Help with the car seat juggle

[mumx3]

I need to work out how to juggle 3 kids under 2 in car seats, when one of the car seats also needs to accomodate a 4 year old.

Before school I have...

DD 11
DD 5
DS 18 months

14 month mindee
4 year old mindee
5 year old mindee

following the school run I pick up another 18 month old.


I have a Galaxy and with 7 seats here is how it looks....

Front row..me driving and DD11

Middle row.. 18m (high back booster 5 point harness)
14 month (high back booster 5 point harness)
4 year old (booster)

Back row... 5 year old (booster)
5 year old (booster)

following the school run I pick up another 18 month old. So need to have something that will accomodate the 4 year old on the school run and the 18 month old after the school run. I have no space to carry and extra seat in the boot, this has the double buggy in it.



I need to work out what I can do as I have looked at all sorts of car seats but nothing seems suitable. Can anyone give me an idea?

[TheBTeam]

What about some of the high back boosters that convert into seat only boosters, they look like they have a kind of hook system to put the back on and off, which when using as a booster seat could place the back on the floor in the middle row.

Do a search on high back boosters, some have different upper weight limits for using without the back, you may get one that will take your 4 year old with the back still on and you can then use an adult seat belt for him and the 18 month if he is heavier than the lower weight limit to come out of the 5 point harness.

[Alibali]

A high back booster with 5 point harness. You can use with harness for baby and without harness for 4 yo.

[sweets]

i bought a high back booster thinking i could change it for different age groups.

it is possible but it takes a while, you have to undo the seatbelt then remove the harness which takes ages! then re-fit it all when going back to having littlies in it.

depending on the size of the 2 and 4 year old i would just set the harness on the highest setting and hopefully use it for both.

[TheBTeam]

i bought a high back booster thinking i could change it for different age groups.

it is possible but it takes a while, you have to undo the seatbelt then remove the harness which takes ages! then re-fit it all when going back to having littlies in it.

depending on the size of the 2 and 4 year old i would just set the harness on the highest setting and hopefully use it for both.

My high back booster I leave the harness in and just put the child sat in the seat still and strap in with the adult seat belt, i have a just over two year old that is okay weight wise with this, but dont want to fiddle taking the harness out as then it is ready to just be strapped in again if needed in a hurry with the adult seat belt. You need also to be careful as this is sometimes an issue with the upper weight limit of children using a 5 point harness.

[sweets]

My high back booster I leave the harness in and just put the child sat in the seat still and strap in with the adult seat belt, i have a just over two year old that is okay weight wise with this, but dont want to fiddle taking the harness out as then it is ready to just be strapped in again if needed in a hurry with the adult seat belt. You need also to be careful as this is sometimes an issue with the upper weight limit of children using a 5 point harness.

mm thats a good idea, didnt think of leaving the harness on:blush: is it not uncomfortable for the child though? i can imagine that it digs in their back a bit.

[amanda1309]

My high back booster I leave the harness in and just put the child sat in the seat still and strap in with the adult seat belt, i have a just over two year old that is okay weight wise with this, but dont want to fiddle taking the harness out as then it is ready to just be strapped in again if needed in a hurry with the adult seat belt. You need also to be careful as this is sometimes an issue with the upper weight limit of children using a 5 point harness.

I can do this with my high back booster too. I use the 5 point harness for little ones and the older ones i just use the seat belt. It saves the juggling around.

HTH

[Heaven Scent]

I've had 2 seats for my own children that were suitable from 9 mths - 4 years and used a normal adult seat belt for both.

[mumx3]

thanks for your help. I already have high back boosters with harnesses...I hadnt thought of putting the 4 year old in and doing up with a seat belt but leaving the harness in place.

Though the harnesses are removable there is no way I can do it twice a day every day of the week! I will spend all my time struggling to convert the seats.

I also have a high back booster with no harness the 15kg plus type. I know I could use the base for the 4 year old, and I could clip the back on....but technically the 18month old is too young for this type of seat. One of the 18 month olds is my DS so if anyone goes in it, it would have to be him.

I think one of those with be the solution in the end...neither ideal though!


Thanks for the ideas guys!

[Zoomie]

Can you deal with putting another car seat in when you pick up the 18m mindee ? (I can't with ordinary seats but can if it is isofix.)

If so, can you have a car seat that travels with mindee, so that parents take it home (and elsewhere) and bring it to you when they hand over mindee (wherever this may be ?)

Not what you are asking, but can't think of anything else ?

[Alibali]

I leave my harness on too, but slip the buckle out as it comes through thr bottom easily and the lo's aren't sitting on anything too uncomfortable.

[TheBTeam]

At the moment for my just over two year olds, leaving the harness on but pulling the between the leg bit forward doesn't seem to bother any of them and if you pull the harness straps to their longest and drape around the sides of the seat they are only seatbelt thick so dont bother them.