This is why.....

Our daughter Danielle is at the point now where she is trying to "resist" us having her sit in a booster seat. She is nine years old but she is petite. She is about 66lbs and 52 inches tall (4ft 4inches).

We have this discussion each year when we go for her annual physical. "Can we ask Dr. Freeman if I am big enough to come out of the booster" "Sure we can, but if he says you need to stay in it then you will have too..."

I do realize that she is about to turn 10 in October - and I do sympathize with her that most of her cousins and friends are not in a booster seat anymore. However, I also realize that as a parent we have one shot to get it right and it is our responsibility to do what is best for our children - whether they like or understand it.

We had an extended conversation last night so I did some research. While it is not a NC State Law that she be in the booster seat - the National Highway Safety Organizations says:

Laws aside, kids aren't ready to make the switch from a booster seat to seat belts until they're at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and can pass the five-step test below — typically between ages 8 and 10.

Why the wait? Because a booster seat protects a child better than seat belts alone, and, in the event of a collision, an ill-fitting adult seat belt can actually cause injury instead of preventing it. If the lap belt rests on your child's tummy (which it's likely to do without a booster), for instance, he could suffer stomach, liver, or spleen damage. And if the shoulder belt rests against his neck rather than his chest, he may try to move it under his arm (where it could crack his ribs and damage internal organs) or behind his back (where it offers no protection at all against head, neck, or spinal injuries).

To judge whether your child is ready to ride with a seat belt alone, test the fit of your vehicle's belts from time to time. Buckle your child into the back seat without a booster seat, and consider the following:
• Does he sit all the way back against the car's seat?
• Do his knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat?
• Does the lap belt naturally rest below his belly, touching the top of his thighs?
• Is the shoulder belt centered across his shoulder and chest?
• Can he stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answer no to any of these questions, your child still needs to use a booster seat (some are designed for kids weighing up to 100 pounds).

So for now we will continue to hold our ground because while we don't want to intentionally embarrass our daughter, we would never be able to live with ourselves if our carelessness resulted in a tragedy.