families with three kids - Page 2

[confustication]

Minivan here. The oldest is on her own in the back, the younger two are in the captain's seats in front of the back row. Three across would be AWFUL now they they are old enough to be annoying to each other. AWFUL!! That may just be my kids though- they like their space.

[Lolagirl]

Originally Posted by elmh23

We have a Honda Odyssey and I love being able to move everyone around so they aren't bugging eachother!

A friend of mine has three in a Prius. 2 Radians and a Keyfit 30. She's looking into getting a minivan now. The 2-year-old really enjoys kicking (he's RFing) his older sister (who is FFing.)

I recently had a loaner Prius while our Saturn SUV (which was also able to fit 3 across in the rear seat) was in the shop, and we found it quite easy to get our 2 ff radians and a rearfacing snugride across the back seat. I actually thought it worked really well and would happily drive one every day. I get what people are saying about wanting the extra space, but I thought the Prius actually did a much better job of holding all our stuff than I expected.

Just my $.02

[Drummer's Wife]

We can fit three seats in a row in a Nissan Pathfinder. It does have a 3rd row - which is good, b/c we have four kids. We prefer to do 2 in the middle row (separated by an empty seat) and 2 in the back row, b/c they like to mess with each other.

[34me]

I had all three of mine accross the seat in a Subaru outback until they were 14,12 and 10. We now have a Mazda 5 and last night I had 4 14 year old boys and their hockey bags

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by 34me

I had all three of mine accross the seat in a Subaru outback until they were 14,12 and 10. We now have a Mazda 5 and last night I had 4 14 year old boys and their hockey bags

I forgot to mention - that's the other car we have, a subaru outback. We can fit a harnessed seat, a high-back booster, and a backless booster in it when necessary.

What I am planning on getting in the near future is a Mazda 5. It's good to know you fit 4 teens in it plus gear. The 2011 have the option to seat 7, so if I can afford it, that's the one I want.

[dogretro]

DH totally wants a Swagger Wagon, so put us in the Sienna camp, most likely.

[gini1313]

I hate minivans. But... I have to say, I love the versatility of my 8 person Sienna. We currently have baby rearfacing in the middle of the second row. Ds1 is next to him behind the driver seat and DD is on the passenger side of the back row. We have the middle row passenger side seat removed. It gives us lots of room to be able to buckle DD into her seat, change diapers/clothes, or sit and nurse to have that seat out. I can fit 3 in the middle row, but right now, dd does best to be by herself (so she won't bother the baby) and I don't have to lift the baby over the other seats to get him into his...

I also love being able to carpool. We had my friend and her two kids in there yesterday and it worked out just fine. With the right seats/arrangement (the back row is a little tighter for 3 than the middle), I can even put 6 kids back there.

[dmpmercury]

3 kids rear facing in Jetta TDI Station Wagon. It was not any easy task to find seats that could all go rear facing but we have plenty of cargo space for camping and everyday needs.

[Julia'sMom]

I love my sienna. However, when it was in the shop we did fit one convertible (radian) and two infant seats in the back of a Toyota Sienna. It was definately doable, but my dh could not drive. When he has a rf behind the drivers seat, he's not able to back his seat up far enough to be comfortable with the pedals.

[elmh23]

Originally Posted by Lolagirl

I recently had a loaner Prius while our Saturn SUV (which was also able to fit 3 across in the rear seat) was in the shop, and we found it quite easy to get our 2 ff radians and a rearfacing snugride across the back seat. I actually thought it worked really well and would happily drive one every day. I get what people are saying about wanting the extra space, but I thought the Prius actually did a much better job of holding all our stuff than I expected.

Just my $.02

Oh, I'm not saying it's not doable, just that if you have kids who tend to fight when in their seats (like my friends two oldest and my two oldest) it really is wonderful to be able to move the seats around easily to get them away from each other. On our way home from picking up dd from school one day, my 3 year old kicked the babies carseat, barely missing his head. I pulled over asap and moved his seat to the back and dd to the middle row next to the baby. If I hadn't had that option, I would've wanted to strangle my 3-year-old (as was, I was furious with him, but being able to separate him helped calm us both down!)

