4 Kids in Toyota Highlander

scoutingbear · May 11, 2009

Next week we will be doing respite for friend's of ours for their little foster munchkins. Any ideas of what would work best? Here is what I have:

J-- 7 months I can use the family's keyfit 30 or one of my own seats
A-- 18 months...he will be RF in my car
AA--5 years (also has a broken arm and in a full arm cast)
C-- almost 3, FF

Seats:
GN x4
MA
Radian
Chase
Turbo

I drive a Highlander with 3rd row. The most obvious choice WITHOUT the broken arm, would have been A in the back with any of the GNs...but that requires a lot of climbing and I'm not sure I trust him yet to do that with the cast.

Any suggestions?

scoutingbear · May 12, 2009

Okay...

How about this question then...

In the 3rd row (no tethers), would you put a turbo, chase, or GN?

myliljunebugs · May 12, 2009

The GN is a PITA with a cast (dd had a cast in hers, it kinda sucked) I don't know abou the Chase, I would be hesitant with no tethers. Does AA seem like a calm kid you could trust in a booster? If so I would probably go ahead with the Turbo.

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom · May 13, 2009

If the Keyfit and Radian (or RF MA and RF Radian) were on the 60 side of the 60/40 split in the second row, would you be able to flip the 40 side forward to access the 3rd row?
Yah, lack of tether anchors in the third row is a bummer
IIRC the Radian has been tested FF without top tether and performed really well, so if you could fit the RF MA and Keyfit on the 60 and be able to flip the 40 forward (maybe if you did this while the KF was not in the car yet, just the base?), then have FF 3YO in the Radian and 5YO in the Turbo in the 3rd row?

FWIW when my LO's were riding in CarGo's we did occasionally have them in the 3rd row when we were driving somewhere with MIL and my dad and stepmom.

Judi · May 13, 2009

scoutingbear said:
J-- 7 months I can use the family's keyfit 30 or one of my own seats
A-- 18 months...he will be RF in my car
AA--5 years (also has a broken arm and in a full arm cast)
C-- almost 3, FF

Seats:
GN x4
MA
Radian
Chase
Turbo

3rd row, I would put A in the MA and C in the Radian
2nd row- AA, I would try the Nautilus. Loosen the harness all the way out, put casted arm through first. If that doesn'w work, then TB. 7 m old in the borrowed KF, so you can worry about chasing the other kiddos.

scoutingbear · May 13, 2009

myliljunebugs said:
The GN is a PITA with a cast (dd had a cast in hers, it kinda sucked) I don't know abou the Chase, I would be hesitant with no tethers. Does AA seem like a calm kid you could trust in a booster? If so I would probably go ahead with the Turbo.

We haven't found the GN to be difficult at all with his cast. Just loosen the straps all the way, put the cast in first, then tighten and buckle. Now that he is out of pain he is doing it all himself again. I think a turbo would require extra vigilance on my part because of the number of kids in the car.

If the Keyfit and Radian (or RF MA and RF Radian) were on the 60 side of the 60/40 split in the second row, would you be able to flip the 40 side forward to access the 3rd row? I will try this tonight before it gets hot again...and so dh can roll his eyes at me!

IIRC the Radian has been tested FF without top tether and performed really well, so if you could fit the RF MA and Keyfit on the 60 and be able to flip the 40 forward (maybe if you did this while the KF was not in the car yet, just the base?), then have FF 3YO in the Radian and 5YO in the Turbo in the 3rd row? I don't like how the Radian installs in the back of the car at all...lots of belt stalk twisting, recliningg of seat to tighten seatbelt then putting it up again, lots of yelling at the seat since I don''t want to hurt it...
I'm thinking though that maybe using the 60 side would work esp if I used the keyfit baseless. Did that last year and had TONS of room for it in the 2nd row with the Radian and MA (RF at that time) installed.

Guess I get to go play carseats tonight. I'll have all the factors except the KF...oh, and I will need to figure out a configure with 3 FF and 1 RF for Sat since I opened my big mouth at foster parent support group last night and now have a 16 mo and a 3 yo for the day.

thepeach80 · May 13, 2009

Baby in KF w/ no base so you can get to the back row. My mom has one and we did E rfing in the back easily, he was 33 mos. The RN wasn't a terrible fit in the back row either w/ seatbelt, but not ideal. Great for no tether though. Then oldest in GN next to baby.

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom · May 13, 2009

thepeach80 said:
Baby in KF w/ no base so you can get to the back row. My mom has one and we did E rfing in the back easily, he was 33 mos. The RN wasn't a terrible fit in the back row either w/ seatbelt, but not ideal. Great for no tether though. Then oldest in GN next to baby.

:doh: Totally forgot that the infant seats can be installed without bases, so yeah, makes sense to have the infant seat on the "40" split without the base so you can flip the seat forward for 3rd row access.

scoutingbear · May 15, 2009

Okay. I think I figured it out. For Saturday (3 FF, 1 RF):

GN 3rd row for C
GN passenger side (might swap it for his turbo though) for AA
RF RN middle for 16 month old
FF MA for 3 y/o

(Pictures and other question in installation forum)

For next week (2 FF, 2 RF) Idea #1:
GN 3rd row for C (A can't buckle himself with his cast, so might as well not make him climb KWIM?)
KF without base for J (6 months) (no base to allow for folding of seat since we will have this set up for 4 days as opposed to just one) on passenger side
RF RN for A
FF MA (if he fits still...need to check) for AA or GN (I think the turbo would tilt too much on this side...

Idea #2:
GN 3rd row for C
GN passenger side for AA (and I'll climb to buckle C)
RF RN for J
RF MA for A

Guess there will be more playing to do when we get J here with her KF!
More pics to follow with the 2 RF/2 FF combo

4 Kids in Toyota Highlander

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