The booster seat is easy enough that it rarely has me dreading it’s existence – it’s a simple straight forward device in the back of the car, and doesn’t require the rethreading of carseat loops with each growth. When the conversation of whether my eldest was big enough to do without arose, I hadn’t really thought much of it. Sure he’s big, but he’s not anywhere near the size of a full grown adult.
But then I looked it up. ICBC states the use of a booster seat:
If your child weighs more than 18 kg (40 lbs), they should use a booster seat. After they reach nine years old or 145 cm (4’9″) tall, they can transition to using a seat belt.
ICBC
✔️ Over 40lbs
✔️ Official 4’9”
✔️ 9 Years Old next month
Hot damn diggity dog – I have one kid out of a booster seat. Which feels like this shock to the system – growth milestones always are. It’s like the first time you walk from baby to toddler, or toddler to big kids at the clothing store. You’re excited your child is getting bigger and growing – but also heart broken that they aren’t a baby anymore and getting bigger and growing.
Carseats have been in my vehicle for nearly a decade now, and soon we will be down to just 1. My daughter is 18 months behind, and she’s a mere 4” away from also exiting her booster seat. With two so close in size and age, it’s always hard to have one transition and not the other. They act as if they are the same age and many ways they are – so I fear the conversation of “why not me” and to which luckily we have the BC laws to back us up.
The oldest is begging to sit in the front seat – but that one I’m clear on. It’s not happening. I told him he has to be taller than the mom in order to do that, but I see ICBC says age 12, so we’ll set that limit today when he asks again. Reality is that I don’t really want him in the front seat at all, it’s definitely not a great spot for a growing kid – and it’s my moment of peace all to myself. Reminds me of when you turn your kids from rear facing to forward facing and now they suddenly know you didn’t just get a drink at Starbucks but also a treat and you have to share. There’s no more sneaky candy or chocolate bars on long trips and experiences.
I was always a front seat kid. As a divorced family with three kids, my siblings sat in the back and me in the front seat as copilot – the one who read the maps (because we didn’t have GPS and cell phones). I have memories of sitting there from early childhood and above. But it’s 2024 and cars are beasts, and we know so much more than we did a decade or two ago.
So here’s my ode to the closing out of an era, and the big emotions my heart and chest feel as my kid moves from his booster to the seat of the car. I never imagiend this day would come, but here we are and it’s just as scary as I thought it would be.
PS. I did buy the fancy Clek car seats – but at the end of the day, I opted for the cheap low cost ones at Canadian Tire because they fit three across the back better, and way easier to install and use. Booster seats are easy enough, and really they did the job no matter the brand.
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