What arrangement would you choose?

My parents are coming next week, and it made me realize that I need my kiddos to be side-by-side in the car. They haven't been next to each other since DS was in his Snugride. So tonight I was playing around and here's the thing... I have an '05 CR-V. The tiny center seat. DD is in a Turbobooster outboard. DS has been riding in a Radian but that won't fit in the center seat (especially because we need the angle adjuster, which is too wide there). In DH's car I have a MyRide that I could put in my center spot or we have a spare True Fit. Since DH is out, I put the TF in the center. It fits and is secure, but there is NO WAY DD is going to be able to buckle herself into the TB with the TF there. Which leaves the MyRide as an option for the center. The thing is, even if the MyRide fits and she can buckle in, both of my parents are larger people and one of them will be sitting back there. So WWYD out of these options:

1) TF in the center, DD in her TB outboard, just someone will have to buckle (and possibly unbuckle) her for the 1.5 weeks their seats are like this. Passenger should have an OK amount of space.

2) MyRide in the center, DD in her TB outboard. She should be able to buckle herself fine, but it might be a tight squeeze for the passenger.

3) TF in the center, DD harnessed FFing in the Radian. Passenger should have an OK amount of space. DD still fits by height & weight in the Radian. But she hasn't been harnessed in well over a year and I expect protesting. But we wouldn't have to deal with issues of someone always needing to buckle/unbuckle her.

Thoughts?

(We will be 5 to my car most of the time. When we have DH's car then we don't need to squeeze someone in the back there, but most of the time DH won't be joining us.)

I'd be a bit worried about the MR getting unbuckled... No chance the TB can go center, with the MR outboard on the other side? Preferably the TB and passenger buckling next to each other?

I'd go with 1 or 3. Ask you dd whether she prefers help with the booster or to go back in the RN (that she might be able to do independently.)

I'd want to leave a semi-decent amount of room for the grandparent, as a courtesy to them.

ketchupqueen said:

I'd be a bit worried about the MR getting unbuckled... No chance the TB can go center, with the MR outboard on the other side? Preferably the TB and passenger buckling next to each other?

Click to expand...

Oooh I forgot to consider about the center seat getting unbuckled. Actually, come to think of it, in the configuration we have now (whether TF or MR is center), the buckle stalk is on the side opposite of the TB so unbuckling the center seat isn't the issue. It's just the ease of buckling/unbuckling the TB that's the issue.

ETA: I was thinking backwards on this, thinking the concern would be about DD unbuckling the MR, not the passenger. Hmmm... I remember when we had DS in the center in the SR we turned the female end of the buckle 1/2 turn so the release button was facing in, and my MIL never unbuckled it. But it does seem like that might be something to watch for. Perhaps if I can convince DD to ride in the Radian, I can put her in the center and DS outboard to avoid any seats being unbuckled...

The TB can't go in the center because the TB's base is wider than the space between the belts (if that makes sense), so the TB sits on top of the female end of the belt and that's not safe, right??

I think having both kids harnessed makes the most sense in this situation. Maybe the outboard seat can be on the side where the two buckles are together (if that makes sense) so the passenger only has access to their own buckle and can't unbuckle a seat by mistake.

Okay, this is what I'd do... ask your lovely 6yr old dd if she wants to be able to ride in the same car with Grandma (or whatever she calls her) and Grandpa (or whatever she calls him)

Then explain that in the car, if someone sits back there (and promise to install HER seat in that delicious center seat so she can sit right next to her grandparent) there isn't room enough for her booster seat to get buckled and unbuckled. And that she needs to ride harnessed during their visit.

Now the OTHER option (which I don't know if you'd be comfortable with or not would be to try a narrow backless booster like the harmony literider/cruz or the cosco top side (the narrowest booster out there) and if the belt fit is good, let her use that.

I'd be more inclined to harness, but that's me. (and this from the woman who made Jeffrey after he'd recently moved to a hbb permanently ride harnessed in a Radian so I could fit all 5 kids (my 3 and 2 cousins) in the back of my van. And I put it to him that way, too, but I got more specific because he didn't HAVE to for me to fit them all, only if he wanted to sit next to one of them. I told him, if you want to sit next to S (his favorite cousin only 4mo younger than him), you will have to sit in the Radian. Only a carseat can go there (middle seat... lap only belt) so either you go there in a Radian, or I put your sister there in the Radian. He quickly chose to not only do that, but let his cousin use his Parkway (old style... this was a few years ago) and his brother used his backless on the other side... and I put their other cousin in the 2nd row and she ended up using S's big Cosco Prospect backless cause the shoulderbelt was too high even on the lowest setting to not rub her neck and she wanted the seatbelt under her arm... yeah... I'm THAT mean... lol... S pulled that one on me last time he was here... "Daddy let's me ride..." My boys beat me to it and cut him off... "well, Mom makes us ride safest! Mom doesn't want your Dad to come after her if there's an accident and you aren't perfectly fine!" (yes, they've heard my speeches)

Anyway, I'm sure she will do what she has to in order to have her grandparents be able to ride with her.

If she fits in the Radian, that would prevent problems and give more room. That's now first choice. Second is a narrow booster (the BubbleBum fits anywhere, but others mentioned above are cheaper though not quite as small.)

To my surprise, she accepted my offer of the Radian (and a little incentive for riding in it for almost 2 weeks). Thank God, it will just make things so much easier.

Woo-hoo! That should make it much easier!