parking in parent parking with a 5yr old?

[littlemoominmamma]

hello,

Title says it all really... is she getting a bit too old? Or should i continue just because it feels soo much safer. What age is too old?

chops - dont have a child lock on my very old corsa... sadly it is not her but me that opens doors smashing into the neighbouring car!

DD is not a hand-holder and likes to run in front and getting her in and out of car is usually due to her having fallen asleep or not wanting to get in/out.

I have been wondering for a while if she was getting too old but have seen a lot of other mums with far older children so thought i could continue a little longer.

Blimey! So not only do you use P&T spaces unnecessarily, but you freely admit to bashing other peoples cars by opening your car door into them!
Hope you leave a note with your details!

Littlemoominmamma - why don't you explain to her that she needs to stay in the car until you are ready to get her out / finished putting the shopping away etc. I have told DS that unless he is in the car then I don't know he is safe and that cars may not see her if she is even standing by the car etc. DS understands this now and does not argue but will stay in the car / get in the car when I ask him to. Personally I think this is the only way to manage the shopping run safely.

"DD is not a handholder"

well maybe you ought to tell her she has to hold your hand if she wants to come to the supermarket with you and then other mothers with their babies in car seats struggling to find a space could park up easily.
Am a bit at a 5yr old who runs off willy nilly

True Buckfast i am never out with just one so even though i have child locks i still have to let the older ones get out of the car by themselves whilst holding the littlest.

It would help if the ordinary spaces had a little more room though.

Gosh you lot are angelic!

What about if it was pouring with rain and there were ten spaces left in parent parking? No-one tempted?

Honestly?

I have 2 DS - one is a baby and one is 4.5 and I always get DS2 (4 months) in the pram 1st and THEN get DS out. Surely this will be the same when they are older (by then they should have learned anyway that car parks are not safe). I never evr get DS1 out the car until I am absolutely ready for him. When DS 2 is bigger it will be the same - get DS2 out 1st and then get DS1 out so you are prepared. Sorry, I don't see what the problem is. What do you for the school run? It's the same anywhere you go with them in a car. YABU.

twolittlekings i am talking about the supermarket which is different to other parking spaces at the shops i guess where you will need the pram.

I always thought they were toddlers.

Wouldn´t occur to me to use one with a school aged child, tbh.

I have a 4 yo who runs off willy nilly and will not hold hands.
I always use parent and child spaces when I can find one.
I also have a 20 month old, although he is placid, holds hands and could actually be relied on to stand him next to me and tell him to 'stay there' and he will. So I actually need the space more for struggling with DS1!

Yes, I never get to park in those places because they are always taken by people with an older child who does not really need it

should be were for adults with toddlers or under!

Get a smaller car then

I'd be doing well if I had dd 6 in the car with me. Whilst I normally shop with children, on the occasions I don't I might forget and still park in the P&T spaces out of habit.

Now I suppose I have to check what age of dcs I have with me in the car: if just dd 6, then normal parking space, if just ds 3, P&T. If dd and ds, then P&T. If no dc, then normal. I somehow doubt it.

The Sainsbury I go to has lots of P&T spaces, for white vans and the like

kormaAAAARRRRGGHHchameleo I hope you are joking

If you are not, I know people who have done that and have got done so beware......

2littlekings, please elaborate on 'got done'...

nothing angelic about it...there are plenty of spaces easily used for parents with older children - the ones on the end of rows with one free side, the ones in corners with the bushes by them (why do supermarkets plants bushes in the beds round car parks?) and the ones NEXT to the row of parent spaces - that way you get the benefits of a parent/baby space without using one up!

Korma

Weblette - the only thing smaller than my corsa is a smart car! - With 3 kids - 5, 14 and 22(yes maybe not a kid!) and a husband where will I put them all?

Maybe we need two cars....?

The parking attendant was lurking and noticed they had no kids with them - got a fine. It happens quite a lot where I live (London) since people are really lazy and selfish and do it a lot. there was nothing friend could do about it since it does pay "parent and child"

Even when I am with DH and we have 2 kids in the car DH refuses to park in these slots since he says it's selfish and I have to agree with him.

good post korma

Lol at korma!
And lol at those with the shock face out!

As for 'getting done' that's bollocks! (unless you mean banned from Tescos) Nobody can get done for any sort of parking offence in a supermarket car park. It's actually very difficult to even claim if someone blatantly hits you as it's not public highway.

I continued to use a particular family space (the furthest unpopular one with a barrier next to it to reduce escape attempts!) with the stores blessing and a nice official badge to put in the windscreen until Ds was about 6. In my defence he has learning disability and autism but can run like the wind without any understanding of danger! I suspect it is for families like ours with a sn child not at the time qualifying for a blue badge that sainsburys say up to 12.