Help with 4 seats

justhat

New member
I tried searching but didn't find anything.

Anyway, we recently learned we are expecting a 4th child in April. Our other kids will be, at that time, 9, 6, and 3. Right now the 2.5yo is RF in a Britax Advocate, 6yo is harnessed in a Britax Frontier 85, 8.5yo is in the Frontier 85 as a booster.

I currently drive a GMC Acadia with 2nd row captains chairs. The Frontier booster is latched/tethered in the 2nd row, and the RF Advocate is in the other 2nd row seat. My 6yo is in the middle seat of the 3rd row, Frontier installed with a seatbelt, tethered.

Problem I have is that there is only 1 tether hook in the 3rd row and no latch hooks at all. So when this new baby comes along, convenience wise I need to put both the baby and my 3yo in the 2nd row. The 3yo will have to turn FF because otherwise my older kids couldn't get in (unless they climb under the seats, which they have done, but for my oldest that is pretty tough). Not ideal as she's super small (35" and 24lbs at 2.5yo), but has to be done.

Anyway, that leaves the older 2 in the back, where I can't tether their seats. My 6yo can stay harnessed for awhile (he's 45lbs and 45"), and the oldest one really needs the booster still as the seatbelt doesn't fit her properly without one. (At 8.5yo she is pretty big, 55" and 65lbs, but she doesn't pass the test, at least not in my car.) I can't do a backless booster for her because then her head is over the headrest and it isn't adjustable.

So what are the options? First, can my 6yo stay harnessed in the Frontier without the tether? Second, what about the Frontier as a booster? I think I remember reading in the manual that it doesn't have to be latched, but what about the tether? Other issue is the seatbelts are fairly small in the outboard 3rd row seats, so when I have put the Frontier back there as a booster, the seatbelt has locked up, which is then a pain to undo.

What do other people with 4 kids do? I'm open to other seats or also a different car as we had been considering getting one anyway.
 
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Brianna

New member
Does the Advocate fit RF in the 3rd row? I know I fit a Cosco infant seat baseless back there, but it was a tight fit. At 9 a low back booster is an acceptable choice, and some would prefer that to an unlatched Frontier in booster mode because of how heavy the seat is.

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*edit- sorry, I just noticed you said she's too tall for a backless because of the headrest issue. What backless boosters have you tried her in?
 

justhat

New member
Our backless boosters are Graco Turboboosters.

The Advocate *might* fit RF in the back, but logistically, climbing back there to get her in the seat, well, I don't see that working well. I could put it FF back there, but there's the no tether hook again. Same issue once I move my 6yo's Frontier out of the middle, no tether hook. And fitting a seat back there with the Frontier in the middle is difficult.
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
Your 6 year old has 20 lbs until the tether is required (must be used over 65 lbs). You say your 3rd row belts are short. Can you do LBP with the Frontier? I'd feel better about using that routing if it's not tethered.

Would he be ready for a booster by next spring? I'd probably go with something lighter weight than unlatched Frontiers for the booster riders. :twocents:
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
I'd put the 6yr old and 3yr old in the rear... since you're going to put the 3yr old ff anyway (and I see loading through the hatch would probably be a pain due to the design of the vehicle... at least she'll have rearfaced that long), I'd give the 3yr old the top tether anchor back there and use a seatbelt install.

I'd use that time to move the 6yr old to a dedicated booster (probably Recaro Vivo... it gives me the least trouble in third rows where head space is limited and it sits low to get the most height out of it).

then I'd put the 9yr old in the 2nd row... she can crawl back and buckle the 3yr old, or plan to load the 3yr old first and have the 3yr old behind the 9yr old where you have the empty seat to move/fold to access the third row and buckle the 3yr old.

The 9yr old being in the same row with the baby will also be nice for her being able to help keep baby happy.

otherwise, for a lower profile backless booster, try the cosco top side... it only lifts a kid up 3", compared to the usual 6... the cosco ambassador is even lower than that in the back... (with the top side, just CAREFULLY open the plastic bag and check it right away in the parking lot so you can return it if it doesn't work in the 3rd row for the 9yr old... the ambassador comes in a box, so easier to keep packaging looking nice while you test the fit)
 

justhat

New member
Can use use the tether hook if the seat isn't in the middle? What I mean is there is just one tether hook for the 3rd row and it is behind the middle seat. If I move the 3yo to that middle seat, my son won't fit next to her in the frontier. If I can install it on the side, and use the tether I can do that. Or if it doesn't need the tether. I knew the frontier didn't for my 6yo yet, and i sometimes move that to a side seat, untethered if we have other people in the car. But I thought the advocate had to be tethered?

The recaros are lighter weight? If so I Might switch my 6yo to one next spring, though I do prefer him harnessed cause he is one who needs a lot of reminding to sit properly. But he'll be older so maybe he'd be fine.

Oh, and no, no lbp possible back there. It *almost* reaches in the middle seat, but nowhere close on the sides.
 

cryswilkins

New member
I would booster both the bigger kids, try he Advocate in the center third row FFing, and a skinny high back booster, for the 9 year old. Maybe a Probooster, or one of the Evenflo boosters with the flip up armrests. If that fits, then the baby and the six year old can go in the second row. This solution only has you buying one new seat too.

Also, do you plan on using an infant seat for the baby? You could put the baby in the infant seat in the second row and just wait to click it in the base until the bins have climbed in the third row. You would need to buy two boosters for the big kids that way though.
 

justhat

New member
Totally forgot about the infant seat being removable! Thanks! Yes, we have a Britax Chaperone that I bought for my 2.5yo so we can still use that. (In fact, she's so little that she still fits in it height and weight wise and we used it in my husband's car till a few months ago). That will lend some time to keep the 3yo RF if we go that route and buy 2 boosters.

The ProBooster, can that one be used without headrests? I have never researched dedicated boosters till now, but I think some need a headrest, right?
 

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