parents with 5 kids?

[LionessMom]

what do you drive? i am working on my fifth kid. i will have 2 in forward facing 5 pt harness seats and one in a 5pt rear facing convertible. i need a 8 seat minivan. i had a nice 01 chevy venture 8 seat. but my 16 yr old totalled it. i need a new vehicle. i looked at all kinds but i want to put the ff ones in the 3rd row and the rf in the middle of the second row. so i want the other seats in the 2nd row to fold out of the way without disrupting the installation of the rf one. does that make sense? it would have been perfect in the one i just had. sigh. 

also, i wasnt sure where to put this post......

[TiredX2]

We have an 8 passenger Honda Odyssey.  I've never tried what you're describing (installing a rear-facing seat in the middle, middle seat and then moving the side seats to let people in the back) but I am fairly certain it would not work.  The 3rd seat of the Honda (the older ones, I have a 2005, I think they may have changed it) is quite narrow.  When we looked at mini-vans the 8 passenger Toyata had three much more equally sized seats in the third row (I only have two kids, so we liked that there were two larger, nicer seats in the middle row since they would be used more often).

You might consider a van with a two person bench in the middle row instead.  Then you could install the rear-facing seat closest to the door and all the other kids could just get in on the side without a seat.  Unless, of course, you're planning on #6 in which case you really need the 8 person capacity.

[Bekka]

We have a 7 passenger Dodge Grand Caravan with captains chairs in the 2nd row.  I don't know what I would choose now; this is what was in our price range.  It gets a little cozy for the kids in back, but the bucket seats in the middle make it easy to do rear-facing.  *It would be hard to have 2 rear facing carseats.**  Our kids are far enough apart that we only ever had 1 in rear-facing, and we went to 24 months for rear-facing.

[queenjane]

I think if i had five kids in my car regularly, esp if there was any chance i'd be having more in the next few years I would look into getting a 12 passenger van. I know i can always use more space. I used to have a fairly roomy Town and Country, had two rearfacing seats in the middle row captain's seats, and two kids in the back, and it felt really crowded. I hate to make the leap from minivan, which is more like a car, to a big ol' van but when im searching for a van again (probably this summer) i'm going to really struggle with the decision (and i'll only have three fulltime kids at that point, with the possibility of another in the next couple years...)

[LionessMom]

i was going to put the 2 forward facing seats in the back. they fit nice with some room between for toys etc. but not big enough for a person. then the rear facing in the 2nd row in the middle and 2 kids on either side. i have heard lots about the honda odyssey and even found a type with the option of the seats i like. i was just wondering what other parents do. maybe i should just get a 12 seater. it just seems so big and like it would be more gas money. too bad they dont make a 10 seater. but i cant find one like that either. i would really go for a 10 seater. 

[Just1More]

We are working on 5, and after our 4th, bought a 15 passenger.  Lol.  My dh said he wasn't upgrading twice.  We LOVE it.  We have room to take our friends places, and we do a ton of travel.  So, there's plenty of space for kids, dogs, luggage, etc.  I'd highly, highly recommend just going a big bigger.  It's been great!

[Peony]

We only have 4 and are done but if the right 12 passenger van came along and would not be opposed at all. I have a Expedition EL right now which is the same same as a Suburban, I have two bench seats in the back so I can fit 6 and honestly it gets tight with just my 4 at times. I max out at 2 extra kids which is easy to do when someday I'll have 4 kids clabbering to take their friends places. We do a lot of sports and with all the gear and with travel across the state for competitions, I find myself desperately wanting something larger at times! 

[LionessMom]

i have a chance to maybe get an 04 pontiac montana. it will have a 3 across bench seat for the 3rd row and then 3 seperate seats across the 2nd row. i had a venture just like it. the seats will fit 5 comfortably. i just gotta see if it is a good deal.