I get annoyed when people compare

[mishap]

the giant cars there are now to the cars they had when they were kids.

My friend said to me the other day: "I hate that parents think they need an SUV or a minivan just because they have two kids. WHen I was a kid, we had a sedan and three kids and it was fine."

You didn't have car seats or booster seats then! (Early 80's) I'm not saying that popping out a kid = means you NEED a GIANT SUV, but our station wagons just aren't cutting it anymore and it's annoying the crap out of me. Now that DS is in school and carpools are common, it sucks that I can't ever participate because we can't fit a third kid in our backseat because of car seats and booster seats. We can't ever bring my mom with us when we go places because there's no room for her.

And DH is pressuring me to get a minivan and I keep stomping my feet and saying no like a child. I know I'm not cool anymore, but I'm not ready to make the minivan leap.

And this is my nonsensical whiny rant for the day. Anyone else in the same boat? Car isn't big enough but you don't want a huge car?

[grk2012]

We only have one kid, but I want a minivan! I can't fit the jogging stroller into either of our trunks ('95 Cutlass, '99 Cavalier) so if we go somewhere together and run with DS, I have to cram myself in the spaceless backseats w/ DS and shove the stroller in the front. Never mind taking the dog with us, too. Just can't happen. Get the van!!

[livinitup]

My mom loves to talk about how EASY it was to take long trips when my sister was a baby whenever she complains that the kids hate long car rides. Yeah, mom it was easy when you could let he baby crawl around the back seat. Now a days, kids kinda hate the car seat after a few hours.

[Willis Jackson]

I hate the "I did such and such with my kids and it was fine". If it's a safety thing, I usually say "Yes, your kids survived but a lot of kids died so we do things differently now."

If some newfangled gadget is going to make my life significantly safer/easier, you bet I'm going to buy it.

[noonecareswhoiam]

I have 2 kids and a SMALLER can than my parents had. Granted, DS#2 never had to be rear facing, which helped, but we could have done it (we don't all ride in the car more than 1-2 times a week). We have a Subaru Impreza 5 door. So you really DON"T need a minivan or an SUV. And you can put 3 car seats in the back of a full-sized sedan.

Now, I wouldn't want to do it in a Mini Cooper, but the average 4-door economy-sized car? Totally doable.

[MamaMaui24]

I was in the "we don't need a bigger car just because we have a kid" camp and now I want a bigger car! We have a Toyota Matrix.

What about a Chevy Traverse or a Honda Pilot? Those both have a third row without being a minivan or huge Suburban.

[mishap]

Jun 20, 2012 10:02:20 GMT -5 noonecareswhoiam said:

I have 2 kids and a SMALLER can than my parents had. Granted, DS#2 never had to be rear facing, which helped, but we could have done it (we don't all ride in the car more than 1-2 times a week). We have a Subaru Impreza 5 door. So you really DON"T need a minivan or an SUV. And you can put 3 car seats in the back of a full-sized sedan.

Now, I wouldn't want to do it in a Mini Cooper, but the average 4-door economy-sized car? Totally doable.

How come your DS2 never had to be rear-facing? I'm just curious. Did you not need a car until he was over 1? (That's what I'm guessing.)

[6fsn]

We were doing just fine on with our Matrix for everyday and long weekends UNTIL the third carseat became a factor.

We did look at things with a 3rd row, but the problem is you lose trunk space.

[noonecareswhoiam]

Jun 20, 2012 11:57:35 GMT -5 mishap said:

Jun 20, 2012 10:02:20 GMT -5 noonecareswhoiam said:

I have 2 kids and a SMALLER can than my parents had. Granted, DS#2 never had to be rear facing, which helped, but we could have done it (we don't all ride in the car more than 1-2 times a week). We have a Subaru Impreza 5 door. So you really DON"T need a minivan or an SUV. And you can put 3 car seats in the back of a full-sized sedan.

Now, I wouldn't want to do it in a Mini Cooper, but the average 4-door economy-sized car? Totally doable.

How come your DS2 never had to be rear-facing? I'm just curious. Did you not need a car until he was over 1? (That's what I'm guessing.)

He was adopted and came home at 11 months. Because he had never been in a car seat before and he HAAAAAATED the car, we put him forward facing. For those about to flame--he was >20 lbs and rarely in the car until I returned to work when he was 13 months old.

[CloudBee]

I agree. Of course I don't need my small SUV, and could have been fine with my old sedan, but goddness it is SO much easier for me to get a kiddo in and out of an SUV. I like not having to bend over and pick up. It's easier to have them at my standing level.

[chessie]

People need to mind their business. I dont plan on getting rid of the truck when we have kids, and I am sure we will get crap for that. I understand your rant and I agree.

[mishap]

Jun 20, 2012 12:14:00 GMT -5 noonecareswhoiam said:

Jun 20, 2012 11:57:35 GMT -5 mishap said:

How come your DS2 never had to be rear-facing? I'm just curious. Did you not need a car until he was over 1? (That's what I'm guessing.)

He was adopted and came home at 11 months. Because he had never been in a car seat before and he HAAAAAATED the car, we put him forward facing. For those about to flame--he was >20 lbs and rarely in the car until I returned to work when he was 13 months old.

Ah- thanks! Just being nosey!

[Deleted]

Depending on your lifestyle you could actually NEED an SUV. We do & fitting 3 carseats in 1 row is only possible with certain seats. People need to myob!

[ECB]

Jun 20, 2012 9:09:17 GMT -5 grk2012 said:

We only have one kid, but I want a minivan!

We have and will only have 1 child and we have a mini-van! LOVE it. We do a fair amount of road trips, though, so it gives us plenty of room to lug everything we could possibly need.

I have 2 other friends who are 1 and done too, and they have or will be getting soon, a van. Both also have a large dogs too, though, which is also what kind of pushed them over the edge.

And the few times we want to take other people with us, we really do have the room. It's just nice to not have to worry about it!

[ssmjlm]

Friends of ours only have 1 and a 100lb golden and they LOVE their mini-van. They keep trying to get us to get one when we replace my car.

But I have an SUV now and I like it. And our dog is only 45lb, so she doesn't take up nearly as much space!

[h]

We always said that we wouldn't get a minivan unless we decided to have a third, but I am thinking of getting a minivan when we replace my car even if we stick with two kids. We have two children in convertible car seats and a pretty good sized dog, and we drive 7 hours each way to see my family several times a year, in addition to other road trips. We also take a lot of weekend trips that seem to involve tons of gear--a cooler, a kayak and paddles, life preservers, sand toys, food, luggage, etc. A minivan would be super convenient. A sedan would kind of suck.

[vegas]

I have the opposite problem. I drive an Infiniti sedan that I LOVE and I'm constantly getting asked how the heck I'll be able to fit two kids in the car. Well, there are 3 seats in the back and I will only have two kids back there so I think I'll manage. Everyone assumes you need a big SUV or van with kids and I'm just not on board with that. DH has a big Land Rover and I hate driving it because it's so freaking big!

[hannamarin]

Just like everyone assumes you have to have a backyard to have a child.
As if you are going to let your 9 mth old crawl around by themselves all day. If you are out there with them, what's the difference with going to the park?

[sewpinkgal]

I was really adamant that I didn't need a larger car before having J, but H insisted that I was due for a new one and really wanted us to get an SUV. Um, let's just say I've had to eat my words many times over at this point. It is so much more convenient than my old 4 door and I'm thrilled with it. So yeah, folks need to myob.