3 across with boosters?

Is the parkway still the easiest/ narrowest booster when it comes to 3 across? The parents of 3 children that I transport quite frequently just got boosters for their 4 and 5 year olds. They're the same size and the parents are convinced that once the kid is 40 lbs they HAVE to put the kid in a booster even though they have 2 regents. Before that the kids were in marathons but they were truly outgrowing those. Anyway, long story short, I've told the kids for quite some time that they won't be riding in boosters in *my* car until they are 6 years old. Personally, I think it should be more about age and maturity than about size. But, the middle child will be turning 6 in December then the youngest will turn 6 next December. So, of course like any carseat obsessed person, I am already planning for kids that aren't even mine. Not to mention that I am very close to finishing my foster parent training and the kid I foster will probably be in a booster.

I have two nautiluses and I can use those as boosters obviously but they are so difficult to buckle in 3 across situations. Also, I have a feeling that it won't be too long before I will need 3 boosters.

3 across with boosters is tricky (3 across with 2 boosters and a 5'7" 13yo is even trickier) and works best if you have different types of boosters usually. Really, the only way to know is to try it.

safeinthecar said:

3 across with boosters is tricky (3 across with 2 boosters and a 5'7" 13yo is even trickier) and works best if you have different types of boosters usually. Really, the only way to know is to try it.

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Thanks. That's no help though because the carseat selection around here really stinks.

skiersnowboarder3 said:

Thanks. That's no help though because the carseat selection around here really stinks.

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What 3 acrosses have worked for you in the past? Your siggy looks like a GN, a RN and ??? I think another GN is on the far side. Your car must be pretty roomy if that is the case.

The GN does not fit well as a booster on quite a few kids, so I wouldn't just assume those will be in your set up until the kids are the size that they will be when using it as one. TBs are a great fit on most booster riders and I imagine that a couple of TBs outboard with maybe a Monterrey center (in case you get a foster kid that needs a bigger booster) would work in a car that fits 2 GNs and a RN. The wide shoulders of the Monterrey should help to maintain enough space to buckle between the boosters, and flexible LATCH would be a plus if there is a hump in the center that causes a center position booster to be tippy.

IMHO if you need to fit 3 boosters in the back of a sedan, use a RideSafer Travel Vest in the center instead of a booster - since the vest is hardly wider than the child wearing it, buckling is much easier than with 3 boosters squished together. This is how I can fit 3 booster-age kids in a 1997 Honda Civic

[disclaimer: photo was taken right after I got the vest, didn't have it properly tightened down in the pic so the lap belt is riding higher than it would in proper real-life use]

safeinthecar said:

What 3 acrosses have worked for you in the past? Your siggy looks like a GN, a RN and ??? I think another GN is on the far side. Your car must be pretty roomy if that is the case.

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I hope I didn't sound snarky before. I really did mean the thanks! Yes, it is pretty roomy. I am thinking about the monterey as well.

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom said:

IMHO if you need to fit 3 boosters in the back of a sedan, use a RideSafer Travel Vest in the center instead of a booster - since the vest is hardly wider than the child wearing it, buckling is much easier than with 3 boosters squished together. This is how I can fit 3 booster-age kids in a 1997 Honda Civic

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That is an excellent idea! Thanks.