HappyMomOfSix
New member
Hi, folks! I would really appreciate some help here, and I know you all have wonderful ideas about balancing out safety when there are challenging seat-arrangement situations.
So, here are my children:
15 y/o
12 y/o
9 y/o
7 y/o (about 4 ft, 47 pounds)
4.5 y/o (44 in, 42 pounds)
2 y/o (36 in, 30-31 pounds)
6m (27in, 19 pounds)
My van has two sets of captains chairs and a 3-across row in the back.
Currently, I have...
Baby RF in SafeSeat
2 y/o RF in Radian
4.5 y/o in far back, middle, in a Decathalon
7 y/o in Regent
9 & 12s in low back boosters beside the Decathalon in far back
Teen in own captain's chair
We are about 3-6 months away from both the 4.5 y/o outgrowing the Decathalon (shoulders about half an inch below the highest slot) and the 2 y/o outgrowing the Radian (33lb RF limit). As best I can figure, I have two options:
1: Put 2 y/o FF in Decathalon in far back. Move baby to Radian. Purchase another Regent for 4.5 y/o.
The plus of this is that it keeps the Decathalon in the middle of the back seat, which separates the older kiddos and thus prevents them from bickering. The second plus is that it keeps the 7 & 4 y/os in 5 pt harnesses (and I love the Regent!).
2: Toss Decathalon, purchase two boosters for the 7 and 4 y/os for the far back. Put teen in middle of far back with lap belt and no head rest. Buy a My Ride 65 to keep 2 y/o rear-facing longer.
The plus of this is that it keeps the 2 y/o rear-facing. The minus is that it puts the 7 & 4 y/o's in boosters instead of Regents and compromises the safety of the teen with a lap-belt only.
The obvious solution is to get the My Ride 65 and use the four captain's chairs for the four youngest and put the oldest 3 across the back. But for my sanity as well as peace in the car, I do not want those three in the far back, far out of reach and with nothing to do but annoy each other. They are tougher by far in the car than the little ones!
So, of the two options, which would you do? Or, if there's another option, I'm all ears! I am willing to buy new seats if necessary.
So, here are my children:
15 y/o
12 y/o
9 y/o
7 y/o (about 4 ft, 47 pounds)
4.5 y/o (44 in, 42 pounds)
2 y/o (36 in, 30-31 pounds)
6m (27in, 19 pounds)
My van has two sets of captains chairs and a 3-across row in the back.
Currently, I have...
Baby RF in SafeSeat
2 y/o RF in Radian
4.5 y/o in far back, middle, in a Decathalon
7 y/o in Regent
9 & 12s in low back boosters beside the Decathalon in far back
Teen in own captain's chair
We are about 3-6 months away from both the 4.5 y/o outgrowing the Decathalon (shoulders about half an inch below the highest slot) and the 2 y/o outgrowing the Radian (33lb RF limit). As best I can figure, I have two options:
1: Put 2 y/o FF in Decathalon in far back. Move baby to Radian. Purchase another Regent for 4.5 y/o.
The plus of this is that it keeps the Decathalon in the middle of the back seat, which separates the older kiddos and thus prevents them from bickering. The second plus is that it keeps the 7 & 4 y/os in 5 pt harnesses (and I love the Regent!).
2: Toss Decathalon, purchase two boosters for the 7 and 4 y/os for the far back. Put teen in middle of far back with lap belt and no head rest. Buy a My Ride 65 to keep 2 y/o rear-facing longer.
The plus of this is that it keeps the 2 y/o rear-facing. The minus is that it puts the 7 & 4 y/o's in boosters instead of Regents and compromises the safety of the teen with a lap-belt only.
The obvious solution is to get the My Ride 65 and use the four captain's chairs for the four youngest and put the oldest 3 across the back. But for my sanity as well as peace in the car, I do not want those three in the far back, far out of reach and with nothing to do but annoy each other. They are tougher by far in the car than the little ones!
So, of the two options, which would you do? Or, if there's another option, I'm all ears! I am willing to buy new seats if necessary.