booster seat for field trips?

tabatha · Senior Member

booster seat for field trips?

3s_a_crowd · Guru

if you are uncomfortable with the booster are you allowed to arrange transportation for her for field trips.

3s_a_crowd · Guru

to answer the question weve been in a regular booster since she was able 3 and 30 lbs.

We went on a trip and it was just soooo much easier to deal with. We had to warn her once or twice to sit properly but havent had a problem since

tabatha · Senior Member

oh idc if she uses a booster for trips. i would prefer it not be a permanent in our personal use. what i should have said is that i'm too lazy to unlatch my 100lb carseat that is a *nightmare* to put in my car. (i mean, i like the seat, but it's heavy as hell).

last time they went on a field trip she was just buckled into one of those white vans so the booster thing is new to me.

personally, i think getting 22 kids into their booster seats sounds like a nightmare.

dorian · Senior Member

we have an extra full on carseat which we use for fieldtrips. ITU what you're saying about lugging that thing around. sucks.

that being said, booster seats aren't my thing. i just don't feel like 1) spending the money on another seat or 2) possibly downgrading in safety.

marc went and bought one for his car to use with cole. it still has a 5 point latch, and cole likes it, but he rarely rides in it b/c it's in marc's car...so switching between seats hasn't been an issue for him.

Cuppycake · Guru

We just had this conversation (Joe and I) because with the room Hannah is in now, taking her Britax into school is a pita, and tbh, I frequently freak because I know NO one in that school is pulling the seatbelt as tight as I would, and making sure it doesn't wiggle around, etc.

We just put Hannah in a booster this week. I know, ridiculous seeing as how I was raising a huge deal out of it a month ago... but I knew that she was going to need a booster for field trips, because there's no way I can lug her seat up and down the stairs and all over God's creation all the time, and she had a bit of a growth spurt that made me more comfortable with trying it out. I could have kept her in a 5 pt. in my van, but I wanted to see her in the booster for a few days before sending her in with one at school and having her not understand how I expected her to sit.

Robin · Guru

We've switched to booster seats in both cars for Mark.

Juni · Guru

I'm confused about one thing based on what people have said about using a booster with a seatbelt - I can't remember but I think a couple people mentioned talking to them about sitting properly. I am wondering how they even move when they are in the booster with the seatbelt?

I used the booster for a day with Gavin and I can't remember why now - I think we moved it to my dad's car and I was in a hurry or something weird like that. Anyway, he could not move at all once the seatbelt locked - which was comforting but I still prefer him in the 5 point harness.

I just pulled it all the way out like i did when I was buckling the convertible carseat and then locked it tightly against his chest and that sucker didn't budge!

supergrover · Guru

Koda is taking his first field trp next week. They are using school busses. No seatbelts. I hate the idea.

They are getting enough parent volunteers so there are two children and one adult in every seat.

I still hate the idea.

I will either be chaperoning, or driving him seperate. I know, I know. Overprotective.

Robin · Guru

Juni wrote:

I'm confused about one thing based on what people have said about using a booster with a seatbelt - I can't remember but I think a couple people mentioned talking to them about sitting properly. I am wondering how they even move when they are in the booster with the seatbelt?

I used the booster for a day with Gavin and I can't remember why now - I think we moved it to my dad's car and I was in a hurry or something weird like that. Anyway, he could not move at all once the seatbelt locked - which was comforting but I still prefer him in the 5 point harness.

I just pulled it all the way out like i did when I was buckling the convertible carseat and then locked it tightly against his chest and that sucker didn't budge!

I'm pretty sure that you aren't supposed to "lock" the seatbelt like that with a booster seat. It is supposed to work the same way as an adult's seatbelt. The booster is to raise the child so the seatbelt is hitting their bodies in the right places.

Somebody needs to tell me if I'm wrong, though.

3s_a_crowd · Guru

I agree with robin I dont think its supposed to be locked.

kdrew · Guru

The boys use these and Sarah will use it every once and a while when I drive her in Rob's car.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3532434

How often are the field trips? I'm OK with her being in one on occasion.

tabatha · Senior Member

kdrew wrote:

The boys use these and Sarah will use it every once and a while when I drive her in Rob's car.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3532434

How often are the field trips? I'm OK with her being in one on occasion.

there are four between now and christmas.

i wonder what the difference is between the boosters with the back and those without? i'm thinking the ones with the back are for smaller kids?

i saw some boosters for about $30-40 which is why i was thinking i'd just buy an extra. its not like dropping $300 on another seat. and it would make it much easier when there is an extra kiddo (isabel) to tote around.

kdrew · Guru

tabatha wrote:

kdrew wrote:

The boys use these and Sarah will use it every once and a while when I drive her in Rob's car.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3532434

How often are the field trips? I'm OK with her being in one on occasion.

there are four between now and christmas.

i wonder what the difference is between the boosters with the back and those without? i'm thinking the ones with the back are for smaller kids?

i saw some boosters for about $30-40 which is why i was thinking i'd just buy an extra. its not like dropping $300 on another seat. and it would make it much easier when there is an extra kiddo (isabel) to tote around.

My understanding, and I could be wrong, is that the boosters with the backs are to help place the seatbelt at the right level on the kid, so it won't be all up in thier necks.

When Sarah is in Rob's car the seats are high enough that the seatbelt hits her perfectly with just the lower half of booster.

Juni · Guru

3s_a_crowd wrote:

I agree with robin I dont think its supposed to be locked.

Okay now I'm really curious. I've read online but it's mostly people answering not official guideline. But I've read that you can lock it. Just seems like an easier way of keeping them secure especially if they still fall asleep in the carseat and all that.

3s_a_crowd · Guru

i guess from some searching it seems you can do either. SOme one did say when you just tap on the break it doesnt give the child the give and there kinda stuck there.

I dont know I hate when my car seat locks if I accidently adjust it and it locks so I dont think Id do that for K but I guess it could solve the problem.

Sara · Guru

Owen does not ride in a booster and on his field trips he will ride in his 5 pt harness. He is only 33 lbs so I am just not comfortable with that at all.

As far as booster.

The highback will give head protection as well as like Kristi said guide the belt.

I never pull out the strap and lock it with Bryce. I have really never even heard of doing that until I just read it in this thread. Like Robin said, I believe it is suppose to act as an adult seat belt and lock upon impact. I know on the car seat board on iVillage I have never heard anyone doing that.

Bryce has rides in a Graco Turbo booster and a Fisher Price Safe Voyage both are high back boosters.

LucsMama · Senior Member

Ok, so this is going to be a little off topic but Wow, I never thought about the field trip thing. Lucas just started school. I wonder what his class does. In our state it is illegal for him even to be in a booster until he is 40 lbs... he is 34 lbs.

kris · Guru

supergrover wrote:

Koda is taking his first field trp next week. They are using school busses. No seatbelts. I hate the idea.

They are getting enough parent volunteers so there are two children and one adult in every seat.

I still hate the idea.

I will either be chaperoning, or driving him seperate. I know, I know. Overprotective.

I don't think it's overprotective. I drive Jake separately to each one of his fieldtrips.

A month ago they threw up a sign one evening saying they were taking the new daycare mini bus for ice cream (less than 2 miles from the daycare) the next day and I almost freaked because I knew I couldn't drive him there myself. Luckily the new daycare minibus has 5 point harness seatbelts on each seat otherwise I would have been lugging a Britax Boulevard in there for them to install and drive him 2 miles! But, I still would have been a nervous wreck that it was installed tight enough.