My son is 15 months, is about 32 inches and weighs about 26 pounds. We have a Britax Roundabout carseat, and when I took it to the police station to have it inspected a few months ago, the police officer told me I only had a couple more inches for him to grow until it became unsafe. We had just put him in it! He's tall, but not a giant, so I wasn't expecting this. When he does "grow out of it" (I guess his head can't be above the top of the seat), what's our next option? Is he old enough for a booster seat? I feel like that's for bigger kids and he's still just barely a toddler. Safety and value are really my only factors. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much for all your advice. I think I'll wait and see what happens. And my mom reminded me that as he grows, it'll mostly be in the legs (duh!) so a few more inches might not make a difference on the top end!
He's not big enough for a booster - 40 # and I think 37 inches tall. It could possibly be months before he grows "a couple more inches" - depending on his growth.
Go to www.boosterseat.gov. There's alot of information there.
I don't mean to contradict the police officer, but my kids are tall and I had the same question when my younger son's head started to poke over the top of the seat. Everything I found online and on the NTSB website seemed to indicate that as long as the top of the carseat is above the middle of their head it's fine. They just need something solid directly behind the part of the head that would touch the seat, if that makes sense.
Our older son had a Graco convertible booster - 5-point harness that converts to working with seatbelts-only - that has a pretty high back for a tall kid.
If you look in your user guide you will see that the Roundabout is safe up to 40 inches tall. My son is a tall 2 1/2 and is just about that tall so you have awhile:)
We have the Alpha Omega (Walmart $150) that grows with the child and I cannot wait to put my 5 month old daughter in it. My sister that has 2 boys wished she would of registered for this carseat because it replaces 2 carseats for when the child gets older. It changes from a carseat that you can put your newborn in to an infant, to a booster seat for children up to 100 lbs. It is also a carseat that the safety board approves of.
I too am a teacher that decided to stay home once my daughter arrived. I plan to go back in the fall just as a substitute teacher.
We just bought the Evenflo Generations at Babies R Us. It goes from 20-100 pounds. It has regular 5 point harness for when they are younger and the newer tightening system where you turn it to make it tighter that works great.(I had a Graco Comfortsport which I HATED b/c I never feel like the straps get tight enough.) Then when they get bigger it converts to a booster that they use with the seatbelt. My sister has the carseat and loves it and has been using it since her litle girl turned 1. I will install mine today!!
It's really hard to say because there was recently a show about car sets. It was surprising to see that not all the car seats are safe. There are not too many that are. I used booseter seat for both of my kids according to their weight. You are really going to have to do more research on which car seat is really safer.
We have a Safeguard child seat and LOVE it!! It is the best seat on the market, expensive but safe and very easy to use.
Shelly
