Question What would you do if a family with these kids came in to a check?

libranbutterfly

New member
Sorry for the long title LOL.

I was just wondering what the best practice would be before I try it out in my car.

Ages:
K 4, almost 5, 38 lbs
G 3 1/2, 36lbs
L 3, 35 lbs
A 2 1/2, 29 lbs
H 9 months, 25 lbs

Not sure of G, A, and H's torso heights at the moment, but they all fit in sceneras in mom's car.

Available seats:
2 Radians (RF to 33 lbs)
2 Marathons (RF to 33 lbs)
1 Nautilus

Will get different seats if needed.

The catch? It is a 6 passenger car. 1993 Buick LeSabre. 3 seat belts in the front seat, three in the back seat. Front middle seat will be difficult to fit a seat in, very narrow spot and it needs to be a lower profile seat so it isn't in the way for the driver. This would be used just to get all of the children home 2 days a week, and one day will drive K to dance and then home.

The other 2 weekdays we will be putting the 5 children in a trailblazer with a third row (if my husband has a second shift job or his classes end up overlapping mine).

Backstory? One of the girls I work with has three children. Her and hubby are on the rocks. Hubby is refusing to watch the children while she goes to night classes. It is over halfway through the semester, and there is no one else to watch her children. My hubby is jobless and I told him not to turn down a 2nd shift job at this point, because she offered to help me out as well (our classes are on opposite nights). Of course no one could find me a van :( so I have to make do with what I have. The '93 LeSabre. I know it is not best practice to have any of the children up front, but I was figuring K outboard front FF, G middle front FF. L middle back FF, and A and H RF outboard back. A and H currently ride FF, but I am working on mom, and for now she has agreed to let me try them RF in my car. I will NOT let H FF in my car no matter what, but if A has trouble I will turn her.
 
ADS

Pixels

New member
The two oldest, FFing, harnessed children in the front. That's K and G. Since you need narrow and low-profile for front center, I would put a Radian there. Marathon front outboard seat to puzzle with the Radian.

In the back, Nautilus for L or A, Marathon and Radian for the other two. If they are both rear facing next to each other they will puzzle nicely. I don't know if you need the puzzling to make them fit. If you don't, then Nautilus in the center, rear facers outboard.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I was thinking both Radians up front, because of their low head excursion numbers, and there's no tether for the front seats. Can you fit 2 RF Marathons and a Nauti in the back?
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
Does a 93 lesabre have a front passenger airbag?
If not, I'd put the RFers up there.
If it does, then probably the 2 radian FFin front, like nanymom said, or else 1 radian and 1 nauti, if you need to put 1 radian in theback for widths sake.
 

Pixels

New member
Actually, if they fit, put the Nautilus up front. It gets better head excursion numbers than the Radian without tether.
 

Pixels

New member
Yes, and so do a whole bunch of other seats. I just posted in the News forum, they've released new compliance data. The Radian did pass the requirements of the tethered test without the tether, but so did a whole bunch of other seats, and with lower numbers, too.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
The two oldest, FFing, harnessed children in the front. That's K and G. Since you need narrow and low-profile for front center, I would put a Radian there. Marathon front outboard seat to puzzle with the Radian.

In the back, Nautilus for L or A, Marathon and Radian for the other two. If they are both rear facing next to each other they will puzzle nicely. I don't know if you need the puzzling to make them fit. If you don't, then Nautilus in the center, rear facers outboard.


If a family that already had children that age/size came into a check, this is probably what I could recommend.

However -- and I know you're not going to like this -- if a family with two children came into a check and told me they were thinking of transporting three other children on a regular basis, I would tell them that doing so would put two of the five children at significant risk. My personal and professional opinion is that if you don't absolutely have to, you shouldn't. Carseats are a last line of defense: avoiding unsafe transportation situations is a first.
 

libranbutterfly

New member
There would be NO other way for her to continue her classes, and my dad JUST bought me this car. I wanted another van, because I frequently need to transport 1-2 more children besides my own. My dad convinced me to get the car because I needed a vehicle quick, and this one was in great condition for its age, and at a great price. I agree that it is important to avoid unsafe situations first. I am trying to find out more about the Trailblazer, as it is not the vehicle she drives to work. If it is really a safe situation for 5 children in the back seats, and it is at all possible for her to allow me to drive it, then that will be the preferred method of transportation. But, since we both need to go to school, and we have to get all the children to a safe place during our classes, this is seeming like one of the best options. I know that the seats will be properly installed and used, and that I will drive like this as little as possible.
 

libranbutterfly

New member
I was thinking both Radians up front, because of their low head excursion numbers, and there's no tether for the front seats. Can you fit 2 RF Marathons and a Nauti in the back?

I have a very wide backseat. I can fit a marathon and nautilus side by side, but have not tried a RF seat yet since my children are over the limits.
 

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