P&C spaces aren't a necessity - but there are plenty of things in our lives nowadays that aren't necessities, but just make life a bit easier - can any of us honestly say that we only ever buy/possess/use things that are pure necessities and not luxuries or things to make life a bit more comfortable? I know I can't.
Yes, it is possible to squeeze a child into or out of their car seat in a normal car parking space, but what is wrong with giving parents with small children larger spaces so that they can get the child in or out more easily, and without risking damaging someone else's car, and with enough space to make sure they strap the child in properly?
And yes, many earlier generations of parents managed without them - but there are plenty of things that my parents managed without that most of us nowadays would hate to be deprived of - automatic washing machines, mobile phones, car seats, seat belts, power assisted steering, disposable nappies.... Are we going to give all of these up?
To be honest, a lot of the arguments against P&C parking spaces seem pretty mean to me, and smack of petty jealousy - how dare these parents think they should be allowed to have something to make life a bit easier, when I am not allowed to use it!!. It all seems a bit dog in the manger.
Giving parents with small children wider parking spaces takes next to nothing away from the rest of us - there may be a few less parking spaces in a big car park, but how often do most of us fail to find a parking space at all? The only time I remember going to the supermarket and the car park being completely full was one christmas.
It also makes it a bit safer for parents with small children if there is a protected walkway to the store. Clearly this is easier if they are placed with the disabled spaces, whose users need the walkway to the store. This is fine by me - I am fat, unfit, and find it hard to walk far, but I can walk a bit further from my car so that the P&C spaces and the disabled spaces can be near the walkway to the store.