Graco AFFIX Highback Booster Seat with Latch System {Review}

Although our weekends are often busy with birthday parties, visiting family, running errands and more, there are times when my husband and I look at the calendar and are happy to see that Saturday and Sunday are wide open.

I'm especially thankful, as my wonderful husband will then plan a variety of outings for himself and the girls, leaving me home to revel in the peace and quiet that I typically don't have all week long. Ahhhh.

However, as much as I would like to say that I spend my hours to myself completely and utterly relaxed, that just doesn't happen. Putting aside any cleaning, laundry or blogging, there's also the issue of my constant worry.

Is it an irrational fear to spend the day fretting that something terrible might happen to the three most important people in my life? Maybe. But that doesn't stop me from looking out the window every time I hear a car drive by to see if it's them returning home safely.

Thankfully, I can usually ease some of my nerves by reminding myself that we have done what we can to keep our children as safe as possible. After all, while I never want to receive a phone call about an accident, at least I know that choices such as the Graco AFFIX Highback Booster with Latch System have decreased the chances of anything serious happening.

Regardless of your state's laws, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends children remaining in booster seats up to age 12. But while parents spend a great deal of time picking out their newborn's first car seat or the convertible seat that they will then transition to, how much is known about booster seats? And how do we convince our children that they're "cool" enough that they won't mind sitting in them?

Luckily, Graco has a variety of booster seats ranging from harnessed to belt-positioning in high back and no-back to meet the needs and personalities of preschool and school-aged children who may be reluctant about sitting in a booster seat.

And, when the box containing a Graco AFFIX in Atomic red arrived, I knew that it was just the right blend of fashion and function by embodying a child's personal style and keeping them safe and secure in a vehicle as well.

Available in red, pink and silver, the AFFIX Highback Booster is for use forward facing with the back for children that are 3-10 years old, 30-100 lbs and 38" to 57" tall. Then, as it easily converts to a backless booster, the AFFIX can also be used for your 4 to 10-year-old who weighs 40 to 100 lbs and is 40" to 57" tall.

With hardly any assembly required, it doesn't take much more than pulling this car seat out of the box before it is ready for use.

It only took a minute or two to pop the armrests in, snap the headrest into place and connect the back to the booster seat. By easily locking the pieces together and standing the back upright, I soon had a high quality, durable, comfortable booster ready for use.

Catching a first glimpse of the Graco AFFIX, Big Sister E was excited about the bright red coloring and the "big kid" look and feel.

She immediately pointed out the integrated cup holder and hide-away storage compartment and how pleased she was with the convenience of being able to keep her own drink and belongings right within reach.

Heading out to the car, my husband and I were both excited to find that there was barely any installation involved, as Graco included a One-hand Latch System to secure this booster seat to the vehicle seat. Even better, the unique front adjustment of the Latch allowed us to quickly and easily tighten the AFFIX into place without having to reach under or around.

Not only does this secure connection prove convenient for parents to know that the booster seat is properly in place, but it keeps the whole seat very steady so that the child won't have any problem buckling themselves right in.

Once the AFFIX was safely in place, I took a minute to admire the thought that Graco put into its safety features. As well as the ease of installation, the adjustable head support and energy absorbing foam are both great additions for reducing impact and keeping my precious cargo safe in the car.

As an added bonus, I love the open-loop belt guides up at the shoulders to help ensure that Big Sister E correctly positions her seat belt when getting in and buckling up.

All in all, Graco has done a wonderful job reducing my fears and easing my worries, while also keeping my big girl safe and secure. I have no doubt that we will be using the AFFIX with the Highback in place for quite a while... and, considering how extremely easy it is to simply remove the back and turn it into a backless booster, we'll be using it even longer after that!

When it comes to car seats, strollers, high chairs, swings, activity centers, monitors, and much more, Graco has the items that meet all the needs of children from birth to the preschool years in an affordable way — this booster seat will last for years to come and sells for $79.99 on Amazon or in stores near you.

Find out more about the AFFIX Highback Booster Seat with Latch System on the Graco website and be sure to connect with this award-winning company on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Other than the AFFIX Booster Seat I was provided by Graco to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this review in any way. This post is solely my honest opinion of this product and this company.