Parent and child spaces should be for those with children 5 and under

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Parent-child parking spaces at supermarkets should be reserved primarily for those with children aged 5 and under, aside from older children with special needs (although a blue badge might be more appropriate where they meet the criteria, in these cases).

I was alone with my 4 month old today, the trolleys with the baby seats are kept next to these spaces. The spaces which have the easiest access to the trolleys had all been taken with the last taken by someone just before me, I reversed into a space around the corner and the driver was shaking their head at me, presumedly because their space only had extra room on one side and my space came up to them (see picture). I was surprised to then see them get out with a child of about 13. I saw multiple other people using these spaces with children looking like teenagers. I was able to get a space which still had fairly easy access to the trolleys, albeit by needing to walk on the road and inbetween the other cars, multiple people had parked in the spaces with the easiest access with much older children. I was lucky to get a space at all, had I not I would have had to walk across the busy carpark holding my baby.

YANBU- Just because someone has a child under 16 doesn’t mean they should take up these spaces, they should save them for people who need them the most.

YABU- first come first served, who cares if someone with a baby is having to traipse across a busy car park holding a baby to get to the baby trolleys.

I agree, they should be for people who need them most

I just think life is too short to get upset about this kind of thing. Keep a sling in your car incase you have to walk across the car park with your baby. How big and busy is this car park though? You’ve made it sound like it’s the equivalent of crossing the M25 in rush hour!

No way of telling at a glance who does. Parent with newborn in a sling may not need one, parent of autistic teen might.

People get way too worked up about them. If you need one and one is free use it. Otherwise park elsewhere.

don’t waste time or energy worrying who who is parking where or why.

“ I would have had to walk across the busy carpark holding my baby.”

“someone with a baby is having to traipse across a busy car park holding a baby to get to the baby trolleys.”

God forbid, however would you have managed? 🙃

YANBU. It boils my piss. I caused damage to my shoulder when dc2 was little and I couldn't get a parent & child space so had to.park in a normal one and try to get my 6 month old out of the car seat. The last P&C space was taken by a man with no baby or child with him.

Some people are very selfish.

I honestly cant get worked up over P&C car park spaces. I have 17 months between my 2 and my local shopping centre does not have any dedicated P&C spaces. I've never had an issue parking or going to the shops. Some people seem to make a hobby over policing these spots and getting into actual fights with people over them. So weird.

I think I’ve seen 12 and under on the parent and child signs. Honestly a sling is your friend, trolleys are pretty disgusting anyway and pretty hard for a little one. Sometimes it’s easier to park further away to get the space for opening doors fully.

Once your baby is 5 and a half yes old (which will be in the blink of an eye, trust me) you'll change your mind.

I'm going to keep using them while mine are under 12.

End of the day it's a shop. Everyone will be fine. Its 1st come 1st served.

Parent and child spaces are to allow enough space to fasten and unfasten a child car seat. They’re not to make to make it a shorter walk. I wish they would put them all at the far side of the car park to put off people who don’t need to use them.

They are courtesy spaces and non enforceable, unlike disabled spaces, so I guess it depends on the behaviour of other parents.

@OolongTeaDrinker I've always been a believer in "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". Some supermarkets say pregnant people are free to use their parent and child spaces. I was happy to park at the back of the car park and walk even when heavily pregnant as I simply didn't need these spaces as much as others. I know many struggle to walk and have back pain in pregnancy, they have a greater need.

As for the M25, it's a busy supermarket in a small town and it's the school holidays, so yes full of cars with no footpaths and I wouldn't feel safe walking across it with a baby because someone with a teenager has parked in the spaces allocated for people like me.

I honestly think you must have a very easy life if you get this worked up over a parking space. They are usually one a week on MN though so you are in great company.

I'd say an able bodied parent of one baby has less need for one, a baby can easily be kept safe and secure in a sling. An older child with a disability who might run needs to be close to the entrance.

I think they should be for people whose child uses a car seat. It has the extra space so you can manoeuvre the door wide enough without hitting another car.
I don’t really get why someone with a 10 year old who can easily open a door safely would need so much extra space.
Don’t even get me started on people who park in these spaces who don’t have children or who leave the children sat in the car 🙄

Parent & Child spaces should be at the far side of the car park, with wide spaces and baby trolleys close-by. Then others wouldn't want to use them unnecessarily.

And to counter the expected cries of "Oh, but then you have children walking miles through the M25-like carpark to get to the supermarket door"...realistically, a lot of car parks have clearly labelled pedestrian paths painted through the car park. If you can't control your child for a 90 second walk across a car park, you have bigger issues than a parking space.

I agree they should be for those with young children (and in some places there are signs saying please leave them for those with kids under 5) but not for the reasons you say! For me it's more about having enough space to get baby/toddler in and out of the car seat. So if there is no parent and child I'll look for an end space, if I can't find one I'll go far away from the entrance so it's less likely someone will park too close to me to open the door wide enough.

I've always thought you should get some sort of pass that lasts 5 years at your last midwife appointment (or a slightly earlier one as normal spaces are tricky when very heavily pregnant too!) that you can display like a blue badge. The amount of selfish arseholes I see that don't have kids of any age with them using the spaces is ridiculous.

All those talking about slings, does the sling enable you to get a baby in and out of a car seat when the door can only open slightly?

They should be well away from the entrance, but with a safe path. Then they will only be used by those who genuinely need the extra space.

I was lucky to get a space at all, had I not I would have had to walk across the busy carpark holding my baby

Come on OP. This is ridiculous. Car's don't travel more than 5-10mph in a supermarket. You are being precious.

I have a 3.5 year old and we park where there is a space, bonus if its a parent and child space.

That said, I do get it.

I am all for parents with kids of all ages using these spaces - I don't want a 9 year old swinging a door open straight into my car!

But I think the issue everywhere is that most spaces are just too small.

The spaces are designed to give extra room for those with prams / buggies as you need move space - so yes, those who don't need the space shouldn't use them. - But life is too short.

Taking a seat out is a choice for most.