Two carseat questions (positioning)

[_MrsC_]

There are three kids (ages 8 & 6 are in backless boosters, age 2 is ff in a Cosco Scenera or Alpha Omega).

If you are driving a Chevy Van (can't remember the name...) what are the best places for them? I'm thinking either the 8 & 6 y.o's in the back seat and the 2 y.o. in the middle passenger side or the 8 in the back and 6 and 2 in the middle seat...

Second question... Would you try to fit those same three kids (along with two adults) in a Hyundai Sonata? I haven't tried to fit the three seats in the back but it seems like it would be crowded.

[RedheadbyChoice]

Not the resident expert, at all, but in the case of the Hyundai, it may be possible, depending on how wide the backless boosters are, some are more narrow than others. All you can do, really, is try to see if you can get a good fit.

In the van, assuming that each seat can be installed properly in any spot, I'd have the 2 year old and one of the bigger kids in the second row, and the other big kid in the back. Not sure if the 2nd row is captain's chairs or a bench, though, but that's what I'd do, if it were me.

In my van (chrysler town and country), Meredith is RF in the Scenera, behind the passenger seat, bigger DDs are in seat belts, so they switch off as to who gets to sit by her. :) Connor is in the Nautilus, in the far back, behind the driver, and the other big DD sits back there with him.

Again, I'm not an expert, that's just what I'd do.

[chickabiddy]

What kind of seatbelts are in the van? What is the seat setup -- benches, headrests, captain's chairs? Any side airbags? Same question about the Sonata -- I'm pretty sure they *would* fit, but not sure they *should*.

[_MrsC_]

In the van, the back is a full bench, the middle is a partial bench. Actually, I think the middle seats can actually be seperated so there is a space between the two seats, right now the space is to the passenger side. I'm not sure about the seats belts, I think all positions have a shoulder strap. I doubt there are side air-bags. I'm pretty sure it has headrests.

In the sonata, all three back seats have shoulder straps, there is also latch available on the outside spots. I believe it does have side airbags. There are headrests, but I don't think they are adjustable if that matters.

I'm not sure how wide the boosters are... If it helps, I think she bought them for less than $20 from Wal-Mart. I'll go check the website and see if I can spot them.

FWIW, my sister and I are taking the kids camping in two weeks. She owns the van, I own the car. We would prefer to take the van because of the space, but I'm having doubts about if it will actually *make* the three hour drive and seven miles of dirt road. I'm trying to get my ducks in a row, so to speak.

ETA: I'm pretty sure these are the seats the two older girls are in: Graco No-Back TurboBooster (http://http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7964341)