by Joyce Slaton posted in Products

When children start showing up at school or social occasions without a booster seat in second, third, sometimes even first grade, you may start to wonder: Am I hanging on to this booster seat too long" As she gets older, your child may even complain about looking babyish, or tell you that none of the other kids in their class still have to ride in a booster.
That last one's not true -- it never is -- but sometimes you wonder. So here's how to know if your child is ready to get rid of that booster seat.

Got it" All of the things must be true:
* Back against seat

* Lap belt along thighs

* Knees bent at seat edge

* Shoulder belt between shoulder and neck

* Child is able to sit up straight and leave the seatbelt in the safe position It's that last one that usually knocks even big-for-their-age kids out of the running. Even if your child is tall -- 4'9" is generally the recommended minimum height for ditching the booster -- the ability to sit still has to do with maturity, not size. Most kids don't reach that stage of maturity until at least age 10 to 12.

Well, who cares if your child slouches or puts the top part of the seatbelt behind him" It's all about crash forces. Seatbelts are designed to limit your child's movement in a few very specific ways. If you change your body's position, there's no guarantee that the seatbelts will work effectively -- a belt over your child's belly will dig into their internal organs i...