Motorhome travel with small children

[DisneyMom2000000]

Hey everyone!
We are coming to Disney with a motorhome (Class A) and a pull-behind trailer and truck. We are traveling with three small children (9 months, 2 years, and 4.5 years).
We are having a debate over where the 4.5 year old should ride. I would prefer her in the truck in her car seat BUT I don't think there is any way we will fit 3 kids & carseats across in my husband's GMC Sierra 1500.
So, thinking she'll ride in the motorhome, unless we figure something else out.
She rides in a forward facing 5 point harness seat. It can be secured with a lap belt so I'm thinking we will remove the table and have her sit forward facing at the dinette.

Any thoughts on this? How do you travel in a motorhome with kids? Of course, the car seat people say "There is no way to travel safely in a motorhome" but I believe its possible with proper precautions.

How do you travel in a motorhome with kids? What if you have more than one? Where do you put their car seats?

 

[ruthies12]

Well I only have two kids and we put their carseats on the couch which is sideways, and we use side impact tested car seats. I have on occasion put the carseats on the dinette so that they could color on the table while we are driving.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Well I only have two kids and we put their carseats on the couch which is sideways, and we use side impact tested car seats. I have on occasion put the carseats on the dinette so that they could color on the table while we are driving.

Thanks. I'm also wondering where we can put two kids in the future. Right now we won't do it at all since one is rear facing and I think that makes it a bit more challenging, but once she is forward facing I think I would be okay with it.

 

[jknezek]

We have 3 in our small motorhome. Twin 5.5 year olds and a 7 year old. They are all in boosters now, but the configuration we use is the same as what we used when they were in car seats. Two are lapseat buckled into the couch, which has them sideways, and one is lapseat buckled forward facing on the dinette. I also have a backward facing dinette seatbelt available, but we don't use it. Is it perfect? No. But it's better than nothing.

 

[FtW Mike]

DisneyMom my first question is will the truck be on the trailer or being driven independent of the coach. If on or in the trailer no way should you even consider having her ride in it. Not only is it highly illegal but consider the safety considerations What if she has an emergency or accident.
I would take a hard look at JKNEZEK has to say, a realistic option if you ask me

 

[North of Mouse]

Hey everyone!
We are coming to Disney with a motorhome (Class A) and a pull-behind trailer and truck. We are traveling with three small children (9 months, 2 years, and 4.5 years).
We are having a debate over where the 4.5 year old should ride. I would prefer her in the truck in her car seat BUT I don't think there is any way we will fit 3 kids & carseats across in my husband's GMC Sierra 1500.
So, thinking she'll ride in the motorhome, unless we figure something else out.
She rides in a forward facing 5 point harness seat. It can be secured with a lap belt so I'm thinking we will remove the table and have her sit forward facing at the dinette.

Any thoughts on this? How do you travel in a motorhome with kids? Of course, the car seat people say "There is no way to travel safely in a motorhome" but I believe its possible with proper precautions.

How do you travel in a motorhome with kids? What if you have more than one? Where do you put their car seats?

Sadly, motorhomes are not safe for small children. Especially, not backward facing or sideways. Seating them with car seats basically just keeps them from moving around the coach, little or no protection in crashes.

To be honest, 'any' passengers in the back are not really safe, as there are too many things to come loose, or things that may be laying around that can be like projectiles.

Wish things were different, but that seems to be the way things are made. Cabinets, tables, chairs, etc. are screwed down, tied down, etc. but most will not sustain a crash. I know families that freely move around, sleep, etc. while riding, which IMO is even worse, if possible.

So, the car seat people are entirely right in saying there is 'no' safe way to travel with them in a mh. It's a false safety/peace of mind, but I'm not sure what families are supposed to do. Guess that's why most families opt for TT's with kids - I know that's what we did - didn't get our motorhomes until later.

The same holds true with dogs (pets). They can become projectiles in a crash. Our son/DIL travel with 4 loose dogs - really scare me!

The best to you in working this out.

 

[morrik5]

We installed an anchor in the floor below the dinette seat and drilled a hole large enough for the anchor belt to come through. The car seat then sits directly on the wood of the dinette seat with the cushion removed so that our granddaughter can still sit with her knees below the table yet reach to colour etc. She can also see out the window that way. We feel more comfortable with her riding forwards and not sure if it's the law rather than being allowed to ride sideways by being on one of the couches.

