Best car seats for small children (age 2 & 4) - Julie can you help?

[momofmany]

Julie - I'm wondering if you could respond. You have incredible product knowledge. My daughters are age 2 & 4. The 2 year old is about 28 lbs. and 32 inches. She currently rides in an evenflo car seat with a 3 point harness and overhead shield (purchased 10/01). Is there a better choice for her? Likewise, the 4 year old is about 30 lbs and 40 inches - she's very lean. She currently rides in an Evenflo or graco high back booster with a five point harness(purchased in 1999 or 2000). Is there a better choice for her? Both girls ride in the middle row of a '96 Grand Voyager Van - the 2 year old is behind the driver and the 4 year old is next to her.

After reading this posting I'm worried that I need to make better choices for their safety. I'm especially concerned about the four year old as she is so very slim.

Also, my oldest daugher, age 8, rides in a low booster - the kind that is the seat only and no back. She is 52" and about 55lbs. Any suggestions?

Thank you for your help.

Becky - mom to lots of girls and one great boy!

[Joolsplus2]

Hi Becky...Sorry, I was out of town for the weekend!

I'd probably replace the overhead shield seat, for sure, and the 4 yo's seat is so close to expiring, you might just want to get the 2 of them cute matching new seats, anyway ;)

The Evenflo Chase or Traditions or Generations are great seats, so are the Graco Ultra or Platinum Cargo (the Gracos are a bit narrower, which might be perfect for your skinny minnies, but the Evenflos are quite nice and comfy, too). The Marathon or Husky are also nice, but not really *necesary* unless you want them (particularly if you want to go whole hog and put them both rearfacing in Marathons! You know I did that, right? Check the link in my sig ;)

Congratulations for having your 8 yo in a booster!!!! As long as she has proper head support (and I think your model van does have adjustable headrests, right?) and the seatbelt is fitting her on her hips and middle of her shoulder, then a lowback booster is a fine choice. If you are nervous about side impacts, or she needs more sleep support, then a Britax Parkway or Husky is a nice tall choice.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[momofmany]

Julie, Thank you so much for all your insightful comments. I so appreciate you help and I will check out all the carseats you mentioned and act on replacing them right away. I will consider moving them both to the rearfacing as well.

We've always tried to be so careful about car seat safety - always bucked in a car seat - and always tried to have the seat correctly installed. Once I get my new seats I think I will take them to my local "car seat expert" to make sure they are installed correctly.

What should I do with the old seats - is it best to cut the straps and put them out with the trash?

Thank you again for your help. You are a valuable resource.

[Joolsplus2]

When you dump your seats, you can ask the local cps tech if they will take them for you...if they can't, then try to make them look NOTHING like car seats...covers off, straps off, circular saw, black trashbags also filled with stinky garbage...whatever of those combinations it takes is what you should do. I haven't perfected my seat destroying method yet, but I just had to try a sledgehammer once, and it bounced off the seat and echoed throughout the neighborhood for the longest time, lol...just don't even try it ;)

Your overhead shield seat might be an exciting toy for awhile, too...great as a tv watching chair or doll seat (admittedly, I kept my first convertible seat well after it expired, and I loved it more than my kids did, so maybe that seems like a nutty idea :D )

Anyway, good luck shopping, post back with what you decide on, and tell me if you need any installation tips or tether anchor part numbers or anything.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[momofmany]

Julie,

Thank you again for your help. Our van is a 1996 Grand Voyager and it has not been adapted for the latch/tether system. Can it be and if so, how do I go about doing this. We plan to keep this vehicle for several more years.

Thanks so much!

[Joolsplus2]

I'll see if I can look up part numbers for you tomorrow afternoon, I'm really pretty sure you can add top tethers without too much effort or expense. LATCH is not retrofittable, but that's not a big deal, seatbelts work great to install most seats.


:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[momofmany]

We got the new carseats today - the Evenflo Generations Ultra, which were on sale at Target for $86 plus an addtl 10% discount. The two girls proclaimed their new chairs "really comfy" and had no problem letting go of the old ones. I found the Evenflo easy to install and like the easy harness tightening system.

Thank you so much for all your help. It is appreciated.

Becky
Mom to three great girls and one really great boy!

[Joolsplus2]

Wow, glad you found a great set of seats :)

I forgot to look up your part numbers! If no one does in the next couple weeks, I'll do it when I get home from vacation ;)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx