help! bench seat and "big kid" boosters

Oh please help! Hubby just got a new vechicle - A ford Excursion! ITs an 8 seater, and the rear seat is bench with NO headrests (Ugh!). We have 4 kiddos (they all tend to be about 75% for height, so a bit tall...).

The 9 month old is rear-facing (tethered ina Britax marathon). He is sitting in the center of the 2nd row.

Next is 5 yodd who is 45" tall. We have a marathon I can throw her into (thinking an outboard 3rd row seat for her).

Next is the 6.5 yodd who is 48" tall...long limbed and thin.

Oldest is 54" yods...(okay in our 2005 Sienna, and in grandparents vechicles...once in a blue moon needs a low back booster).

I'm okay in the 2nd row - - there are headrests and 3 point belts on the outboard position. Kids can use boosters as needed fot those 2 spots.

Where I am freaking out is the 3rd row!!!! We keep our vechicles for a LONG time - - I need the 3rd row to be safe for the 2 girls now...and can then move baby to back... My goal is to find the safest LONGEST seats for the 3rd row - - where there is no headrest. I've considered doing the Husky (or soon to be ????new name???), I've considered the Recaro boosters, some of the Britax boosters, or the new foldable 500 one.

2 biggest concerns:

finding something to provide neck/head support since there is no vechicle headrest (can't I buy a bench seat with this somewhere???)...

finding something to fit "big kids" (almost all reviews on Boosters are for 4 and 5 year olds (Most boosters "technically" work for big kids...but I need these to fit a tall 7 year olds body...)

PLEASE help!!! I'd be glad to pay what I need to... so throw me all your thoughts on making that 3rd row safe for my school-age kiddos!!!! Thanks!!!

Jenna

My 7 y.o. stepdaughter is 52"+ & she has plenty of room in her Parkway ... a few years of time left to grow out of it We have 5 or 6 different kinds of boosters & this one fits in tight seating arrangements the best/easiest, is the most comfortable for the kids, has longer use for head & hip room

The Parkway...great! It is so nice to hear that a long, lean kiddo is actually using it and fitting into it!

How about 1 parkway for the 6.5 yodd (48" tall), keep the 44" 5 yodd in the Marathon???, should i bother with a "Husky"??? or simply move her to a Prakway when she gets too tall for the Marathon? (Was thinking the Husky would not look the "same" as her baby brother's carseat...and help her stay in 5 point harness longer...)

Thanks!
Jenna

My sister just bought a Parkway for her 7yodd, who at 53" and 45lbs is very tall and thin. Her dd absolutely LOVES her seat. (She had been in a Bodyguard for 2 years and a FP grow with me before that). She says it much comfier than her old seat (the Bodyguard) and she likes to 'pet it like a kitten', LOL.
I think in your car I'd put the Husky and a FFing Marathon in the back row and then your infant rfing outboard driver's side and your oldest in a Parkway in the second row. Then eventually you will move the 6yodd to the oldest child's parkway and the 5 year old to the Husky/Regent. Baby will stay in the Marathon until it expires at 6 years old. If you don't want to put your 6.5 yo in a harness then I'd get another Parkway for her, too. This arrangement makes it so that the oldest can help with the baby and no one has to climb over any carseats to get in and out.

I know a mom who's still *cramming* her 99 pound 13 yo into the Parkway in her dad's work truck, so I think it should be a fairly good seat for a long time (The Compass folding booster is really really short...not so hot..the Starriser Comfy is about as tall as the Parkway, and not as confining, so it might be a good choice, but no Side Impact Protection)... You can't go wrong with a Husky (soon to be Regent) I dont think...it fits most kids to age 8 at least, some as long as 11... But be sure the Husky rider can buckle themself without a lot of help..it might be harder than a Booster.

When your youngest 2 are getting too big for boosters in the third row, THEN it's time for a new car again

Thanks so much everyone!!! Its a quick drive over to Babies R Us where I can pick up a Parkway (and I can go get it in my "safe" Sienna *grin*). It sounds wonderful...and a great match for my "big" passengers!!!

Any word on when the Regent is actually going to be available??? Some sites are saying August, and others are saying "Fall". I just wondered how long I might have to wait to put the 6.5 year old into it??? ( I would buy the Husky if I needed to, but the Regent does have a bit more "curb appeal"...). Figure she can do the Parkway for a month or two.

Thanks for the suggestions on "configuring" the kids - - some great ideas!!! And thanks too for the info on the "other" boosters - sounds like the Parkway really is a GREAT match for our situation! I feel like I have A Plan - for "now" and for "later" - - I think I'll sleep much better tonight....(I seriously got 3 hours of sleep last night roaming the web and stressing over this - - so thank you ALL for helping us out!!!!)

Jenna