What are my travel options?

[fivi2]

I am planning to take my girls on an airplane next month. We have flown before, but always with dh. This time, it will be me and my 3.5 yo twins. We currently have two roundabouts (dds are very petite). I don't see how I can handle two carseats in the airport/airplane by myself, while wrangling two preschoolers. I do think they will sit with the seatbelt on the plane without major problems.

So, do I put my roundabouts through baggage? Buy a cheap something that I am not familiar with (scenera?) and ship to grandma's, and expect her to have them installed correctly? (she works near police and fire and can have them checked out... if she will.) any other options? How do others travel with 2 dc?

TIA!

[o_mom]

Cares harnesses on the plane, then something waiting at Grandma's sounds like the best plan. Are you going to go there often? Would it be worth having something that would last slightly longer, but a bit more expensive? What kind of car does she have?

[801kelle]

Well my first suggestion is: if you do take your carseats DONT CHECK THEM AS BAGGAGE.. you have a higher risk of them getting lost. But then again I know there are lots of people who do it and have never had a problem. I never have checked a carseat because I always took mine on plane.. but have also heard about people's nightmares of their carseats getting lost when checked with baggage..

WOW I only have one child.. what I have always done is take my stroller and carseat. Put carseat on top of stroller with front of carseat base sitting on stroller tray and the rest of it leaning back into stroller seat.. I put my bags underneath.. Put my DD in carseat and off we go. When I get to gate I check the stroller and take carseat on.

Now I cant imagine doing that alone with 2 DC..??? You could get the CARES TRAVEL HARNESS for the plane.. I really see that as your best and easiest option!!

Here is their website:

http://www.kidsflysafe.com/

As far as when you reach your destination. If you are considering buying carseats for grandmas .. you could order online and have shipped directly to grandmas.. then have her bring carseats in car and you could install after you get there before leaving airport yourself.

Or you can buy the Ride Safer vest for the car ( I just bought one for our last trip to try) My DD just turned 6 yo. It worked really well..

JUST FYI.. This is the first time my daughter has been on plane without carseat or in car without carseat because we bought the ride safer vest. but up until now.. I always took the carseat on the plane because I felt more comfortable with my DD being in a car seat...

I don't think I would have used ride safer vest when my DD was 3.5 yo but if I had two I might consider? Because it is more challenging to travel with 2 vs 1.

http://www.safetrafficsystem.com/


SO if you aren't comfortable with ride safer vest.. I think buying carseats for your arrival is your best option?

I hope this helps? I hope I didn't make your decision even harder or confuse you!!!

[fivi2]

Cares harnesses on the plane, then something waiting at Grandma's sounds like the best plan. Are you going to go there often? Would it be worth having something that would last slightly longer, but a bit more expensive? What kind of car does she have?

She has a sedan (Avalon, I think). We won't be going often. And our second car is a truck, so I don't really have a use for them back home (if we could get them here)

Arrgghh! This is a headache :)

Thanks for the suggestions!

I will look into the Cares Harnesses and the Ride Safer vests. Are they okay for small kiddos? (my girls weigh about 30 lbs, and are short.)

TIA!

[801kelle]

Cares harness is for kids 22-44 lbs

and

Ride Safer Vest ( they have 2 different sizes)

The ranges for the sizes are:

Small is for 3-6 yo, 35-60lbs, 38-52 inches tall

Large is for 5-9 yo, 50-80 lbs, 45-57 inches tall

SO I don't know if they have to meet all three ranges to use safely? meaning if they are 3 they have to be at least 35lbs and 38 inches tall? That is a question that I am sure someone here will know the answer to if not you can call company that make ride safer vest!!!

My DD is 6 yo 43 inches tall and weights 43 lbs.

GOOD LUCK

[KrisM]

Cares harness is for kids 22-44 lbs

and

Ride Safer Vest ( they have 2 different sizes)

The ranges for the sizes are:

Small is for 3-6 yo, 35-60lbs, 38-52 inches tall

Large is for 5-9 yo, 50-80 lbs, 45-57 inches tall

SO I don't know if they have to meet all three ranges to use safely? meaning if they are 3 they have to be at least 35lbs and 38 inches tall? That is a question that I am sure someone here will know the answer to if not you can call company that make ride safer vest!!!

GOOD LUCK

We have a vest. DS1 is about 41 lbs and it is pulled as tightly as it can go on him. DD is 3 and about 35lbs and it is loose on her. I think the weight might be a guideline, but I would think that under 38lbs or so the vest will not fit properly. I wouldn't use it on DD for that reason.

[801kelle]

but I would think that under 38lbs or so the vest will not fit properly. I wouldn't use it on DD for that reason.

Did you mean to say under 35 lbs?? That is minimum lbs for the weight range!

[KrisM]

Did you mean to say under 35 lbs?? That is minimum lbs for the weight range!

yep. Read the height range instead.

[fivi2]

Thanks for the info! My girls don't meet the height or weight for the Ride Safer, so it looks like those are out. Sigh. Thanks for checking.

[801kelle]

Thanks for the info! My girls don't meet the height or weight for the Ride Safer, so it looks like those are out. Sigh. Thanks for checking.

Darn well at least you know you can use the Cares harness on the plane for your 2 DC

[hillview]

Would a safe guard go work? Do you live in New England :)
/hillary

[KrisM]

Do you know of anyone there that you could borrow from? I know I have extra seats that I'd be happy to loan out, especially because we don't "need" the ones in DH's car. Maybe someone has some you could use? If you're going to Detroit area, let me know :)>

[fivi2]

lol - you guys are too nice :) No New England or Detroit. We will be going to Atlanta. My mother said she could ask around and try to borrow seats from a friend, I guess I just have serious trust issues with that (making sure the seat is okay). The second half of the visit, we will be going up to my dad's (they are divorced. not amicably) and my mother won't let me take her friends' seats there, so I'll have to figure out something for that part anyway.

I'll keep thinking! Thanks for the suggestions!

[o_mom]

I would consider the Cosco Scenera ($40-50) or something like a Graco Cargo ($80-100) or Evenflo Chase ($60-90), which are forward facing only, but would last a long time. I think the CARES harness for the plane is a good bet.

[801kelle]

I would consider the Cosco Scenera ($40-50) or something like a Graco Cargo ($80-100) or Evenflo Chase ($60-90), which are forward facing only, but would last a long time. I think the CARES harness for the plane is a good bet..

I agree I probably wouldn't feel very comfortable borrowing seats from someone I don't know.

If you can find inexpensive ones to buy have them shipped there and then leave them there .. You girls should be able to use for awhile.. So even if you only go back there 3 times by the time they outgrow ..it would be worth it to save the headache and stress of borrowing etc...

[KrisM]

I know they're more expensive, but if you visit often enough, maybe a Nautilus would be better. It'd would last a really long time, into booster stage, so you wouldn't have to buy another set of seats in a couple of years.

Or, what my friend did, was buy her dad a Nautilus and he used it for a year or so (2 visits, I think) and when her DS outgrew the MA in her car, she had the Nautilus sent to her and will buy him a less expensive booster for their next visit. If your kids will last in their RAs for another couple years, you could then take the Nautiluses home to use and buy your mom some boosters for her car.

[AnnieW625]

I would use the cares harness on the plane and check the Roundabouts at the ticket counter. I wouldn't bother buying Sceneras at this time unless you are going to be doing a lot of travel in the next year or so before they hit 40" or plan on having more kids. The Safegaurd Go might work but it would be hard to carry two of those in the airport (to put in the overhead bin) and since they fold up into a bag I highly doubt you'll get the extra luggage allowance at the ticket counter because it doesn't look like a regular carseat.