Nine year old in front seat?

[ProudMomof5]

Hi! It's been forever since I have been on here! For one I am now a Proud Mom of 7! (not 5)

My question is...
I am going on a trip tomorrow and bringing three of my kids. I am taking our smaller car instead of the big van (have to leave that for hubby with the four other kids).
I've installed our radian RF for my 20month old, but there is no way I can fit boosters for the 7 and 9 year olds. (52# and 59#)...
So, the options I have are... have the radian installed in the middle and both older girls have no carseat on each side... () Have the radian behind passenger seat, have 7 year old use booster behind drivers side and 9 year old no booster in middle... OR have 9yo in booster in front seat and the other two in back. Is that even safe?
We drive a VW Jetta 2012 and the air bag does not come on when she sits there in her booster. I think it automatically switches on at a higher weight, although I am not sure what exactly.

Thoughts??

 

[carseatcoach]

I'm assuming a 59# 9yo does not even come close to 5-stepping. There really is no good option here, but IMO the least bad would be to put the 9yo up front with a booster. You should be able to fit two backless boosters with the Radian, though. I'd spend the $26 to get two backless boosters if you don't already have them.

 

[ProudMomof5]

Nope, does not pass 5 step.
We have two backless boosters and both will not fit, when I put them in they are crooked and I still couldn't buckle them.
I thought for sure it would work with the radian too! It's so narrow. We normally don't have to deal with this issue because in our van we have all captains chairs, so nice!

 

[thepote]

Do you have a convertible that sits up higher on a narrow base? As counterintuitive as it sounds, you might get enough room in the right places with a RF seat that's wider, but higher.

 

[ProudMomof5]

No, I don't...

 

[Aurezalia]

Any chance you could hit walmart for a couple of bubblebums tonight/tomorrow morning? That would be my first choice. Second best option would be 9yo in the front with a booster.

 

[ProudMomof5]

I wish I would have figured out that this was going to be so difficult days ago, to give myself time to find boosters that work. I just wanted to wait until the very last minute to move that radian, it's such a beast, lol... of course I assumed it would work because of how narrow it is!

I guess I am leaning towards having her in the front seat, but that makes me feel uncomfortable. I am not 100% sure, but isn't the airbag the main concern? Also, what about pick up trucks? I guess they are higher up too, not sure if that makes a difference. IDK!

 

[ProudMomof5]

A bubblebum would be good!! I just looked online now and it shows that none are available in all the Walmarts here. I've never seen them at Walmart either...

 

[thepote]

Any chance you could hit walmart for a couple of bubblebums tonight/tomorrow morning? That would be my first choice. Second best option would be 9yo in the front with a booster.

Or maybe radian outboard, bubblebum in the middle, and one of the backless on the side. That way you'd only need one bubblebum.

 

[ProudMomof5]

It doesn't look like they have bubblebums in stock here, at least that is what it says online.
If my two choices are to have 9yo in the middle, no seat, or in the front with a seat... the front is better? Is it terribly dangerous?

 

[carseatcoach]

Front with booster.

 

[Kecia]

I would also go front seat with the booster. Under the circumstances I think it's the safest option.

But for the future - a BubbleBum would probably allow you to keep all kids in the back so it's a good investment. You could probably order one and have it shipped site to store if they don't carry it at the Walmarts in your area.

 

[TechnoGranola]

Make sure the Radian isn't close to touching the passenger seat. That's definitely a situation where you don't want it leaning on the front seat once baby is in it and changing the weight on the front seat so it affects the air bag sensors.

 

[ProudMomof5]

Make sure the Radian isn't close to touching the passenger seat. That's definitely a situation where you don't want it leaning on the front seat once baby is in it and changing the weight on the front seat so it affects the air bag sensors.

