Help settle a car seat argument please...

DH just got a 1990 BMW 52i or 53i or 5somethingi. Well we got Seth back rf but he would only fit behind the passenger seat as dh is driving. So I put the Apex behind dh but I cant get a good install. (The top of Johnathons ears are below the top of the seat so his head has support). Since I cant get a tight install I put Johnathon in the FPSV booster.
Dh thinks we should put Seth FF behind him and Johnathon back in the Spex with no tethers mind you.
I say Id rather Seth be rf and Johnathon boostered as I think it is more important for Seth to be rf.

What do you say??? Johnathon will be 6 on the 20th and he is 41lbs. He sit very very well in the booster. The seatbelt does not lock but he still sits well.


This is a German car and the seatbelts buckle by the door. The seatbelt buckly is inside the seat so only the hole for the seatbelt and the red realease button stick out. It is a really weird set up... I tried everything to get the Apex in and it isnt working. And I am really good about getting seats in so I just dont think it is going to happen.

Anyways I wanted your advice on this. This will be the car we use until Sept 2 when we get the van.

How does your older ds sit in a booster?

I think I would base the decision off of that. Your younger ds is still a peanut and less than 2yrs old, so provided your older son does well in a booster, I'd rather see your almost 6yr old in a booster and your younger ds rf'ing.

If your older ds doesn't do well in a booster, then I'd turn your younger ds ff'ing temporarily. But a 41lb almost 6yr old who sits well in a booster is safe. Your younger ds is at such a critical age & stage where the benefits of rf'ing are still so huge.

I believe in most collisions, there would be less risk with having your older ds in a booster, than in ff'ing your younger ds.

see that is what I said also. Seth was FF some b/c he wouldnt fit RF in some of these cars out here. Then he was pissed when we tried to RF him again but we just got him RF again and I want to keep it that way.

Johnathon is great in a booster. He sits well, listens and falls asleep w/o slumping.

since you are getting a van soon i would put your johnathan in the booster. he sits well, is big enough, and you can't get a good install with the apex so rule it out for now. he is safer in the booster then in a poorly installed harnessed seat. then leave seth rf...since you just got him back that way he doesn't like it in all vehicles just make it easier for him and put it that way and leave it. then once you get the van you can try the apex again.

Since your older ds sits and even sleeps well in a booster, I'd absolutely put him in the booster and leave Seth rf'ing. I have no doubt at all in this scenario as to what I'd recommend...

eta: A 6yr old who is 40lbs or more and sits well in a booster, is not unsafe in a booster. There is nothing inherently wrong with using a booster full time with a 40lb 6yr old who sits well. It's much different from putting a 30lb 3yr old or 30lb 4yr old into a booster. He has the maturity - and the size, to make booster use a safe option for him.

Thanks again. I cant wait to get my van. We get in next Monday and I am so ready..

His Apex installs properly behind the passanger seat just not the driver seat. It is a difference in the spacing of the seatbelt and the female end of the buckle.

He will keep using his booster for now. We are going on the Audobun for the first time this weekend so I am a little freaked. LOL