under 4 yrs of age or 40 lbs. I honestly am not sure why booster companies are allowed to print 30 lbs as a minimum weight. I was wondering that a couple of weeks ago when someone asked a similar question. They should all be fined and made to change their boxes.

In my state, it is 3yo and forty pounds. Here is my suggestion; find a suitable 5-point harnessing booster that does not count as a booster seat in that configuration (meets state standards). These harnesses can be removed and the car seat becomes a booster seat with a back. When the next age/weight level is met, the back can be removed. "Daddy" is 6'5''- I feel your pain. I have a boy who was wearing size 10 toddler shoes at 23 months. Safety and versatility are key. That will make it the most economically feasible. Good luck mommy! P.S.- my "convertible", now down to just a booster, is an Evenflow...

the 5 point harness is required for children under 40lbs (i am pretty sure) so unless your child is 40lbs already you are required by law to have him/her in the 5point restraint. they are safer because of the range of area of restraint the 5 points cover. where a seatbelt covers only across the chest and along the lap.