4 kids, 2 cars and lots of questions...

4 kids, 2 cars and lots of questions...

I have a couple of questions :>)

First some details - I have 4 kids, an almost 6 yr old boy,(50 lbs and 48"), a 4.5 yr old girl (46 lbs, 43"), a almost 3 yr old boy (27 lbs, ~38") and a 1 yr old boy (18.5 lbs, 29.5 "). We have a 96 Ford Explorer with an integrated seat, a Century 1000 (? - 5pt ) and an Eddie Bauer Booster/5pt. We also have a 2000 Ford Windstar with LATCH, but we aren't using it (yet). In the Windstar we have 2 Century Breverra Ascends, with tethers used as boosters in the back, one Evenflo Horizon V with tether for my almost 3 yr old, and a Century Avanta with base for the infant in the captain's seats in the middle row.

1st - We want to change the configuration in the Explorer (and maybe the Windstar) because it is very difficult to buckle the booster with the Century in the middle. (It wasn't an issue when we had all in harnesses.) The Century is an older seat and we are ready to replace it. The younger two kids would travel in it occasionally. Are there two seats you would recommend - a narrow convertible/front facing, and/or a booster with easier access to the buckle? Would the Britax Laptop work in the middle an older child, with the younger kids in the integrated and a 5pt booster?

2nd - Though we have a while at our infant's current growth rate, we will need to move him forward facing eventually. I think the current seat will last until 18 mos at current growth curve. (Getting our money's worth out of it :>) What seat should I be watching out for that would work well with the LATCH system and he could use for a long time?

3rd - Can we use the LATCH system and tether with our booster seats? My younger son really wants to sit in his older siblings seats and when we used the harness we could do so easily. But my daughter is now over 40 lbs and it is a hassle to buckle the booster in just to unbuckle it again in the morning. With the LATCH system I could easily swap between harness and shoulder belt with the kids.

4th - Right now we are limited to carrying only our four kids in our van though it should carry 5 in back because our booster seats use up lots of the back seat. Would the Britax Laptop work in the back middle with the lap belt for occasional use? Are there narrower booster seats that would give more room in the back?

5th - Which is the safest location in the van for the kids I am carrying all the time - the younger two? Currently I need to have the infant in the middle passenger due to his rear-facing infant seat, but when he is turned around is the middle row safest, or the back row?

Thanks for having this resource. I will also be asking my local SafeKids Coalition these questions. They know me by name, I have used them so often :>)

Cindy

I can answer a few...

2) One seat to consider is the Safety 1st Forerunner, or the previous version which is the Cosco Triad. This seat is rearfacing to 35 pounds and has LATCH. That might let you keep your youngest sone rear-facing a bit longer, which is safest.

3) The Century Breverras can be used with Century's EZ LATCH kit, both while in harness use and in bpb use. Unfortunately, Cosco (Eddie Bauer) does not allow this with their kit, LATCH may be used only with the internal harness. For LATCH kit compatibility, also see:

www.car-safety.org/latch.html

For carseat dimensions including widths, see:

(Carseat Data website closed - link broken)

4) The Laptop is fine with a lap-only seatbelt, and is good to 65 pounds. It is probably the narrowest option you will find for older kids using a lap belt. As it offers less side impact protection than high-back booster seats, it is ideal for the center spot. Keep in mind that the tops of your child's ears must not be above the top of the back of the seat, so they have adequate whiplash protection.

5) Generally, the rule is to put the least protected passengers in the most protected positions. Rear-facing seats offer the most protection, followed by front-facing seats using an internal harness, followed by boosters. So, whenever possible, we try to put the older kids in the middle row and/or middle seats. The outboard seats have a bit higher risk of side-impact intrusion, and the 3rd row seat is under increasing scrutiny for rear-impacts. Of course, the most important thing is that the carseats must install properly. If they don't install well in the 'safest' position, it is better to move them to a spot where they fit well.

While it probably isn't the most convenient, I might tend to put the two oldest and their boosters in the middle, and the youngest FF and RF in the rear of the Windstar. The harnesses and shell of their carseats will offer more protection from intrusion and ejection in case of a rear impact. Obviously, any spot in the back is relatively safe, so obviously switching things around a bit isn't going to be the difference between safe and unsafe. As long as the carseats are installed and used properly, it is the difference between safe and a bit safer.

I'll let someone else field #1, or get back to you when I have a bit more time I should also note there is one seat that may interest you. It's the Fisher Price Futura 20/60. It has an internal harness that goes to 60 pounds, and can be used with a lap-only belt. These are very hard to find as they have been discontinued, but Dmart has some left:

store.yahoo.com/dmart2/fispric20car.html

While this is a very safe option for many kids over 40 pounds, some do outgrow it by height before weight when their shoulders are above the top harness slots.

Good luck!

Re: I can answer a few...

Thanks. I got the LATCH retro-fits for all four seats int he Windstar and installed them today. I was glad to find one that worked with the infant seat since we have needed to use a locking clip and it was real hard to get it very tight. The LATCH system worked well. The other three seats don't even budge :>)

I will watch for the Forerunner - we have at least a few months before we need it.

I think I will also watch for the Britax Super Elite. This would be nice to have in the Explorer for my almost 6 yr old. And if I can find enough, I might upgrade the booster seats in the Windstar to the Super Elite also. Too bad they don't use LATCH. Any idea when they might?

Thanks again,

Cindy B. - same person as first question, just new id :>)

Britax LATCH

I would also like to know if the Super Elite will ever have LATCH. One thing is for sure, I don't think they can make any more of them after 9/1/02 if it doesn't, thanks to the new law.

Kmart carries the Forerunner at $69.99, less on sale. They may also have the similar Triad for $79.99 regular price. They often have sales for 10-20% off...

Good luck!