 

[jknezek]

We have a 1976 GMC motorhome. The seats aren't held in by much. I know because I've had them all out to redo the floor, but the seatbelts are sleeved through the floor and bolted top and bottom with grade 8 bolts and nuts. To get them out required a breaker bar and a come along. When I removed and reinstalled the dinettes and couch I made sure the 4 corner bolts on all 3 were sleeved through the floor and bolted as well. Now the floor is still plywood, so there is only so much you can do, and it is definitely not as safe as a car, but as safe as I can make it. On the other hand, we've had our GMC for 10 years, put 40,000 miles on it, and I can count the times I've gotten close to an accident on 2 fingers, both because someone cut me off.

I try not to live in fear. We do a lot of that in this country these days, afraid of the things that happen at the very margins. Why? Because these are the things that we see on the news. The odd and rare accidents that have horrible consequences. But driving anything, even a motorhome, is a pretty safe thing to do.

For those of you that are against kids in motorhomes, would you let your kids ride a bus to school? Or ride a school bus to a sporting event? No seatbelts there, and seats significantly more dangerous than a motorhome. Life has risks, as much as we'd like to protect our kids, and ourselves, from all of them, it's just not possible without building our own prisons... Your mileage may vary...

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Sadly, motorhomes are not safe for small children. Especially, not backward facing or sideways. Seating them with car seats basically just keeps them from moving around the coach, little or no protection in crashes.

To be honest, 'any' passengers in the back are not really safe, as there are too many things to come loose, or things that may be laying around that can be like projectiles.

Wish things were different, but that seems to be the way things are made. Cabinets, tables, chairs, etc. are screwed down, tied down, etc. but most will not sustain a crash. I know families that freely move around, sleep, etc. while riding, which IMO is even worse, if possible.

So, the car seat people are entirely right in saying there is 'no' safe way to travel with them in a mh. It's a false safety/peace of mind, but I'm not sure what families are supposed to do. Guess that's why most families opt for TT's with kids - I know that's what we did - didn't get our motorhomes until later.

The same holds true with dogs (pets). They can become projectiles in a crash. Our son/DIL travel with 4 loose dogs - really scare me!

The best to you in working this out.

I get it. I really do. Thank you for your input. We may end up bringing a 3rd vehicle.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

DisneyMom my first question is will the truck be on the trailer or being driven independent of the coach. If on or in the trailer no way should you even consider having her ride in it. Not only is it highly illegal but consider the safety considerations What if she has an emergency or accident.
I would take a hard look at JKNEZEK has to say, a realistic option if you ask me

Sorry. I think I was unclear. We will be bringing the Class A motorhome, PLUS a GMC Sierra, being driven by my husband -- that will pull a travel trailer.

 

[North of Mouse]

For those of you that are against kids in motorhomes, would you let your kids ride a bus to school?

Am assuming this was directed at my post because of what I said, but I am in no way against children in motorhomes. I was only responding to "thoughts about it" in the OP's post. This was about some of our internet research. You are free to look it up for yourself, I was just passing on what we had found out! It is general knowledge, even from car seat manufactures.

You are right. There are certain risks that we take each day, and it's up to us what ones we are willing to take. Living in fear is not a life!

DisneyMom - how far are you traveling? Just wondering, as you seem to have the option of another vehicle vs. mh.

 

[FtW Mike]

Consider this for a moment. Every vehicle that travels on US roads (With very few exceptions) must comply with NTSB safety standards. Ever seatbelt equipped approved for passenger occ upancy while in motion must be able to withstand certain forces. The Insurance companies have a major Financial stake in them and demand certain standards be met as well.
Where and how to secure child safety seats is an issue most volunteer fire companies are with some advance notice willing to show you how and in some instances the best place for them.
As NoM and Mike Baxter said Life is risky but we can't run away from everything or we'll do nothing Sometimes we just need to take the training wheels off and let the kid ride a sheep

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Am assuming this was directed at my post because of what I said, but I am in no way against children in motorhomes. I was only responding to "thoughts about it" in the OP's post. This was about some of our internet research. You are free to look it up for yourself, I was just passing on what we had found out! It is general knowledge, even from car seat manufactures.