[galincognito]

we have a honda cr-v and can fit a rf radian, rf britax roundabout and another seat ff.
we are currently expecting #3 and will be moving up to an odyssey when we can afford it. i was thinking about an suv but because our kids are still so little, it'd be really awkward to access the back row and do up buckles, etc. so the minivan gives us a bit more space that way (and i really hate minivans! but, i guess it's part of life for me with 3+ kids!!)

[donutmolly]

We have 3 kiddos in our VW Golf. Not saying it's ideal, but it does work! And we like the gas mileage!

[SubliminalDarkness]

I've done it when I was nannying an extra child.
It's possible, but I wouldn't do it if I had another reasonable option. As in, if I could afford to buy a minivan, I would.
Last year when we needed to replace my Jeep, we did so with a minivan, because we assumed we'd be having #3 sometime in the lifetime of that vehicle.

[Eclipsepearl]

I have three in a Toyota Yaris. We live in a big city and I refuse to drive a tank. This is made worse by the fact we live in France so none of those roomy parking spaces you have in the U.S. It's also parallel park or croak. There is no other way...

My last car was even smaller (a VW Polo, not sold in N.America). The center seat was only a lap belt and the air bag couldn't be turned off, which were the main reason for changing cars. I also wanted tether hooks...

But yes, we have bickering. I have to be honest, it is just as worse in my dh's Land Rover. The back seat is much wider than in my tin can.

So the space does not help this problem. You would have to get a car with more flexible seating that doesn't require them to be three in a row. We have rented those on vacation in the U.S. and yes, it's much better. It's kind of irritating that dh's car is just as big as some of the higher-seated models and we only have 5 seats.

Also, my dh does major miles due to his job. He has diesel (remember the gas is 4 times the price here) so having a normal gas car would be too expensive. Supposedly it's "clean burn" diesel (not convinced myself...) But the drive is awful, even in a high-priced car. It really makes the kids sick. I'm not sure how popular diesel is where you live. When I bought my Yaris, I insisted on gas and they looked at me like I had two heads.

I also think it's the way I drive but the kids are almost never sick in my car and are almost every time in his. Avoid diesel at all costs!

[Mrsboyko]

We have a 2002 Pontiac Boneville with a million miles on it. When #3 arrives, we will have a boulevard and a radian (FF) and a coccoro (RF). Amazingly we got this car on accident, and it is one of the very few cars with 3 latch installment places in the back seat. I love it.

[AllyRae]

We have 3 Radians in a Mazda5. Our Radian xtsl is rear facing in the 2nd row behind the passenger side, one radian 80 is forward facing in the 2nd row behind the driver, and one radian 80 is forward facing in the 3rd row passenger's side.

[MacKinnon]

I love my mini-van. Well, I hate the particular VAN I have, but I wouldn't trade a third row for ANYTHING. Right now I have both DD's- 6 1/2 yo and newbie in the captains chairs and DS in the third row. But we've already, in just 15 days, had them arranged in several other ways. I can't imagine not having the third row!

[MammaG]

I love my Mazda5. We have a RF baby-bucket in the driver's side 2nd row, a FF convertible in the passenger-side 2nd row and a FF Nautilus in the back. Other 3rd row seat folded usually for groceries and/or stroller.

Love the size, love the mileage, love the seating flexibility (really, really loved the price).

[Naomismom]

I have 3 carseats (all Radians) in the back of my Civic, but considering that one is not due to arrive for another 3 weeks or so, I can't comment on how bad the fighting will get.

[OkiMom]

We need to get a car before the new baby comes (we have a 2 door/4 seater and already have 2 children so adding a 3rd isn't going to work). Id like to get a van just so the older ones don't mess with the baby. My two oldest like to pass things back and forth and share drinks/snacks in the car. Passing over a sleeping baby just wouldn't be a good idea. Also we like to camp and right now we have to put some of the camping gear in the back seat of the car under the kids feet (it doesn't fit in the trunk with the stroller, cooler, and other gear) and Im not a fan of having stuff under the kids feet as well.
Ideally I would like to get a van with 3 rows (preferably one that the seats fold in or fold up so we can transport bigger items if needed) and then put the oldest two in the very back and the baby in the second row.