Parent and child parking spaces confusion!

[bumblebeesaremyfave]

I'm new to all of this so would appreciate some opinions. I was of the understanding the parent spaces were wider purely for the purposes of getting babies/young children into their car seats safely and having the space to have the pram/pushchair next to you rather than behind the car.
I understand that disabled drivers can use them- which I agree with but why would parents with children who aren't in a car seat need the spaces? Surely unless they have a blue badge they shouldn't be parking there?

My son is 12 and has autism. We are not entitled to a BB as our council will not issue them for autism. That is why I use P&C spaces.

I've also had to use them on occasion with my disabled SIL as the BB spaces have been full I simply pop the BB on the windscreen though. So far, nobody has protested.

I use them with my 5 year old if there's loads of spaces available. If not I leave them for the mothers with babies. I must admit my dad did once park in one with my grandma and said he's the child she's the parent I was a bit but she did have poor mobility to be fair.

I use them with my 10 year old. But again, he gets lower rate mobility DLA because he's a bolter so I need to be as near to the supermarket/pedestrian footpath as possible.

I'm sure other people think I'm a lazy cow but frankly I don't give a shit :)