Car seat choice

If their current car seats have isofix fittings you will be able to transfer them from their car to yours each time you have the children. Their parents will have researched, read reviews and put a lot of thought into buying the best they could afford. It makes sense for you just to use them if possible. I had intended buying seats for my car as I had my grandchildren several times a week. But their parents demonstrated how simple it was to transfer the seats over and that became our routine.

I would have thought that the parents researched seats so would be guided by them.

Halfords are good with advice about car seats. If the parents have researched this then go with what they prefer.

Presumably they will be paying for them as they might be a lot more expensive than the traditional booster seats.

By the time my two older DGC were 12 they were taller than me (I'm average height).

Definitely ask the parents what they would prefer. There’s no room for errors, then.

Beware, though, that not all Isofix seats are that easy to remove. I can do my GD’s high back seat but I simply cannot get the little one’s Joie Spin out of the car. I’m physically not strong enough to manoeuvre the seat whilst taking its weight - all 14kilos!

I have to get my son-in-law to install/remove the seat.

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm thinking the 7yr old will soon be too big for the car seat she is in now, a rotating one with harness and top tether. I will be buying it and want one which will last. I don't think I could manoeuvre her one into my car, and often their car isn't there at the right time. I think we need another discussion, I won't do anything they're not happy with.

Follow their mother's lead. And whatever you do, please do not buy second hand.

My DDIL is very safety conscious (excellent) and bought me a suitable car seat (excellent). But it was very difficult to manoeuvre my aging body across little one to click the very stiff seat belt. It did my head in.
Yes to parental choice, but check that grandparents are able to manipulate the seat.

I have a Joie 360 spin seat for my granddaughter which has been brilliant to get her in and out when she was a baby.
She is 4 soon and will be too big for the Joie so I am looking for a new seat but my daughter says for safety it still has to be rear facing with a harness, but I do feel she is uncomfortable rear sitting as she has to cross her legs and I wouldn’t like her to be sitting long like that.
I have to do what her parents want, but can’t see her sitting rear facing in a few years so doesn’t seem value for money.

1summer I have a similar issue with rear facing seat and a 4 year old - I feel your frustration

We had isofix in our car but it was still a nightmare trying to get the seats in and out. Even our sil struggled.
The only other way was to keep seats in place all the time but then that affected us with passengers parcels etc. I hated it as much as I hated opening and closing the push chair.
I would let the parents decide and let them get what they want, making sure it’s straightforward and easy to fix.

Definitely ask the parents what they would prefer

My 3GD are 8, 5 and 5....I just have 3 booster seats ....their parents are fine with these.

I havnt checked but I thought booster seats are banned.

silverlining48

I havnt checked but I thought booster seats are banned.

No, they are not banned.

www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road-safety/car-seat-laws/#:~:text=Children%20must%20use%20a%20child,who%20weigh%20between%2015%2D36kg

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules#:~:text=Children%20must%20normally%20use%20a
£500 fine

Interesting information about weight, thank you. It used to be by height. I worked in a school and we had a mark on the door frame to measure which children needed to bring a booster cushion for school trips.
I wonder if it is possible to add a tether to a booster seat with the adjustable head rest. I will be paying and I don't want to buy twice.