# Children and Seat Configurations



## braver (Jun 27, 2001)

I wonder what seat configurations folks use, and how you guys make it work. Some observations so far. We got two kids, a son 22 month old and a 1 month old daughter. The latter made the Jetta not feasible on any kind of long drives -- she faces rearward and the mom can't get to her quickly, or even observe her without some kind of a mirror.
With the Routan, we either put the kids in the second row captain's chairs, which makes it easy to load them through the sliding doors, or we put our son into the third row, the daughter on the left second-row seat, and the mom is next to her. This allows the mom access to both kids, as the third row is shifted left as well. We use both child seats with LATCH bindings -- I got one for my Jetta, since it's so much easier to fix reliably. Still the seats are heavy, and I wouldn't unlatch and move them between cars often, if at all. 
With one child in the third row, it becomes necessary to recline one of the second-row seats to get there when putting the kid in his seat. I can either get to it when the daughter's seat is not in its base, reclining the left captain's seat, or mom can do it by reclining her seat. I took off the head restraint off the left seat with the daughter, but have to keep it on the mom's seat -- and if the head restraint is kept on, it pushes hard against the ceiling when reclining the second-row seats, even at its lowest. This basically makes the restraint always at the lowest setting. Also bringing the seat back and making it click back requires considerable pushing. I wonder what's the best spot to push on the seat to keep it in good shape?
It would be interesting to compare notes on how other folks configure their kids in the Routan!


_Modified by braver at 2:00 PM 2-16-2010_


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## ben55124 (Apr 29, 2009)

*Re: Children and Seat Configurations (braver)*

My #2 is on the way, so soon I will be in the same conundrum.
Assisting kids into the 3rd row is hard. I had some success dive bombing a rear facer into a 3rd row base, but with a low wife acceptable factor.
I'll probably fill up the 2nd row with kid seats. My 2nd row will no longer be adult compatible and my 3rd row will no longer be accessible.
First kid to learn how to self strap gets rewarded with the super fun 3rd row.


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## redzone98 (Jun 10, 2004)

*Re: Children and Seat Configurations (ben55124)*

both Kids sit in the 2nd row, 3rd row seating is only if an Adult is sitting in the 3rd row also


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## vr62a4 (Apr 19, 2003)

I have my 3 year old in the rear bench and my 4 month old in one of the captains chairs. Its really not that bad loading her up. 
The reason we settled on this configuration is because my mom usually comes with us and it would be more comfortable and easier for a 65 year old to sit in the captains chair. I also didn't like the idea of wasting both heated seats on child seats


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## FCPorto (Feb 13, 2010)

I get my Routan in the morning moving the family vehicle from a Envoy XL(not practical seating with kids in car seats) to the Routan. I have 2 year twins which will be occupying the 2nd row(toddler seat in each captains chair) and 8 year to squeeze through 2nd row captains chair into third row. This is the only thing that still bothers me and I think will always bother me is that why did they not make that 2nd row slide forward as most other manufacturers do now with the vans and crossovers.



_Modified by FCPorto at 6:17 PM 2-16-2010_


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## 8E8E (May 16, 2009)

I'll have to figure this out in the next few days.
We have 2 daughters (2 & 4), one more on her way anytime now, and the Routan can't arrive soon enough.


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## VWGavin (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: (8E8E)*

We have a 2.5 year-old and 4 month-old in the second row. We've taken off both headrests because they're not needed with the child seats (and we needed to put something appropriate in those floor storage wells!). When we have additional adult passengers we simply lift the lever that flips the entire captain's chair forward (not the recline lever). This works on either side of the van and makes ample room to get into the third row. Of course you have to do this without the kids in the second row, but it works with the Britax Roundabout convertible seat in place on the todder side and with the Graco infant base in place on the infant side. It's also a good way to clean out the Cheerios and Goldfish that collect in the seats








My wife prefers just to squeeze between the captain's chairs to get to the third row. We've also tried rear-loading through the tailgate...okay for younger adults but not for the mother-in-law!


