To think there should be an age limit on parent and child parking???

[MavisEnderby]

Today Db (25),took Dm shopping in his car.He parked in the "Parent and child" spaces(There were many free)his arguement being that Dm is his Dm and he is her (albeit grown-up(ish) child!!).I just looked at him like this and said I would ask Mumsnet their views on this subject:o

most of them say patents with young children, one of the supermarkets says age 5

sainsbury's (or euro car parks who run the car park) say 12,

I think for NT children 6 would be my limit - its really the age when they can get themselves in and belted without assistance.

Ours is age 5 too. Some Sainsbo car parks have people standing around to check on the P+T spaces

I've parked there with an older relative before now. Claimed she was in her second childhood. :)

Tesco used to say 5 but we haven't used them for years even tho ds is just 6!

I saw a girl in Sainsburys being ripped to shreds by some boys she knew after her dad parked in P&C. She looked about 8 and was mortified, as was the mother of the boys who were doubled over laughing at her being a 'baby'. The dad was oblivious.

My youngest is 2 (just) and I wouldn't use them now.

I feel guilty at using it at 5 with DD but also have DS 2.

why the (ish) after grownup??? he's 25

My MN view is that he's a selfish unthinking twat

HTH

I'm 32 and every time I'm in the car with my mother she says she ought to be allowed to park in these spaces as she is a parent and I am her child.

If the shop can't be bothered to specify, and if you're in a really pernickety mood, why not?

I did not think any shops were open to day, just the small ones.

I park where I want when I want.

sainsburys says 14, i laugh in their face

I meant (ish) because parking in a parent toddler space wasn't actually terribly grown up behaviour.He is usually fairly sensible but was obviously in holiday mood as he hadn't had a day off work for ages.:o

goodbye me too (barring disabled spaces of course).

yes disabled spaces are a no no unless its 2am in the morning

Personally I think once the kids can get in and out themselves you shouldn't use them. They sometimes have safer routes to the shop, but mainly they're for extra width for getting kids in car seats in and out, or for adults to help kids get strapped in. If the kids can do this themselves, why should you get to use them?

I'm ashamed to say I still use them with my almost 5 and 6yo. 6yo can belt himself in and DD is almost there, but not quite. Unfortunately I have a bad back problem that means I cant bend and twist at the same time so trying to do her up in a normal space is very painful. I'm hoping she will soon be as proficient as her brother!
I think as soon as they can be trusted to belt themselves in properly the spaces should be left to those who really need them, sadly, in my local asda, they tend to be occupied by lazy bastards who cant be arsed to walk, and people in huge cars who cant park them properly.

Never had those spaces when my twins were small and we managed perfectly well. No trolleys with twin seats either!

I'd say 6. Sainsbury's have 12, which considering many children walk to school unaccompanied by then seems a bit excessive.
I agree that if the location doesn't specify an upper limit, there will always be people who take the piss.

I still use them when I have my ds (6 1/2) as he can't do his seat belt without big twists and curls in it. I reckon I would rather be shouted at and humiliated for using it than him be hurt because his seatbelt wasn't on properly.

I do this at Tesco where it says age 5 as the P&C limit.

well when I go to the supermarket this week I might park in them and dd is 16

I'll stop using them when Ds is out of a full car seat. Not sure what age that will be.

It think some shops insist there be a car seat in the car to use a Parent-and-child space.

Our local supermarkets seem to imply you can use them with children up to 12. I have a 6 and 9 yr old, and feel we're getting to the limit. The 6 yr old can't do the buckle up by himself, so sometimes I feel as if we're justified. It's not easy doing up his belt without touching the other cars, but, in the same situation, it's a lot easier than getting a baby into a rear facing seat! I hardly ever use them, but if there's lots of free c+p places left I'll take advantage. I don't often have to take kids into supermarkets these days.

We have a small local Asda and I'm often surprised how many cars are in the child parking places. Fine, if they were empy, but they often seem to contain a car full of older kids + a parent, whilst the other parent has gone shopping. Why? It's not like the extra 60 seconds walk would hurt the other parent doing the shopping. They don't need the extra space to get kids in car seats. It's not a safety issue.

No idea if there is an age limit or not, tbh. DCs are 10 and 7 and I wouldn't use them unless they were the only space available. Seems to me they are more for parents with DCs under 5.