do you ever move seats when traveling with fewer kids?

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singingpond

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #1

To preface my question, with three kids, I have three seats more or less permanently installed in our two vehicles. DD (4 m.o.) is currently riding outboard in an infant seat. In a few days I'm going to take a 3-hour trip with just her, and I'm thinking of putting her in the middle for that trip. In this case, it's a trivial amount of extra work, since DS#2's RF Radian is already in the center, and all I have to do is move the straps down for her. Also, she's going to be moving into the Radian in a few weeks anyway, since she's getting close to maximum height for the bucket, which is why it occured to me to put her there for this trip.

As another example, a few months ago we had all the carseats out of our big station wagon (had been hauling something or other), and the next day DH went somewhere with DS#1, while I stayed home with the younger two. I re-installed DS's Wizard in the center (not his usual spot), and DH joked when he saw it "I guess your mother wants YOU to survive in any case!"

It just made me wonder if anyone here does this more routinely -- i.e. move children into safer positions when the whole crew isn't riding with you. I don't 'love' installing carseats enough to do it that often, but I suspect some here might .

Katrin

 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #2

I don't... the kids have their assigned spots and this only changes when I add another baby to the mix.

The 3rd row is free game though... this one gets changed around frequently depending which extra children I have with me OR if DH pulls the 3rd row out to go get stuff (like a rototiller this weekend ).

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #3

I did, but only because Leila was usually the only kid in my car -- I rearranged to accomodate her 1/2 siblings about one or two weekends a month....

 

chaoticoctopus

Member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #4

Only the boosters.

 

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mylittlemonsters

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #5

I only move the boosters. I like to leave the others because I know they are installed securely and I don't want to have to mess around trying to make sure I get another great install.

 

sb518

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #6

I move mine around a lot, if I only have 1 kid with me I'll move her seat to the middle and take out the others, if I have two I put them on both sides. I'm just glad I have my britax latch straps, it makes installing outboard a LOT quicker!

 

1

1girltwinboyz

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #7

I mix mine around a lot too when one kid is gone for several days. Like dd went to visit her gma for 5 days so I moved the other FPSV to the 2nd row in our rental sienna so both boys were by a door and easier to get in and out. Then when ds's were gone for 2-3 days, I moved dd's booster to the 2nd row outboard (she generally sits in the 3rd row outboard driver side.) But now that all kids are here to stay for a while, I have one FP 2nd row drivers outboard, dd's parkway in the center of middle row (even though I cant see out rvmirror) and the other FP in the 3rd row pass outboard (in the sienna there is LATCH there but no in my honda ody) so i can get him in by folding up the middle pass outboard seat. Make sense? I can't wait to get my honda ody back and then really be back to normal!

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #8

I do. lol Joy's seat gets reinstalled fairly often. lol

 

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mylittlet

Senior Community Member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #9

Seats are assigned to spots in my minivan. In DHs truck it depends on who is with us. Because it is a crew cab 6-seater truck. I put everyone in the back seat ulness we are all in the truck then DS2 gets to forwardface in the middle.

Stefanie

 

broken4u05

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #10

I don't. I have my 2 boys i watch almost every day and i keep my 3rd seat in for when i have all 3 godchildren. I will often change things around just for fun

 

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trailrunnermom

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #11

I do several times each week --

On days when I don't keep my great-nieces, I take out the baby's RF FPSVD (in captain's chair) and replace it with another FPSVD (FF) for DS2. This way, both boys can be on the 2nd row together. (The other captain's chair has DS1's Husky.)

This switch is quick to do because it's so easy to install the FPSVDs both RF and FF. (I learned not to move the Radian around once I have a good seatbelt install, although I will if we have a long drive, because I think the Radian is more comfortable for him.)

 

cdncasper

New member

• Aug 2, 2007

• #12

I like to change them all the time. I currently have 2 Radians in the middle bench and a bolero passanger rear bench. If I go out with a friend than I put one Radian in the rear and a RF Marathon or AOE in the middle bench. The Bolero is set up for both my niece and friend's older son so I don't have to fiddle with the Radian straps if I have either in the van.

 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

• Aug 2, 2007

• #13

I don't reinstall seats (generally speaking), but I do sometimes let a child ride in another child's seat. For example, if Roman's not in the car, Eva can ride in his 2nd row Parkway instead of her 3rd row Parkway. When both kids were in Marathons, I did the same thing if the empty seat was "safer" than the "assigned" seat.

 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus

• Aug 3, 2007

• #14

I do, but then we're talking about the difference between the child riding in the front or the back. When I have to take all 4 kids in the VW, my 12 yo has to ride in the front. When I've only got 3 kids, I move him to the back every time. Up until last week, this sometimes meant un-installing dd's Marathon and re-installing it after the trip.

 

J

Jeff

New member

• Aug 3, 2007

• #15

I keep my seat uninstalled and in the back of my vehicle until I need to use it, and then I alternate between the driver side and passenger side 2nd row seat to not indent either one repeatedly and also to break up the monotony for me and Alexis.

 

canadianmom2three

Active member

• Aug 3, 2007

• #16

I don't generally move the seats around for safety...DS's Radian is not ever budging again...I joked with DH that it better stay clean, cause it's not coming out till he outgrows it . In the 2nd row center it is already in the safest spot, and that spot is unsafe for anyone else (at least in my family) anyway cause its lap belt only. The two big kids ride outboard in the rear, where I think they are safer cause riding 3 across in the middle leaves them extremely close to the doors, whereas in the rear they are at least a bit more centered, and we have an extended, so a bit more crumple room back there. Sometimes I do move the boosters up to the third row if we have something huge to put in the back, but all 3 hate riding next to one another like that anyway, and it is a nightmare, so I avoid it at all costs

 

elle7715

Member

• Aug 3, 2007

• #17

If I was taking a long trip I would. DS is also outboard in his infant seat but I think the last time I drove with him alone was the day after he came home. If I had, say, a BV in the center I would put whoever was riding with me that day in it. But since I have to rethread straps it's not worth it for quick trips.