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## routancan (Aug 8, 2009)

*Re: Children and Seat Configurations (braver)*

Have my 4 year old and 5 month old in car seats in the captain chairs and then my 8 year old in the back row (he is still skinny enough to fit between the captain chairs!). My 4 year old has cerebral palsy, so we have to lug around his wheelchair as well as a stroller for the baby. Luckily, with the 60% back row down feature, we can fit both the wheelchair and stroller in comfortably.


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## MRP2001GTi (Oct 6, 2000)

*Re: Children and Seat Configurations (routancan)*

Two 11 year olds, a 18 year old, a 19 year old and a 21 year old. They just fight over where they want to sit and work it out amongst themselves. Hopefully before I push the button that closes all the doors and start backing out of the parking space.


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## Row1Rich (Sep 11, 2001)

*Re: Children and Seat Configurations (MRP2001GTi)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MRP2001GTi* »_Two 11 year olds, a 18 year old, a 19 year old and a 21 year old. They just fight over where they want to sit and work it out amongst themselves. Hopefully before I push the button that closes all the doors and start backing out of the parking space.

















I do that to my 10 y/o when he's taking too long getting out of the car in the morning when I drop him off at school, last thing I hear from him in the morning is DAAAIDY!!!!! as the door almost catches his backpack








He's great at keeping our 15 month old daughter happy though, they're both in the 2nd row, she's rear facing.
I LUUVE OUR ROUTAN and I drive it any chance I get (I must be getting old!)


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## dvst8r (Jun 16, 2003)

I have an almost 2 year old and a 4 month old, but we have the bench configuration and not the captains chairs so it's actually really easy for us.


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## rmbalisa (Jan 17, 2002)

*Re: (dvst8r)*

Have a 4 yr old girl, 3 yr old boy and one due in June. I plan to have the oldest in the back on the 60 split seat, 40 split seat folded down, and the other two in the captain chairs. And yes, it does suck that it doesn't slide. Not sure what the reason is why they did not put that feature in...


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## dub_this (Oct 11, 2002)

*Re: (rmbalisa)*

We have a 2 year old(sits behind driver) and 10month old(sits behind passenger), we just bought it and we're most likely going to swap the positioning. 
Since we live in the city, we have to go into the street to insert the 2 year old into the car. We feel like that not as safe, as he would easily break free once in the street.


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## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

*FV-QR*

We've got 3 boys: 4yrs, 3years, and 2 mos...
There is ONLY 1 latch on the rear seat - which sucks. 
The oldest sits in his car seat in the rear, the other two are in the captn's chairs. As stated earlier by somebody else...getting the boy buckled into the back seat is a chore. I open the tailgate and reach in from the back and buckle him in. 
Thank God he's old enough that he can climb in himself. I'd suggest you put your oldest in the back so he can get him/herself INTO the seat and then all you have to worry about is buckling him in.


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## rmbalisa (Jan 17, 2002)

*Re: FV-QR (nater)*


_Quote, originally posted by *nater* »_We've got 3 boys: 4yrs, 3years, and 2 mos...
There is ONLY 1 latch on the rear seat - which sucks. 
The oldest sits in his car seat in the rear, the other two are in the captn's chairs. As stated earlier by somebody else...getting the boy buckled into the back seat is a chore. I open the tailgate and reach in from the back and buckle him in. 
Thank God he's old enough that he can climb in himself. I'd suggest you put your oldest in the back so he can get him/herself INTO the seat and then all you have to worry about is buckling him in. 


I make my 4yo buckle herself in the 5pt harness...yeah i taught em young so i dont have to


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## blizno (Dec 11, 2009)

I have an 8yr old, 2 yr old and one due in June. The two younger ones will sit in the 2nd row in huge Britax seats and the 3rd will happily sit in the 3rd row.


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