Which child in which seat?

I need some help figuring out which child should sit in which seat and in which location.

The vehicle is a 2007 Honda Odyssey.

The children are (all measurements are what the mother/aunt shared with me):
1) 5.5 years old, 41 pounds, 44 inches tall. Torso length around 17-18 inches? Usually rides in a Husky.
2) 3.5 years old, 38 pounds, 41 inches tall. I don't know the torso length. Usually rides in a Regent.
3) 2 years old, 27 pounds, 37 inches tall. Torso length around 14 inches? Usually rides in a RF Radian.
4) 4 months old, 16 pounds, 25 or so inches. I don't know the torso length. Usually rides in a SS1.
5) 2 months old, 13 pounds, 24 or so inches. I don't know the torso length. Usually rides in a SR.


All five children need to be transported together for the next two to three weeks (they are cousins and there is a family emergency that will require all five children to be under the care of one adult). Mom/aunt doesn't know how often she will need to bring the children out, but she needs to be prepared.


She has the following seats available:

One Britax Husky
One Britax Regent
Two Britax Marathons
Two Sunshine Kids Radians
One Graco SS1
One Graco SR


Who should ride where and in what?

My idea was to put the two older kids in the captain's chairs (in their Husky and Regent) and to put the three RF kids across the back in a RF Radian, RF Marathon, and RF Radian.

I was told that this wouldn't work because the three RF seats won't fit across the back. I haven't seen the vehicle, so I am blindly recommending arrangements.


What do you guys think? Any ideas?

Would it work better to put the snugride between the two rear-facing radians? I might make it easier to get the children into their seats if the middle spot has the base or is open.

If it were me, in an emergency situation, I think that I would put the infant seats in the captains chairs and do FF Radian(5.5 yo)/FF Marathon(2yo)/FF Radian(3.5yo) or FF Marathon (2yo)/FF Radian(5.5yo)/FF Marathon(3.5yo) in the third row.

Yes, that does involve flipping the two year old FF.

Here is my logic. This woman has 5 kids under the age of six including two infants. They are not all hers and she's not used to having them all the time on her own. Her life needs to be made as simple as possible (while still keeping the kids safe, of course). Infant buckets in the third row are not making her life easy. Nor is a RFing convertible in the third row (furthermore, I'm not sure if it would fit).

If she is insistent on RFing the two year old, I think the best bet is to put him in the captains chair in a RFing Marathon (driver's side) and try to move the snugride to the third row in between two Radians.

Any idea as to what she's going to do with the infants? Does she have a double stroller or is she going to wear one and put one in the stroller. I was thinking of keeping the buckets for convenience sake, but if she doesn't have a double stroller they can snap into, she's not really tied to the buckets (except the buckets will make it easier for the other kids to get in and out of the car).

I'd probably not use the husky/regents as they take up so much room. In most cars and large SUVs I can get 3 MAs across so I would for sure put two MAs and the Radian in the back, either with one RFing or all three FFing. I am not a huge fan of buckets but would probably keep the babies in what they are used to and put those in the captains chairs.
A double stoller and a good sling will definately make her life easier and a trip to the grocery store before hand will simplify things a lot.
Amanda

Thanks, guys!

I am not sure how she is planning on handling all these kids, but she will make it work somehow!

The idea of putting the older kids in the Radians is a good idea. I will suggest that she try the oldest in the Radians to make sure they fit.

Thanks!

i have an 07 odyssey. i know that i was able to get a nautilus and a marathon in the third row and have room for an adult to sit between them. i would say that the 2 radians and a marathon should fit back there...you may have to play with rf/ff but it should work. if she could get the 2 radians ff and the ma rf she could put the two oldest in the radians and the 2 yr old in the ma then put both buckets in the captains chairs. if the 5.5 yr old won't fit in the radian then she could put the 3.5 yr old and 2 yr old ff and the 4 month old rf (just b/c older baby would ft better in the ma) then put the 5.5 yr old in a husky and a carrier in the captain chair.
if they can't find something the van has the plus one seat...its a pita but could put both husky and regent in the back then 1 carrier in one captain chair and 1 in the plus one and use the ma in the other captain chair. it would require a little effort but if the ma is in with latch you can slide the seat forward without tipping it enough that a 5.5 yr old 3.5 yr could squeeze in. the only issue then would be if the 5.5 yr old or aunt can reach in to do the buckle up for the 3.5 yr old...you probably could if you did it before putting the carriers in.
i'm thinking since its an emergency then they probably won't just be going out unnecessarily. so hopefully it won't be to big of a deal if it has some challenges.

I just worked on 3 across in my 06 odyssey for a friend who was evacuting NO and needed her 3rd row folded down.

I think the biggest problem is fitting 3 accross the back is going to be very hard. 3 across in the 2nd row is easier but that leaves the 3rd row impossible to get to.

OK, this is what I would do. Row 2 - MA/SR/SS1 or RFMA, Row 3 - Radian/Radian/fold seat

In more detail - Fold down the seat on the drivers side in the 3rd row. Put the 2 Radians ff side by side in the 3rd row (one center, one outboard passenger side). The 2 oldest kids can climb into the 3rd row from the back easily with the seat folded down. In the 2nd row - install the snugride base in the plus one seat. Do this FIRST. If you install the other 2 seats first, the snugride base will not fit inbetween them. So, install it first. Pain to get it tight but it can be done. I had to recline the vehicle seat, tighten very carefully to avoid the tilt then pull the seatback up very carefully to avoid the tilt. Then install a ff marathon in one captains chair and either the SS1 base or a rf marathon.

The 3 across combo will work in the 2nd row. Yesterday I installed 2 marathons and a snugride in the 2nd row. But is just not likely in the 3rd row with the seats she has. You may get 2 radians and a snugride back there. I know you can get 3 radians ff or 2 radians and a fp booster but any combination with a britax seat is tough. The seat is REALLY skinny.


ETA - Sorry, I see 2 year old is rf still. Then in 2nd row, just install the MA rf/snugride/ss1 or marathon