Help! Five kids 6 and under in a 2000 Sienna

[kadora]

We just had two new foster girls placed with us yesterday on virtually no notice at all. With our own 3, here is what we have to fit in our 7-passenger Sienna (all 5 girls are over the 90% for height)
6 y/o, 45 lbs (ours, in a Nautilus)
3 y/o, 39 lbs (almost 4 y/o)
3 y/o, 33 lbs (ours, still RF in a Radian)
2 y/o, 32 lbs (ours, still RF in a MyRide 65)
13 mo old, 22 lbs

The seats the foster girls arrived in were totally inappropriate for their age/size and need to go back to the grandparents anyway.

We currently have, for seats (and do have some limited funds to buy new seats):
Nautilus
Radian
MyRide
Harmony Defender
Graco high-back booster

The 6 y/o is good about sitting in the high-back booster, but she rides long distances in the Nautilus. I want the 13 m/o RF, obviously, and would prefer the young 2 y/o, also, but I don't know how to make that work in our van, since I'll probably have to be crawling all over the place to make sure the 3 y/os are buckled properly in the back (and I'm 6'0", LOL). Our 3 y/o would rather stay RF, but again, maybe not an option anymore. Ideas?? TIA!!

 

[jjordan]

Can I assume this is a 7-passenger Sienna? (I'm not sure if a 2000 Sienna even came in an 8-passenger version, but it would make a difference in the recommendations.)

I think you have to start with the back and see what 3 seats you can possibly fit back there, in what arrangement, and then figure out who goes in what (since I'm guessing that you can put pretty much anything in the middle row). If possible, I would put a priority in having the older 3 year old in a top-tethered seat. Where are your top tethers? Is the third row a 60/40 split?

Do you have funds to buy any more seats?

Here's what I think would be ideal if it works: in the third row, FF Defender (on whichever side has a top tether anchor, if one does), then RF Radian and RF convertible that puzzles well. (I'm not sure if the MyRide would work, or if you'd need to buy something like a Britax, which are known to puzzle well, or something else.) Then in the 2nd row, the Nautilus and RF MyRide (or new seat if MR fits in the back). You can pretty easily buckle the RF third row children by climbing into the trunk (or, since you're tall, you might not have to climb in! I have to because I'm short!).

It all hinges on what works in the third row - and that somewhat depends on the setup of the third row, how much money you can spend on new seats, etc. Good luck!

 

[featherhead]

Radian and MyRide puzzle well when they are facing the same direction.

 

[kadora]

Can I assume this is a 7-passenger Sienna? (I'm not sure if a 2000 Sienna even came in an 8-passenger version, but it would make a difference in the recommendations.)

I think you have to start with the back and see what 3 seats you can possibly fit back there, in what arrangement, and then figure out who goes in what (since I'm guessing that you can put pretty much anything in the middle row). If possible, I would put a priority in having the older 3 year old in a top-tethered seat. Where are your top tethers? Is the third row a 60/40 split?

Do you have funds to buy any more seats?

Here's what I think would be ideal if it works: in the third row, FF Defender (on whichever side has a top tether anchor, if one does), then RF Radian and RF convertible that puzzles well. (I'm not sure if the MyRide would work, or if you'd need to buy something like a Britax, which are known to puzzle well, or something else.) Then in the 2nd row, the Nautilus and RF MyRide (or new seat if MR fits in the back). You can pretty easily buckle the RF third row children by climbing into the trunk (or, since you're tall, you might not have to climb in! I have to because I'm short!).

It all hinges on what works in the third row - and that somewhat depends on the setup of the third row, how much money you can spend on new seats, etc. Good luck!

Oh, my goodness, so much to think about! And I'm just trying to adjust to diapers again. I'm going to go out and try again with the MyRide in the back...I kept trying to figure out how to work it with that one in the middle.

No top tethers...I did edit my original post to say I have some limited funds (less than $200) for seats, etc. It's a 7 passenger van...and I had never thought about climbing in the back to buckle them up! If I won't get enough looks already, LOL.... Thanks!!

 

[cousin2many]

What about something like the sureride or the Safety 1st Guide 65 for the 13 month old? I have the Guide 65 for my cousin's 18 month old who is now 24 lbs and wearing between 18 months and 2t and she has a TON of growing room

 

[kadora]

What about something like the sureride or the Safety 1st Guide 65 for the 13 month old? I have the Guide 65 for my cousin's 18 month old who is now 24 lbs and wearing between 18 months and 2t and she has a TON of growing room

I'll look at that one, thank you! She should be the easy one, I think, if I put her in a bucket seat. Is it as wide front-back as the MyRide we have now, do you know? That one (RFing) seems to barely fit behind DH or I (but we both have long legs and need more room). Thanks!

 

[murphydog77]

The Guide 65 would be a good seat front-to-back because at 22 lbs., it allows for a more upright installation. Plus, it's a little more compact than other convertibles. Another seat you may want to consider, especially since you're fostering, is the Graco Size4Me: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Size4Me-Convertible-Seat-Pierce/dp/B00H8MSEWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414996222&sr=8-1&keywords=graco+size4me"]Amazon.com : Graco Size4Me 65 Convertible Car Seat, Pierce : Baby[/ame]. It can be placed pretty upright for toddlers and is rated from 4 lbs. rear-facing, so if you get a newborn, you can use it for a tiny babe. The Guide 65 has very high bottom slots that won't fit many babies until they're closer to 6 months old, even though it's rated from 5 lbs.

