Another car one…

[CurlyCavill1]

Just curious what people think…

When your children are getting into or out of your car - at a normal pace, not particularly slowly - and the person parked next to you wants to get into or out of their car, would you make your child wait or would you make the other person wait?

This happened to us today. A woman who had literally just arrived said very irritably “Can I get to my door PLEASE?” as my 3 year old son was just getting out of the car. She moved to shut his door which momentarily worried me as toddlers/preschoolers are so unpredictable I thought she might catch his arm in it if he suddenly moved, so I said “Oh he’s just about to get out” which set her off huffing and puffing. Afterwards I thought, well, what makes her think she is more important than any other person, or that she should take priority over another person? He has as much right to be there as she does. The fact that he’s a child is irrelevant.

But I know some people think the opposite.

It’s quite mundane and trivial but I am still interested in other people’s opinions.

@Theunamedcat

People who touch my car get shouted at im afraid my son is 8 with special needs including coordination issues my 12 year old has coordination issues snd both take time getting out of cars in fact I get out of my seat go around and hold the door to prevent other cars being damaged (they tend to fling the door open) so she would get a short shrift from me huffing and puffing especially as my 12 year old would choose NOT to get out the car at that point because she is breathing near him (major FRUSTRATION with that one)

Oh ffs I've got to take them shopping today im going to have to deal with this shit

Have you got a blue badge for any of them? Sounds like they would qualify and it would make your life a lot easier. Two of mine have them under the hidden disablity rule.

@RaPumPumPumPum

Also adults generally have tougher days than kids, maybe she’d had a shit day and just wanted to go home, or maybe she was visiting a loved one in hospital, or maybe she was ill. It will absolutely benefit your 3yo to learn to wait

So what's the lesson here? If I've had a bad day, I can be selfish and rude to other people and they should put up with it?

If o need to get out ofcmy car I just wait until the other person gets out and there's room jesus dome people haven't got a minute to live

If he was starting to get out before she arrived back, he should crack on and she should wait. She sounds like she was having a bad day, or is just a general misery who thinks children are below her in the pecking order (as many adults do).

@lliitttlepiinkhouse

She was rude and I'd make her wait as long as it took, cow.

Nobody is in that much of a rush they can't wait a matter of seconds.

This! Entitled older person syndrome in full effect. I would have had a massive go at her.

@pinkstripeycat

I probably would have (overdramatically) screamed “Be careful! Mind his arm!” I get all arsey with folk being mean around children. Children aren’t second class citizens, adults don’t always get to go first. It’s like people ignoring a child at the front of the ice cream queue and pushing past them

I agree, I feel like I’m increasingly seeing the notion that all things being equal, adults automatically take precedence over children.

If the child hadn't started getting out the car yet I'd tell them to wait.
If they were already getting out the car the other person would have to wait.

If someone went near to an open door on my car, especially trying to close a door on my toddler, I'd lose my shit.

I had unstrapped him and opened his door for him. We were in the underground car park of the building we live in, where we can see and hear any moving cars so I think it’s safe to let him slip out by himself when I’m right next to him. He’d already done whatever dawdling/faffing around he would normally do and was actually getting out of the car by the time she even got there. I don’t think children are the centre of the universe but nor do I think they are second-class citizens to adults, and I want to teach them both of those things.