Car seat question

[sweetness852010]

Today I had my full timer and my own. We choose to go play at a different playgroup, a change from are usual. This is the first time i take the car with daycare kids simply because i usually have my two kids(6&3) plus a two yr old ft, pt 2 yr old a 5yr old and 9 yr old. So not enough seats unless i get a van. I have a Ford Ecaspe. I have a question I herd that there are these car seats that are slim and would be able to fit three of these seats in the back of a car. As i looked today at the ecaspe and saw thier is no way in hell i would be able to fit three regular seats in there. Anyone have or seen these? Or where i can find them? I would love to bring them out more often when my part timer is around i feel like its not fair to her.

[giraffe]

I think the thinnest seat on the market is still the Radian. They run about $200-$300 per seat. I have seen people fit 3 radians across the back of a Caravan, not sure about an escape.

[sunnydays]

Yes, Sunshine Radian are the slimmest seats available. I have a small van and had to buy three of these in order to fit three across. I think I got mine on sale for about $250 each...they are not cheap. Also, make sure you have extra insurance for your car (call your insurance company to tell them you will be taking daycare kids in your car) in case of an accident. I am no longer driving with my daycare kids and trying to decide whether to sell my seats or to keep them in case I decide to drive again someday (like when my daughter goes to school and I can fit them all in the van).

[jazmic]

The radian is the thinnest. That's right. It costs a pretty penny too. About $275+tax here in Ottawa. I would recommend checking out the forum at http://www.car-seat.org/. A lot of people there have had major success in installing 3 car seats in the back. That's where I went to get inspiration before I fit 3 in the back of my teeny-tiny honda civic. And I didn't even have to get the radian in the end. You can use the search feature to look for threads that talk about 3 seats across success stories. Some of the stories there talk about which car they had and what seat types they used to make it work. Good luck!

[sweetness852010]

I looked up these online these are really neat. I have insurance for the dck just havent had the room for all of them. Im just dont want to buy a van but might have to down the road as im trying to just get ages 1-4. Dont wanna deal with school aged anymore. And that we are planning to move in the near future and not sure if we want to go in the country. So it might be worth it investing in these. Do you know where i can find these?

[sweetness852010]

The radian is the thinnest. That's right. It costs a pretty penny too. About $275+tax here in Ottawa. I would recommend checking out the forum at http://www.car-seat.org/. A lot of people there have had major success in installing 3 car seats in the back. That's where I went to get inspiration before I fit 3 in the back of my teeny-tiny honda civic. And I didn't even have to get the radian in the end. You can use the search feature to look for threads that talk about 3 seats across success stories. Some of the stories there talk about which car they had and what seat types they used to make it work. Good luck!

what type of seats do you have? My daughters is a evenflo i think. I think i would be able to put three in there but it would be really snug. I also have a honda civic and the seats in the suv are a tad bigger then the civic but smiliar

[Inspired by Reggio]

I have all Radians in my van .... best investment I ever made because they are so versatile with rear facing until 35 pounds and forward facing until 65 pounds .... I have had 3 year old still able to rear face at the parents request in them and on flip side still had 6 year olds still able to sit in the Radian comfortably so not need to swap out for a 'booster' seat.

One of the things to remember when comparing costs is that most cheaper car seats only have a 5 year expiry date ...which is fine for 'personal use' because by 5 years they have outgrown a carseat and more likely in a 'booster' but as a business in 5 years you'd be replacing all your seats

The Radian line of seats because they are made of stainless steel verses 'plastic' has a 10 year expiry date ~ and as these are for business use verses personal you will get TWICE the use out of them because the kids do out 'outgrow' them so over the long term they are CHEAPER option ... unless of course your business plan is to just be in this for a couple years

[Inspired by Reggio]

BTW ~ if you seek your carseats from a GOOD source they will allow you to bring out various styles and see if they fit before you purchase

I bought my seats through Children's Furniture Gallery and their costumer service was amazing ~ they even installed ALL the seats and gave me my first 'certified installation certificate' for them for my insurance agents records ... think I have an anal agent who suggests the weirdest things as 'best practice' for my business to avoid issues later with ever making a cliam

[jazmic]

All good points, reggio. Sweetness, if you have an SUV, then you're laughing. You'll have no problems. I have a harmony, a schwinn and an Eddie Bauer something or the other.

[sweetness852010]

Im going to go shopping for all my options. I might plan to go with the radian simply because i can see myself do the daycare thing til i retire. I love my job! so i think it will be worth it in the end. Thank you guys!