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busymum 
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 Topic: 5yos - carseats or hype??
Posted: 26 December 2008 at 8:13am |
When DD4 is born in March, Hannah will be 5yrs 3mos and I'm tossing up whether to keep her in a booster seat at that time or let her "graduate" to just sitting like us. Are there specific height/weight regulations? Is keeping children in car/booster seats after 5yrs just marketing hype? I need some advice please 
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peanut butter
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Posted: 26 December 2008 at 11:06am |
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Arent there other things you can use, like things that make the seatbelt come down lower?
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mum2emj
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Posted: 26 December 2008 at 6:27pm |
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i think it is reccomended that they still use a booster or half booster. their is a bit of info out there, i was given a pamphlet (although have no idea where it is) that shows how a child should be sitting in the car before they can be safe without a booster, someting about their legs and where the strap is on their shoulders? anyway, yeah there is that strappy thing that secures the strap so that it is safer for a child.
im not sure on height or weight for being out of a booster, some people kep their child in a booster for ages.
jade (6) isnt always in a booster, in fact more often than not she is just in the seat like us, she isnt a small 6 year old though- and on longer trips we do keep her in a booster.
someone else may be more help.... im shocking lol.
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Kellygirl
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Posted: 26 December 2008 at 6:52pm |
I still have my daughter in her car seat and she is 5 years old.
Here's a link with some info that might help you to decide.
Also it isn't recommended to have a child under the age of 12 in the front seat where there is an airbag.
Land Transport NZ
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mum2paris
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Posted: 26 December 2008 at 11:33pm |
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Their knees should be able to bend at the seat edge with their bums still firmly back against the back of the seat i think.
Probably booster seat woiuld still be best as like Paris, she's still quite slight and really a normal seatbelt in a normal seat just wouldn't cut the mustard in the case of an accident.
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.Mel
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Posted: 27 December 2008 at 9:05am |
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Nyah is in a half booster, and will be for another year or so. I picked one up from BF for $35.
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busymum
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Posted: 27 December 2008 at 5:30pm |
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Thanks for the link.... anyone else asking the same question here is the law on it:
"A child can wear an adult safety belt when the belt crosses their pelvis, not their tummy."
"Children aged five to seven years must use a child restraint if there's one available. Otherwise they must use a safety belt if one is available. If there are no child restraints or safety belts available, they must travel in the back seat."
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Jennz
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Posted: 30 December 2008 at 10:29am |
Seat belts are made for adult sized bodies and until children are adult sized, seat belts won't protect them fully in the event of a crash. On a typical 5 year old, an adult seatbelt will fit over the tummy, not the hips, and the chest belt will cut into the neck. Children hate being uncomfortable and as their knees don't bend over the edge of the seat naturally and the chest belt cuts in they will slouch and tuck the chest belt behind their backs leaving them in a particularly vulnerable position in the event of an accident.
Basically the law in NZ protects them until they are 5, after which its up to the parents discretion. I personally don't think its hype at all- it just makes sense to me that adult seatbelts won't protect child sized bodies fully.
I think at the very least she needs to be in a half booster, with a chest belt guide- this will position the adult belt correctly over her body. Safe n Sound do one called the Nova
For the want of $50-$60 (you can probably even find something cheaper than that!) it just seems better safe than sorry 
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caitlynsmygirl
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Posted: 31 December 2008 at 10:46am |
C is 6 and a half and is in a half booster
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Babykatnz
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Posted: 02 January 2009 at 3:35pm |
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DS is in a half booster from Kmart (last saw them priced at app $70-$80), was a full booster, but the back piece unclips at the back to become a half booster, so he will still be using that from some time... he is too tall to use it as a full booster now tho
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Brandon - 05/12/2003  
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Candkids
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Posted: 07 January 2009 at 10:04pm |
s is 6 and in a half booster i also got 1 of those safe-t seatbelt adjuster thingys from farmers i think there about $20??? but stop the belt cutting into their neck 
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 DD 10.5yrs DS 6yrs DS 11mths 5 little angles watching from above
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AandCsmum
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Posted: 28 January 2009 at 10:59pm |
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After watching Campbell live the other night today I actually took note where the seat belt crossed Alia while in her booster, in the right spot on her pelvis. With out the booster it is across the tummy I think?
Certainly made me more aware!
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Kel
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12
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Bumble
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Posted: 29 January 2009 at 9:58am |
Ethan is in a full booster still.
We do have one of these for the "just in case" he needs to go somewhere and cant get the booster (i.e. it lives in my car and i might be out)
Edited to add: we bought ours from baby City
Edited by Bee
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formerly known as "Bee"
Ethan ~ March 2003 Big 6 year old school boy!
Micah ~ Aug 2008 ~ Smiley pants who loves telephones!
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AandCsmum
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Posted: 29 January 2009 at 11:14pm |
Check out these prices for boosters...my DH manages to find good specials on the net 
Linky
I looked in the warehouse & the cheapest was around $50
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Kel
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12
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fattartsrock
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Posted: 30 January 2009 at 9:17am |
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Did you watch campbell live the other night? Certainly made me think hard, and there need to be some l;aw changes for sure. An adult seat belt is NOT enough to hold a child in safely in the even of a crash. After seeing some horrific clips on you tube about what happens when small bodies that aren't properly restrained in adults seat belts (cos even if they are retractable, they are made for grown ups) it made me decide to keep my babies in a booster till about 8. Just cos its the legal guideline dosen't mean its the correct thing. If I was you I would watch the campbell live thing (monday I think) and then make up your own mind. Sorry to sound preachy...
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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P
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jaycee
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Posted: 30 January 2009 at 9:41am |
I posted a link to the Campbell Live story in the 'in the news' section a couple of days ago. I am the same as you fattarts (or do you prefer Annie??), having seen that story I am keeping my two in car seats for as long as I can wrestle them into them 
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 30 January 2009 at 8:39pm |
I have Andrew in a half booster at the moment. He also has the seat belt adjuster so that the seatbelt goes across him at the right place. I am going to keep him in it for as long as I can. He has done a few short trips around camp without the booster and when we were in Oz he sat in the back in the middle between a carseat and an adlut without the booster as there was no room.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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bensum
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Posted: 04 February 2009 at 6:49pm |
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I'm just new to this website but think it's fascinating! I have a 6 year old and a 3.5 year old. I'm really conscious about car safety. We bought our 6 year old a booster from Baby City that adjusts up to allow for height growth. They can stay in it until they're about 10 if necessary! The brand is Milano and it was about $150. She really likes it and my brother thought it looked a bit like a racing seat so no worries with being in a "baby" car seat! Well worth a look. I think it goes from about 15 kg up.
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Bumble
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Posted: 04 February 2009 at 8:30pm |
I think I have the same one bensum. Is it this one??
I love mine one of these :)
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formerly known as "Bee"
Ethan ~ March 2003 Big 6 year old school boy!
Micah ~ Aug 2008 ~ Smiley pants who loves telephones!
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bensum
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Posted: 05 February 2009 at 8:04am |
Yes it is Bee! That was very flash of you to do a link! Still trying to work those things out! I also forgot to say that Starship Hospital are recommending kids stay in booster seats until they're 10 or 12. There is a report somewhere about the injuries they've seen in children with boosters and without! 
Check this website out - Has lots of info http://www.childrestraintsafety.com/booster-seats.html
Edited by bensum
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5yos - carseats or hype??
