To think that parent and child car parking spaced should have an age limit of 5 years.

[buntingbingo]

Or be put at the back of the car park?

I have 3 dcs eldest is 9. Youngest is 2 months. Going to the supermarket is now a massive pain in the arse as there are never and p&c spaces.
I see people with giant kids who are perfectly able to walk, why do they need them? It's not the closeness to the shop that's useful, it's the extra width I need.
I end up struggling to get the baby seat out.
I think if they were at the back of the car park then people wouldn't bother with them unless they need the extra space. Or enforcing a lower age limit might stop the lazy people with big kids taking up all the spaces.
Rant over.
(Disclaimer. Obviously I'm not talking about anyone with special needs or disability, just kids capable of walking and perhaps shock helping to carry a bag or two)

pram and car seat

ffs weird typos

I still use them and I have a 8 and 4 yr old. I sometimes use them if I'm on my own! Well I'm a parent the children just don't happen to be with me at this present time 😆

I also think car choices should reflect life style too.

if you can't do what you need to do without using spaces you aren't entitled to or park without obstructing others in a regular car park then really I think people should reconsider what they are driving.

Perhaps changing the name to something else? The issue isn't being a parent really it's needing the width, for car seats, prams, big tums
Then children with disabilities, hidden or not get a blu badge.

Totally incorrect use of them there LoveArtDeco.

If I didn't have the kids with me then I didn't use Parent and Child spaces. Not fair on people who really need them. Not clever either.

I know I should be shot. 😆

I just dont get the issue with this, if your a parent and you have a child, then you can use he space, it does not matter what you personal or personal entitlement is, the clue is in the name.

Rather than starting yet another pointless thread, take it up with the company/car park owners, sitting on your armchair voicing your opinions, isn't going to be productive to achieving your goal is it!

Incorrect if the kids aren't with you, obviously. Not so much if they are.

Ooh you're so daring

Suggestion don't take Dc with you when you shop at supermarket. When mine were young I used to go in evening when dh was home or whilst they were at playgroup/school etc. Any 'emergency' shopping I walked to local shop/ co-op/ convenience store! Surely there are other options to big supermarkets!

At my local Morrisons the signs say 'parent and toddler parking'. Plenty of parents with teenagers parking there though. Despite actually having a toddler I generally don't bother with them and park towards the back where there's lots of room.

Nah...i think it should be up to the parent, what age they think their child be when they park there. All children are different. One 5 year old and another 5 year old can be completely different.

Fanjo, does the campaign specify children with autism - or does it include children with other learning disabi!ities, sensory issues etc. My friend has been trying to get a blue badge for her Ds, he is 6 and has learning disabilities, but despite appeals, they won't award one.

I don't use them but ds is 6 and hypermobile and still can't plug his seat belt in. There isn't a hard and fast rule about when dc can do these things. What I would actually like are all car parking spaces to be slightly larger, then other than those who are taking a car seat in and out can strap a child in when in any space. Our supermarket car park is never completely full just means some people would park slightly further, although the time spent walking would be ofset by the time saved parking.

Yanbu - once your child is able to get into and out of car unaided and isn't in a buggy then times up I'm afraid

Hazey not just children and not just autism..here is link. .hope it helps.

www.cas.org.uk/news/blue-badge-pilot-scheme

There shouldn't need to be an age limit, we should be considerate of other parents without a rule being in place, ( ideal world I know) if you need extra room then fine once you just park there out of habit/convenience time has come to free that space up for the next lady who really needs the extra door space.

These parking spaces seem to cause more trouble than they are worth sometimes with all the whining about who can, can't, shouldn't use them. I think they are actually worse at the front of the shop, more people, more traffic etc, put them in a large area away from the entrance and then see how often they are used.

If there were lots free I parked in them up to DD2 being 8ish....but actually mainly through fear of a door being bashed into another car by an unthinking child...
(And it was the oldest with ADHD I was more worried about) I get out and hold the doors, with lots of carefully and wait ...it is stress I don't really need!
Where I live we usually have ample parking - I think they should make the 'normal' spaces slightly wider - I drive an average size car and its tight getting in and out sometimes.
(And don't tell me to park away from the shop ...the number of times I've done that and someone has come and parked right next to me ...as if they think their car will get lonely...)

DS2 is 6 and quite frankly nuts. The closer to the shop the better.

I have an 8yo. No sense of risk. SEN physically capable but reg spaces are problematic. Sensory issues inc being terrified of motorbikes, sudden noises and crowds. Has no sense of his own space and has on several occasions damaged other cars with his body and the car door. This is usually mid meltdown.

NO. we don't have a blue badge. If we did we'd use the disabled parking bay.

so you can choose. We carrying on using parent and child spaces. Keep him safe and you don't have dents etc in your car from a meltdown because a motorbike went past on the main road.

Years since i posted on one of these threads. Such fun :)

They are courtesy spaces so its up to the supermarket which customers they wish to prioritise. I'm surprised they dont offer more spaces for 'larger cars' (big spenders) and 'limited mobility' (the elderly, high disposable income pensioners). As it is, they usually specify an age or use an image eg
Aldi = picture of pushchair eg toddlers

Yanbu
Except they should only be for children in pushchairs/buggies

My 3.8 year old is the size of a 6 year old. He has autism and developmental delay which means he functions at the age of an 18 month old. On a good day he looks "normal" - on a bad day he will be a complete hazard to everyone and want to run across the car park to look at a road sign (obssesed with them). We are on high rate dla but he is not entitled to a blue badge or higher rate mobility. I will be parking in the parent and child spaces, it is the safest place for us to park and gives us more room to get him back into the car if he has a meltdown.

Thankyou Fanjo - that looks more hopeful. He has just transferred to special school, so is trying again, I hope she gets it, as he really needs one.

I do wish when the powers would be would realise that a high percentage of people with learning and other disabilities, have no diagnosis - it would make the battle for support that much less exhausting!