We need to replace my car (well, 'need' is subjective, but it is beginning to age, and want to strike before problems occur).
I have 3 dc - dd1 is 9. Technically tall enough to not sit on a booster (136cm), but I want to try to keep her on one, as she is only just over the minimum. She also has a Crelling harness in the car due to behavioural issues (previously things like sliding down under the lap part of the seat belt, occasional fiddling with her seatbelt catch).
dd2 is almost 7, and small for her age (well, tiny really). She only weighs 16kg still, and has up to now been rear facing in a Two Way Elite (she is almost out of this height wise, but obviously fine weight wise!)
ds is 18 months, and just about to grow out of his infant carrier, weight wise.
I want to keep a 4WD, not least because of the locaiton of dd1's school.
I am getting all in a muddle trying to work out how I can fit all 3 in safely.
dd1 is curently behind the passenger seat, dd2 in the middle, and ds behind the driver.
when we change cars, dd2 will go onto a hbb, and so getting in and out past dd1 will be tricky (I drop dd2 off first).
if I put dd1 in the middle, then she is likely to be a danger - she already puts her feet up on the passenger seat, when she realises she can probably reach to kick me, then she will - not to kick me, as such, but because she knows it will get a reaction (any reaction will be classed as her 'winning' - including stopping the car with no comment at all)
If we get a 7 seater, then technically I could put one child in the rear row. not ds, as want to keep him rear facing, and reaching around would be a faff.
not dd2 as she gets out first, so again a faff.
but not dd1 as she can't do her own seatbelt/straps, and so i would be left reaching through and doing myself an injury trying to get her all done up.
plus, with 2 children in the middle row, how could I get one nto the back row without climbing in over the tailgate (not many set up to do this - cue me covered in mud after giving a leg up) as with seats in the middle row then the actual car seats won;t fold down so easily.
What am I missing? (apart from the obvious of training dd1 to behave - a work in progress, but I won't hold my breath).
If I leave dd1 behind the passenger seat, and dd2 in the middle, then I will have to get dd1 out of the car each time I drop off/pick up dd2. WHich is not desirable (behavioural issues again - it would not be beyond dd1 to refuse to get back in the car, again just to see the effect, and I can't just bundle her in anymore as she is big!)
I'm going round in circles - any ideas outside the box? Just about any car considered - 4WD and needs to fit 3 car seats, but not sold on any particular make. Budget healthy (not looking for new, but ex demo or around 18 months old). It shoudln't be this hard!