Anyone have more than 3 dc & NO minivan?

[Singingmom]

Sounds crazy just typing it! How do you have more than 3 kids and no minivan? I'm only partly tongue in cheek here. If I could get Dh on board, I think I'd like to have another, but it will be several years before we have our finances in hand enough to buy a used minivan, unless the Lord does a miracle. And I'm 37! Do I really want to wait until we can afford a minivan? Seriously, we could get to church in 2 separate cars, assuming they're both running, but we couldn't all visit the g'parents or go to the beach. No way can we afford gas for 2 cars to travel long distances. Anyone? Anyone? :scratch :shifty

[Sara]

Well, there are cars that seat 3 in front and 3 in back. Or station wagons. We had a station wagon when I was a kid and it had room for 7. Is the issue that you can't get any sort of different vehicle, or just that you can't get a minivan?

I'm not sure what to tell you if you have to stick with the cars you have right now. I've never encountered that and I'm not sure how you would handle it. Hopefully someone else on the board has dealt with this!

[Dana Joy]

we have more than 3 kids and NO minivan
we have 9 kids total and a full size van :jawdrop
not the answer you were looking for huh?

[Sara]

we have more than 3 kids and NO minivan
we have 9 kids total and a full size van :jawdrop
not the answer you were looking for huh?


Wow, based on your signature, I thought you had 5. But I see now that you just have 5 UNDER EIGHTEEN! That's neat. :-)

[Marzipan]

So, I'm no expert here. We only have one and we do have a mini van, but it seems like for special trips, you could probably rent something for less than it would cost for gas for two cars. Depending, of course, on how far the long trips were... :shrug

[Dana Joy]

completely OT i never know what to put in my siggie- i want to acknowledge my step kids but since 4 were grown when i met dh i don't feel like i can claim them kwim? the 5 under 18 are 1 step- 1 adopted and 3 bio- and since i'm raising them i feel like i can legitimately put them in my siggie
i may change it again sometime if i can think of a condensed way to akcknoledge everyone with out taking claim to raising the ones that i didn't
sorry didn't mean to hyjack

[purstrength]

I was going to suggest the renting for trips idea too! :tu

[MarynMunchkins]

We had 3 in carseats in a Taurus for 18 months. :) And except for my child's rage issues and complete intolerance of noise, it worked just fine. :tu The whole reason we bought a van is so Doug couldn't reach his siblings. :rolleyes

We made several trips from Charlotte to Atlanta in it. :shrug Really wasn't that big of a deal. :)

[This Busy Mom]

I have a full sized Ford truck with an extended cab. It's paid for and never given me any troubles so I'm having a hard, hard time parting with it, but I'd love more seats (it has six belts). I have a britax that I can't use in it because it's too tight of a squeeze.

[BlessingsX4]

I have a minivan but dh drive a 93 Volvo station wagon with the rear facing third seat. It's very safe and has been very dependable. Has lap and shoulder belts in all 7 seating positions as well.

[Singingmom]

Is the issue that you can't get any sort of different vehicle, or just that you can't get a minivan?


We can't get anything new right now. Our cars are both paid for and we can't add another payment to our lives. I'd be open to any vehicle with more seats.

Renting for trips is a good idea! :tu


We had 3 in carseats in a Taurus for 18 months. :)


That's us right now. Well, not in carseats, but 3 in the back. The problem would come if we added another dc. ;)

[Singingmom]

And btw, I love that I can ask this question here and not have everyone think I'm stupid for wanting more dc than I can "afford" - more than I can fit in my car and more than I have college $ saved for. :mrgreen

[Sara]

And btw, I love that I can ask this question here and not have everyone think I'm stupid for wanting more dc than I can "afford" - more than I can fit in my car and more than I have college $ saved for. :mrgreen


:tu

Would you be able to trade one of your cars? I suppose it would all depend on what your cars are worth and what you could find. I'm just wondering if you'd be able to trade for something that is about the same price, but that has more seats? Just an idea.

I also think that, while it is good to consider these things, God does have very interesting ways of providing for us the things that we need in His time. I'm not saying you shouldn't be considering it. Just throwing out the possibility that God could always provide something unexpectedly. I know that has happened many times with us.

Now, assuming you did have another child, would you be able to take all 4 of the children with you in one car if your dh was not around. As long as you could do that, I think the other stuff could work itself out.

:hug

[Singingmom]

By the time we would have another, my oldest would be at least 10, although he's small. One of our cars has an airbag, one doesn't. I could get around with all the kids, at least!

The car we'd probably trade isn't worth much. :shrug

Sara, thanks for the reminder that God provides for us in His time and His way. Who knows what the future will bring.

Of course this is all moot if Dh doesn't come around. :)

Thanks for the brainstorming. :hug

[Garnet]

we've had an old car that seated 3 in front and 3 in back, and a station wagon that seated three in front, three in back and had two "jump seats" complete with seatbelts that pulled out of the wall of the wagon bed.

my parents had a "mini mini" van that seated 5.

Trucks with extended cabs can seat up to 5. Do you have two cars? Do you need two? What about scaling down to one mini van or full sized van?

[peacefulveganmom]

I also think that, while it is good to consider these things, God does have very interesting ways of providing for us the things that we need in His time. I'm not saying you shouldn't be considering it. Just throwing out the possibility that God could always provide something unexpectedly. I know that has happened many times with us.


:yes I agree, Sara! When I was pregnant with my second dd (makes 3 children for us with dh's 9 yr. old!) our car broke down and we didn't even have a working family vehicle- Just my dh's pick-up truck :( - and we were stressing so much about what we were going to do with no extra money to fix the car or buy anything else! Lo and behold, God provided us with a FREEstation wagon :phew that seats seven, a gift from a fellow member of Freecycle. :heart

:hug to you! I pray everything will work out for you like you want!! :amen

[Singingmom]

Yes it is! :) And I needed the encouragement. Just the other day I was looking around and realized it's not just a minivan. This house is tiny. Dd doesn't even have her own room! It looks silly all the way around to have another baby, and I know even my parents would think so. I need to wait on the Lord and let Him work things out in His way, in His time. If I were to get pregnant, I know it would work out. If we wait, I know that will work out to. So it's time for me to chill out and trust Him. I don't think that made much sense, but I am glad for the encouragement. :hug

[BornFreeBaby]

Trust in the Lord. Babies dont need a big house or their own rooms. The car thing will all get worked out.

Also, if money were no object, I would LOVE to get the new Toyota highlander hybrid. They now have the 3rd row seating in a car that is a hybrid! Its so awsome.

But I can stop dreaming now because they are over 30 thous. starting price. ACK!