'06 Pilot with 6 kids

[Unregistered]

Hi! I have a three-fold question that I am hoping someone can help answer! We are a foster family, and we currently have 5 kids- ages 9, 8, 7, 6, and 2. I have my 2yo FF in a radian, my 6, 7, 8 yo's in graco no back boosters and my 5-foot-tall 9yo in a seat belt. Currently, with the radian and two boosters in the middle seat, it is very tight.

My first question is, I heard that the nania boosters are very narrow, but they don't seem to be well-known..does anyone have any opinions on them? Would they work easier to put three in a row, or should I get a seat-belt extender so that my kids can buckle themselves without moving the seats? How safe are the extenders?

Secondly, we are requesting a baby for our next placement, and I need a new infant seat. I don't want another convertible, since I have the radian..is there an infant seat that would fit in a row with the radian and a booster? Which are the thinnest seats?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[1mommy]

Welcome and sorry but I'm not sure I can help with the boosters as I haven't heard of them, but hopefully someone else can.

Seatbelt extenders are never recommended because of the danger any third party device is. Please see this thread for more details. http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=257267

As for the new infant seat, is their anyway you can get one of the other children a new seat and use the radian for the newbie or buy a new radian for the newbie? As for the thinnest infant seat, I think it may be the Chicco key fit, but a lot depends on the ability to "puzzle" or fit the seats against each other rather then just how skinny it is. Graco Click Connects are often recommended too. There is thread here called "Successful Three Across" that you can search for more recommendations.

This also may sounds weird but have you thought about rear facing your 2 year old? Not only it is safer for the child, a lot of seats fit better if you have a rear facing seat in between forward facing seats, rather then 3 forward facing seats.