Question Skinniest slimmest belt-positioning boosters??? Car purchase hangs in the balance...

Hello, Wonderful People! You saved me before and I am dearly hoping you can save me again! We are bravely going forward a family of SIX children. We are therefore considering the largest 8 passenger vehicle I can find - a 'second generation' (2004 to 2010 Toyota Sienna). (By largest I am talking hip measurement *ie carseat space* on the third row and the fact that it is 3 true full seats in the second row.) However, we were not very successful at getting a comfy fit of THREE SEATS in the third row of the Sienna. I would really like to keep the rear facing newborn and rear facing 2 year old in the second row (loading ease/accessibility). The last chair (passenger sliding door) needs to remain empty/for the oldest 12 year old so we can access the rear row. Now, finally to my question, with a FF Radian 65 (LOVE THOSE, have two!) what TWO BOOSTERS can install with it in that third row? I would really prefer them to be high backed, since it will be for children 6 to 10 years old over the coming years. I am not afraid to spend money on these booster seats, by the way. I have spent a GOOD LONG while researching narrow boosters but I keep getting leads on DISCONTINUED seats, so your current knowledge is like gold to me. Many thanks!

While there are narrower ones, I've heard that the Sunshine Kids Monterey sometimes "puzzles" really well with a Radian, and can work in spaces you wouldn't think it could.

Other than that the Britax Parkway SG/SGL and the Graco TurboBooster are the narrowest high backs I know of.

Hi there,
Your post hits home! 6 kids in a van, all in seats, is doable! I want all my kids in seats to age 12 if they fit, and we want 6 kids. I will only consider high-back boosters.

We just bought a 2011 Odyssey (8 seats; tether on every seat; I think Latch too) because we have almost 4 kids and want 6. I planned our car seat configurations for the next 12 years (and added two kids not even alive yet). Husband asked if we needed to decide now, and I said YES because our carseat purchases depend on it. So did the van.

Currently we have two RF seats side by side in the second row (Advocate with huge side wings for toddler is behind passenger, and Chaperone for infant in the middle). I needed easy access to these little ones. The empty seat is open so kids can climb in the back. In our van, the seats pull outward so you can get 3 in a row easily of any seat in the second row. In the back are two FF Radians for 3 and 4-year-old, but nothing in the middle. Only another Radian would fit in that middle. Maybe the Parkway? I have not tried.

So, here is my trick for the whole van for 6 kids. Buy and put a Sunshine Kids Radian on every seat in the third row (if you have kids who fit in these; FF or RF), and the second row middle seat. You can put any seat for kids 0 to 12 on the two sides middle row, so you're good there! For the third row, the only booster I know (but there could be more) that claims to do 3 in a row is a Britax Parkway SLG (maybe other models of this too?). I am hoping something better comes out b/c our Parkway (arrived today for aunt's car) did not impress. It's a plastic thing, like many others. Again I just looked at high-back.

The Sunshine Kids steel Monterrey is what I want but those won't work in the third row, 3 across with anything that I know of (I asked the company).

Speaking only as to what's available in 2011, if the kids were all older we'd have 3 Britax Parkways across the back, which can last to 63 inches or 120 lbs. A Monterrey on each side of the second row, and the middle seat would be a Parkway (unless the Monterrey fits on this jump seat. It might).

The only issue you are faced with is getting people in and out of the back if EVERY seat is taken. Might involve acrobatics. We are not there yet, but you do what you have to do. Kids can climb, after all.

You note you have a child who is 12. Is that child still in a seat? If not, you have more options!!! Our kids are all close together. You truly might have to use all three seats in second row for car seats, so all your kids can stay in car seats/boosters who need them. That might mean any child not still in a seat does have to climb to the back, or even if they have to get into boosters. I know, couldn't van makers have put a door in in the back?

I can fit a TB on the driver side next to a ffing CA in the middle. Thee is plenty of room on the passenger side for another TB. So, radian in the middle next to two hb TBs shoukd work.

Thanks to all! Yes, I should evaluate the Parkway and Turboboosters, maybe a Monterey. It's a bummer when there aren't specialty stores nearby, just the 'big box' types to test out these things (so very limited brands). I am getting hopeful about two turboboosters and a radian, since you think it's do-able.

It does make it easier to have a 12 year old (well she will be when the baby is born!) in the mix. She is a solid size (bigger than some petite women in height and weight) so just does a shoulder/lap belt very well. I admire the plans for more children you spoke about! Children are such blessings from heaven! And yes, right there with you about projecting out the sizes of kids and configurations for years to come - gotta know if you are going to be happy with your investment of a van in a few years!!

I have a 7 passenger AWD 2006 Sienna, so I don't know if the third row is narrower than the 8 passenger, but it's pretty narrow back there. I briefly had my 4 year old in a Radian in the center position, and would have been able to have my parkway sg on the passenger side, and a backless harmony lightrider on the drivers side. It was very difficult for dd in the harmony to access the seatbelt. Normally, I have ds in a MA in the passenger side with a seatbelt install, dd (7.5) and her friend (7.5) in two harmony lightriders. I know they're not highback, but there's no way that I'd be able to fit the parkway back there with the MA. The harmony lightriders have a narrow bottom. They flare at the armrests, but dd and her friend reach in front and under and are able to buckle themselves in.