You are right. There are certain risks that we take each day, and it's up to us what ones we are willing to take. Living in fear is not a life!

DisneyMom - how far are you traveling? Just wondering, as you seem to have the option of another vehicle vs. mh.

We are traveling about 7 hours. We do have the option to bring a 3rd vehicle... which is probably what we will end up doing.

I try not to be totally fearful of the "what-ifs" in life, but I think an RV trip would be better later down the road, when they can simply use lap-belts.

 

[rideswithchrist]

Instead of bringing a 3rd vehicle, why not just bring the MH and a personal vehicle you follow in?
Do you have to bring the Sierra?

Another option if you were able to would be to find a way to bolt seatbelts to the frame or metal part of the floor. I really with motor homes were made for families!
Also- Fire departments are NOT the place to learn how to install carseats. You are better off with a site like Carseats For the Littles .org and finding an actual certified carseat tech. Fire departments are safe places for baby moses drop offs, but they do not have training on carseat installation.

 

[michelb]

IMO, the best place for the child seat is the front passenger seat but if that's not a good option for you, I do think there are relatively safe spots on a motorhome. The best is probably on the dinette but facing the rear and removing the table - front facing is not terrible but rear is better. (except in the event of a rear end collision (which in a motorhome, is probably only really an issue if you are hit by a semi), a rear facing seat is safer than front facing seat). Child seats aren't designed to be mounted sideways but IMO, that's still better than nothing.

Our motorhome has a J-couch and we'd put the seat in the J-corner which was about 45 degrees from the front of the motorhome - not ideal but I thought it was not terrible.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Instead of bringing a 3rd vehicle, why not just bring the MH and a personal vehicle you follow in?
Do you have to bring the Sierra?

Another option if you were able to would be to find a way to bolt seatbelts to the frame or metal part of the floor. I really with motor homes were made for families!
Also- Fire departments are NOT the place to learn how to install carseats. You are better off with a site like Carseats For the Littles .org and finding an actual certified carseat tech. Fire departments are safe places for baby moses drop offs, but they do not have training on carseat installation.

Yeah, we have to bring the Sierra, because its pulling a travel trailer RV. Half of our party will be sleeping in the motorhome, and half in the TT.

I love Carseats for the Littles! They've helped me before. I think I may get in touch with them and see if we can find a narrow carseat that might fit 3 across in the Sierra.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

IMO, the best place for the child seat is the front passenger seat but if that's not a good option for you, I do think there are relatively safe spots on a motorhome. The best is probably on the dinette but facing the rear and removing the table - front facing is not terrible but rear is better. (except in the event of a rear end collision (which in a motorhome, is probably only really an issue if you are hit by a semi), a rear facing seat is safer than front facing seat). Child seats aren't designed to be mounted sideways but IMO, that's still better than nothing.

Our motorhome has a J-couch and we'd put the seat in the J-corner which was about 45 degrees from the front of the motorhome - not ideal but I thought it was not terrible.

I am open to the option of putting one in the front seat, but I have to find out the details on the best way to do that.

 

[jknezek]

Yeah, we have to bring the Sierra, because its pulling a travel trailer RV. Half of our party will be sleeping in the motorhome, and half in the TT.

I love Carseats for the Littles! They've helped me before. I think I may get in touch with them and see if we can find a narrow carseat that might fit 3 across in the Sierra.

We got 3 across in my Chevy HHR in years past. It can be done, it's just really uncomfortable with 3 full size carseats. We also have put a 5 year old into a booster, she met the height and weight limit, and put the booster in the middle of the 2 carseats. That makes for a bit more room, but man can it be tough to buckle the booster.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

We got 3 across in my Chevy HHR in years past. It can be done, it's just really uncomfortable with 3 full size carseats. We also have put a 5 year old into a booster, she met the height and weight limit, and put the booster in the middle of the 2 carseats. That makes for a bit more room, but man can it be tough to buckle the booster.

By uncomfortable do you mean uncomfortable for the kids during the ride or just uncomfortable when putting them in and taking them out?

 

[jknezek]

By uncomfortable do you mean uncomfortable for the kids during the ride or just uncomfortable when putting them in and taking them out?

Yes to both. The kids were simply too close and prone to irritate each other. And getting them in and out was definitely uncomfortable...