Moving up to a minivan from an SUV was quite a change for Namine. She was used to climbing in from the back, but having sliding doors meant that she could more easily climb in from the side. There was literally a lower barrier to entry, which meant she didn’t need to stand up in order to climb in.
One especially nice thing about our van is that the seats slide. Namine could, prior to climbing in, unlock a seat and slide it away from her, giving her more room to climb into the van before climbing up into the seat. Once seated, I or Jessica would slide it back into place, allowing Namine to buckle up and close the door.
As nice as this feature is, Namine really doesn’t use it anymore. She’s taller and stronger, so now she has no trouble climbing right up from her wheelchair into the seat.
In the space between the seats, there is a removable console, which has storage space and cup holders. Up until recently, we had taken it out so that Namine could push the seat in and climb up. Now that she no longer needs that accommodation, we have put the console back — giving Namine a place for her books and other stuff.
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