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.

Well, as a neutral bystander who doesn't ever park in P&C spaces but does observe other people getting into silly altercations about them, I can assure you that the person challenging the apparently "undeserving" user of such spaces absolutely does look like a total twat. As has been said multiple times on this thread, you can't possibly know why someone has chosen to park in that space.

Couldn't have said it better myself

IME trying to load baby into pram at the back of a car is very unsafe. Car parks are tight and it is pretty much in the path of the cars.
If your small children are so small that drivers can’t see them then you need to be holding their hands surely?!

Look it's pretty clear you've never negotiated a two year old and a trolley across a carpark, maybe just accept that your views will change when you have.

To spell it out - one of the strictest rules in our house is that you must hold a grown-up's hand in a carpark. However I have yet to figure out a way to get a full trolley, a three year old and a five year old to the car while holding everyone's hand. It's a job that needs four hands and yet I only have two. So if a supermarket trip with two DC is needed, that's the only time I ever park in P&C because it's the only time I've ever felt it necessary. Not because of the space although it sure is useful, but because of the short safe route.

Putting a single baby in a buggy or trolley seat is an absolute breeze in comparison and doesn't need any particular consideration. Perhaps just trust the multiple parents on this thread making that point.

But if you're putting your baby in a pram, surely you can just park on the far side of the car park where it isn't busy? Not that I really understand why you need a pram in the supermarket anyway, but if you do, there are ways of managing this safely without needing a p&c space.

Yeah, one supermarket near me moved them and loads of parents complained on their FB page about having to walk from further away. I initially assumed they'd put them somewhere unsafe but the next time I went I saw that they'd been put at the back next to a covered walkway.

It did make me feel that the issue isn't really about safety but not wanting to walk, same as the people they get so cross with for using the spaces.

I park in parent & baby spaces if no disabled spaces. My Dc are 13 & 8. Both have autism so will walk out into cars, ones diabetic so in an emergency need the car close.

Nobody has the right to dictate to others how to use those spaces. You could simply park further away where there's nobody parked? It's a space issue for you, not a danger issue.

Yep, we have one local supermarket that has them right at the back of the car park with a safe walkway to the shop. They're always empty.

Miraculously, it seems that parents with young children at this shop are quite able to manage their kids without the extra space.

I am sure that there are some people with specific circumstances such as twins etc where the wider spaces are actually really valuable. For a lot of parents, though, I think the p&c spaces are just "VIP spaces reserved for parents", and rather than actually needing the space, they are simply outraged at the idea of someone who doesn't "qualify" stealing their privilege.

The space at the back of the car is not in the path of cars driving past, unless maybe you have a very long car the whole length of the parking space. The main danger is cars reversing, which you can look out for.

Can you not use the seats in the trolley…?

I’m sure it’s terribly difficult for you but my point still stands that babes in arms are more vulnerable and should take priority over parent and child spaces. Thankfully my local supermarket and shopping centre don’t agree with the ‘multiple parents on this thread’ and the spaces are marked as for pram users only.

At 5 and 3?! No 😂

My point is that babes in arms aren't more vulnerable. Because they're in a responsible adult's arms.

Your local shops must have more parking than mine. It is busy- always. It’s hard to park full stop, let alone find a space with another space free next to it and then hope nobody parks next to you.
You clearly didn’t have to go to the supermarket when your baby was too small for the trolley seats.

Ah do you have a brand new babby @ttcat37 ? Congratulations if so! It all feels so complicated in those early days, don't worry it'll settle down and feel less intimidating soon. Hope you're getting a bit of sleep, those first few weeks with my first were awful.

My niece was very comfortably still in the trolley seat at 3. And at 5 holding mum’s hand… I think this is a you problem rather than a generic one.
Babes in arms/ babies of that age are in the pram. Which needs to be out the way… because they can’t get out of the way of cars… I’m not sure why this is so difficult for you.

I don't know... I find it hard to get too upset about things like this.

Although I DO get annoyed by people who don't return their trolleys to the trolley collection area! I watched a woman and her daughter (who was probably about 10 or 11) very carefully park their trolley in the middle of the path, rather than return it to the trolley bay that was only marginally further away.
It's just so irritatingly stupidly lazy. It's such a minor thing, but like, you've gone out of your way to do it wrong and make it harder for the staff?

I used a sling. Never took the pram.

And I've never lived anywhere where the car park isn't quieter a little walk from the shop.

@Mummyoflittledragon

"I had this about a year ago with a woman, who accosted me. I have a blue badge and chronic fatigue. Every step counts some days, which is why I need the badge as pathetically the P&C spaces are closer to the Sainsbury’s than the blue badge ones."

Very similar to my experience and I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you too.

So you basically think your way is the superior way

Hopefully people will continue to laugh at you and not feel bad about it.

No, I didn't say that at all. I was merely responding to the suggestion that I hadn't taken my dd to the supermarket when she was very little, and explaining what I did.

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking a pram into the supermarket. I'm also not sure why you can't put a baby in a pram in a normal parking space. But if you find it difficult to do this, other options are available.

I used a sling too. Not superior, just correcting assumptions that a pram is the only way. If a pram is difficult in carparks then maybe try an alternative.

This

Lucky you for being able to use a sling from birth. It’s not always possible.
Same goes for how busy the car parks are.

Yeah that is annoying. Just leave the trolley in the middle of the car park, to roll into peoples cars!

100% this. ^