Oh shoot.. yeah that might be an issue... it is touching the front seat, otherwise the front seat is way too far forward. I'll make sure it doesn't trigger the airbag sensor tomorrow. If so, would it be okay to move the passenger seat even more forward? I was trying to get it as far back as possible.
I guess I could even move the radian behind the drivers seat. IT would push me up further, but I can live with that.

 

[MommyShannon]

What boosters do you have. Most Walmarts have the Harmony Youth boosters that fit small spaces well.

 

[TechnoGranola]

Oh shoot.. yeah that might be an issue... it is touching the front seat, otherwise the front seat is way too far forward. I'll make sure it doesn't trigger the airbag sensor tomorrow. If so, would it be okay to move the passenger seat even more forward? I was trying to get it as far back as possible. I guess I could even move the radian behind the drivers seat. IT would push me up further, but I can live with that.

Even if it doesn't trigger it immediately, it could in braking or movement of child in the Radian. But the front seat really needs to be as far back as you can with a child in the front as you don't want them too close and hitting the dash without an air bag. And you don't want them sitting close and getting hit by an air bag either.

I didn't catch how old your Radian rider was, old enough for the angle adjuster? Do you have the angle adjuster? With it maybe you can fit it behind the driver's seat? I've got a similar sized (maybe smaller vehicle) and I ram my Peg convertible into the back seat by pressing my body into it from behind and installing it as upright as allowed and that way both me and my teenager can drive. She's over 5'6" but not sure if she hit 5'7".

Since the Radian allows bracing, you may be able to brace it against your driver's seat as there aren't weight sensors in a driver's seat. Possibly distance sensors but not in all vehicles. Check if your vehicle manual prohibits anything hanging or pressing on the driver's seat.

 

[Brigala]

Airbags pose a minimal risk to forward facing children IF the child is seated upright and correctly at all times. The main risk is the very bad combination of squirmy children who lean forward or prop their feet on the dash and the fact that they have immature skeletal systems.

If you can't find a solution to keep all the kids in the back, don't worry too much about your 9 year old in the front. Obviously you know he would be safer in back, but as long as he can obey the "rules" he isn't in particular mortal danger in the front. Have a talk with him and let him know that he isn't allowed to mess with the radio or the air controls or the glove box or anything else unless the car is parked (stop lights don't count; someone can still run into you). If he stays upright and keeps his arms and legs where they belong, he will be fine.

 

[TechnoGranola]

Here's some info about children and air bags on this page http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/airbagqa.html#Q11

At 9 years old, the seat should definitely be all the way back to maximize the distance to the air bag. Air bags ARE a danger to children and it hasn't been determined what the magic height and weight is that makes them not a danger. It's the reason they developed the sensors to shut them off for 65ish pounds and under.

 

[HEVY]

Not sure if it's too late but there are a lot of things Walmart online says the store doesn't have, but they do. So I would just check. I just checked for my store and it says they don't have it but I know for a fact they do.

 

[Belle's Mamma]

Do you have any FF harnessed seats that would fit either your 7 yo or your 9 yo? If so, you could put whomever fit in the harnessed seat (preferably the 9 yo) in the front seat. Or do you have another RFing CS that the 20 mo old could ride in & put the 7 or 9yo in the front seat FF? Quite a few people (myself included) feel that if there if there are no suitable seats/seating positions available in the back seat that the oldest harnessed child should be the one to ride in the front passenger seat (with their seat as far away from the dashboard as possible. If you can't get all three children some type of CRS & one has to be up front, my first choice would be to put the 20mo in another RFing seat, the 7yo in a booster & the 9 yo in the Radian FF (I'd choose the Radian as the best front seat option as it's head excursion #'s are quite good even when used w/o the top tether.
If you can get the Radian in the front seat, the fact that they were being "re-harnessed" for the trip would probably be less of an issue to the kids since being in the front seat seems like such a "cool" thing in and of itself. If there is debate over it (between the 7 & 9yo) then have each of them ride in the front seat for half of the trip. Otherwise there is always the "I am mom and THIS is what we are doing, end of story"