When are your kids too old for you to use the Parent parking spaces at supermarket (if they have no additional needs)?

[Janefx40]

Just wondering really. My DD is 6 (I also have a younger boy but he wasn’t there). For context the spaces at our local are limited…there is usually one available but often only one and sometimes they are full.

Obviously if kids have neurodiversity, physical needs or any other specific reason to be closer to the shop then that’s different.

For kids with no additional needs and are reasonably good at not running off (still 6 so can happen nevertheless), would you park in the parent and child?

Once they’re old enough to strap themselves in I say. The extra space is only necessary when you need to be the one who opens the door wider so you can strap them in.

Once I'm not wrestling then I to car seats or needing to set up a pushchair. I think it was about 4 ish.

With the legal changes in car seat rules in the last few years, kids up to 5 are often in big car seats with 5 point belts, and the adult normally needs to fully open the door and lean into to do the straps up correctly. The door is more open that it would be for me to slide in as an adult of we were parked in a small space.

My older child can do this herself in a booster with a seatbelt now, so we don't need the space on that side, she's 5.5. The younger child still in 5 point belt does need help so we still use the spaces. We also appreciated the space when we had a double/single pram, particularly as baby car seat often needs removing front the car to go on a pram and the door needs to fully open to do that.

Once both are in seatbelt boosters, we won't need or use these spaces.

Cars are definitely bigger than 10-20 years ago, and parking spaces are often smaller. Also, rules have changed so 20 years ago many people would have had thier children out of a car seat and using the seatbelt by school age.

I didn’t think it was about being closer to the shop, I thought the purpose of them was wider spaces for getting them in and out of the car seat? I never used to bother when I had 1DD as can just park one sided but now we have 2, it’s a nightmare and I get so annoyed seeing people in them with no children or older children! I think if they’re not in a car seat that they need help with is the cut off! I’ve seen some signs saying parent and toddler specifically more recently.

I would not have expected to use parent and child spaces for a 6 year old. I think they are for babies and toddlers.
Elderly and disabled people who struggle to walk long distances across car parks and/or struggle to get in/out of cars cannot use the disabled spaces without a blue badge in most places. These people have at least as much need for a wider space nearer shops as a school age child.

I wish they put P&C spaces further down the car park away from the entrance but near a trolley bay and a safe walking route separate from cars The would stop others using them unnecessarily and keep small children safe. Your average four year old can’t be seen out the rear window of many cars as the walk through the car park.

My FIL unrepentantly used them if DH or BIL were in the car, as adults.

It was mortifying, but before anyone gets their knickers in a twist. He has since passed away.

I stopped using them as soon as mine could climb in and out of the car and their car seats and could strap themselves in; 3 or 4 I would say therefore.

I think once they aren't in car seats / boosters you don't really need them but the age differs depending on height. Definitely kids most kids by the end of primary don't need to be using them. I tell you who definitely doesn't need to be using them, young male van drivers who I see all the time swinging into the parent parking......with no child with them....lazy twats.

Not all parent and child spaces are all that close to the supermarket. At our Tescos there’s a row of about 40 disabled spots on either side of a walkway then beyond those it’s the P&C spaces. There’s loads of closer parking, it must be a good hundred metres from the bottom of the row where I park. I think it’s a better setup to be fair. My concern isn’t how close, it’s whether there is a safe walking route.

When they can strap themselves in and out.

ie. When you no longer need doors wide open ane the extra width.

Our signs in Australia say parents with prams. So once they aren’t in a pram anymore. 12 seems old!

I wonder sometimes how we all managed before washing machines and tumble dryers came along to make life easier, years ago we coped just fine with a mangle and press. All these new fangled things, just to make life easier, how ridiculous.

When you don’t need to put them in a child seat and they can do their own seatbelts. Those are the reasons you need to open the doors wider. If you’re not doing either of those things you don’t need a parent and child seat.

In all my local supermarkets the parent and child spaces are not particularly close to the entrance. Just bigger.

My goodness, my youngest is 12 and can't remember the last time i used one. But I rarely drive to supermarkets anymore - i do an online shop once a week and walk otherwise.

When i had 3 under 2 (and had no supermarkets within walking distance) they were a lifesaver!

I saw a tiny 2 seater sports car parked in one yesterday and remembered how angry I would get at people misusing them. Once your kid is old enough to sit in the front seat they are certainly too old for p&c spaces.

I would think 5/6/7 depending on numbers of kids, behaviour, etc. is the limit.

I think I stopped when my youngest was 8 or so. Even then, it felt a bit cheeky to park in them.

I assumed they were for getting babies and toddlers in and out of the car, and the extra space needed

The spaces are extra wide to accommodate the parent putting the child into/out of their car seat and strapping them in. If they can independently get into and out of the car then you have no real need of the space.

I would say 12 is far too old and would say 6-8.

They’re also helpful if you have a pram or pushchair as you can use the space to the side of the car to leave DC safely whilst you open the boot/put shopping away etc. Otherwise the pushchair is stuck out in the road. My DC almost got hit by a car this way!

Once they’re sitting in the car with a normal seatbelt and no booster but I probably made that up in my own mind.

“Shopping for my child”

What?

Are you saying you would use a parent and child space when shopping for an item for your child, even though your child is not with you? And your child is 17?

I have a blue badge. If I'm with my children and there's no blue badge space free I use a parent and child space. My youngest is 6

my child is 7 and I haven’t needed to use these spaces for years. Shame because i hate trying to park I those ridiculous spaces

When they can get themselves in and out of the car and can plug themselves in. I never consciously stopped using them, but I guess when we didn’t need one anymore you it was easier and quicker to find a general parking space.

I wouldn’t park there just with my 10 year old but I often do with my 7 year old because he still needs help with his seatbelt.