You do have the capability to tether in your van. You'll need to add the tether anchors yourself or you can have the dealer do it. When I had my '00 Sienna, I did it myself and it was very easy. I created a webpage with directions eons ago and thanks to laziness, lol, never deleted it. http://www.carseatsite.com/sienna.htm

If you want to have the dealer install them, go through this link: http://www.carseat.org/Events_Media/0_ToyotaIP.htm . SafetyBeltSafe has been in the child passenger safety field for a very long time and many of us old-timers have worked with or for them and try to help them out as much as we can. And $5 for a tether anchor is a steal!

Tether anchors are really, really, really important for your forward-facing kids. A tether couples the top of the carseat to the vehicle so that in a crash, your child's head is held back (the carseat otherwise tips forward, rotating around the seat belt if there isn't a tether holding it in place). It can reduce the likelihood that your child's head can come out of the carseat by up to 6".

 

[seb3244]

The Guide 65 would be a good seat front-to-back because at 22 lbs., it allows for a more upright installation. Plus, it's a little more compact than other convertibles. Another seat you may want to consider, especially since you're fostering, is the Graco Size4Me: Video Link: http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Size4Me-Convertible-Seat-Pierce/dp/B00H8MSEWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414996222&sr=8-1&keywords=graco+size4me. It can be placed pretty upright for toddlers and is rated from 4 lbs. rear-facing, so if you get a newborn, you can use it for a tiny babe. The Guide 65 has very high bottom slots that won't fit many babies until they're closer to 6 months old, even though it's rated from 5 lbs. You do have the capability to tether in your van. You'll need to add the tether anchors yourself or you can have the dealer do it. When I had my '00 Sienna, I did it myself and it was very easy. I created a webpage with directions eons ago and thanks to laziness, lol, never deleted it. http://www.carseatsite.com/sienna.htm If you want to have the dealer install them, go through this link: http://www.carseat.org/Events_Media/0_ToyotaIP.htm . SafetyBeltSafe has been in the child passenger safety field for a very long time and many of us old-timers have worked with or for them and try to help them out as much as we can. And $5 for a tether anchor is a steal! Tether anchors are really, really, really important for your forward-facing kids. A tether couples the top of the carseat to the vehicle so that in a crash, your child's head is held back (the carseat otherwise tips forward, rotating around the seat belt if there isn't a tether holding it in place). It can reduce the likelihood that your child's head can come out of the carseat by up to 6".

Thanks for this info. Any idea on how to get chevy to put more top tethers in my 2003 suburban?

Op I admire that you do foster care!

 

[katymyers]

Thanks for this info. Any idea on how to get chevy to put more top tethers in my 2003 suburban?

Op I admire that you do foster care!

Chevy doesn't offer additional tether anchors for vehicles already equipped with them.

 

[kadora]

The Guide 65 would be a good seat front-to-back because at 22 lbs., it allows for a more upright installation. Plus, it's a little more compact than other convertibles. Another seat you may want to consider, especially since you're fostering, is the Graco Size4Me: Amazon.com : Graco Size4Me 65 Convertible Car Seat, Pierce : Baby. It can be placed pretty upright for toddlers and is rated from 4 lbs. rear-facing, so if you get a newborn, you can use it for a tiny babe. The Guide 65 has very high bottom slots that won't fit many babies until they're closer to 6 months old, even though it's rated from 5 lbs.

You do have the capability to tether in your van. You'll need to add the tether anchors yourself or you can have the dealer do it. When I had my '00 Sienna, I did it myself and it was very easy. I created a webpage with directions eons ago and thanks to laziness, lol, never deleted it. http://www.carseatsite.com/sienna.htm

If you want to have the dealer install them, go through this link: http://www.carseat.org/Events_Media/0_ToyotaIP.htm . SafetyBeltSafe has been in the child passenger safety field for a very long time and many of us old-timers have worked with or for them and try to help them out as much as we can. And $5 for a tether anchor is a steal!

Tether anchors are really, really, really important for your forward-facing kids. A tether couples the top of the carseat to the vehicle so that in a crash, your child's head is held back (the carseat otherwise tips forward, rotating around the seat belt if there isn't a tether holding it in place). It can reduce the likelihood that your child's head can come out of the carseat by up to 6".

Thank you so much! We're going to try and figure this all out this weekend. I love your site about how to install the tethers...I guess I always assumed your vehicle had to come with them in the first place, or that you'd have to have a dealer (very expensively) retrofit them somehow. That's so good to know!

Maybe this is another dumb question...but how do you tighten the middle (lap belt only) 3rd row seatbelt enough to secure a carseat? I've actually got scratches all over my hands from trying different combos (mostly from my Radian---is there a trick I don't know about to threading the belt through the seat for FF-ing??!), and I can't get any of my seats tight in the middle!

 

[kam1011]

I can't remember if the seatbelt is floppy there, but if it is, you twist the female end, up to three times (before buckling). I have to twist in my 2011 Sienna to get the Radian to install.