Parking in mother and child space

mumps

Tina20 wrote: »

Ah, the good old "We managed back in yonder times perfectly well!"

So talk me through it. You park in a 'normal' space. You have cars either side. You take pram out of boot and set it up.
Where? there is no room either side of the car because of cars alongside, ditto with the front of the car.

Set it up behind the car? In the road? That is the only open space big enough, so lets do that.
Pram is now in the road. So you go to gets all your bits and pieces, changing bag etc. Where do I put changing bag? On handlebars of pram? The weight of bag would tip the pram backwards. Do I put my bag on the ground? Again, where? In the road alongside the pram? The shopping basket on the pram is not big enough for the bag, so on the ground it goes.
By now you have probably p'd off quite a few motorists by leaving your pram and bag in the road. (these motorist will probably now go on MSE for a rant )
You go to get baby, but the car beside your babies door means you cannot open your door wide enough.
So you open the door, whilst trying not to bang the other car door, unplug baby.
Lift baby out, UP out of the car seat (I have a daewoo matiz so it's not a big doorway)but the room between the car seat and the roof is quite small, so you have to move baby carefully to avoid banging their head on the roof of the car. All the while, making sure you don't open your door too wide and scratch the other car.
But wait! the person next to you is now trying to reverse out! What do you do now? Stay bent over in the car holding the baby and waiting for them to reverse? Put baby down, close car door and stand to the side?
They sucessfully reverse, and you remove baby. But then someone else wants into that space now, so you get out of the way of the moving car with your young baby (sincerely hoping you don't have a 3yr old running around)
And put her in the pram, which is in the middle of the road. But wait! You need to lock the car! But you can't move your pram and bag between your car and next doors car! So you leave your baby and bag in the road while you go and lock the car?


SO! It's all well and good saying "We managed just fine! Do XYZ!" when the bottom line is, its SAFER, and less hassle for EVERYONE if there are P&C spaces! No buggy in the road, no kids running around, no babies left unattended etc etc.




The only reason I'm showing you how difficult it is, is because you are claiming it's easy peasy to take a baby out anywhere. And yes, it's a pleasure having a baby and taking her out. Doesn't make it any easier though!




Again, its all well and good talking about how easy it was in the good old days. Fact is, it's DANGEROUS to have kids running around the car park, or unloading kids with cars around.
Just because you managed just fine and your kids are ok, doesn't mean everyone else's kids will be fine too. Why take the risk??? Just give them a bloody parking space, who is losing out?

Disabled have their space, parents have theirs. Easy! Everyone is happy.

My youngest was 11 when my first grandchild was born so I think I didn't have much of a generation gap with new mothers.

Just a few points, when you are parking in a supermarket car park do you need to get your buggy out? I used the supermarket trolleys.

Again if you are parking at a supermarket do you need a changing bag? Back in the day if I needed an emergency change when shopping I always asked at customer services and was given wipes and nappies. Saved carrying that changing bag round. To be honest with you I never even owned a changing bag.

Have you tried a baby carrier? Sometimes it is alot easier than a buggy.

Riversong

Thats true actually, my stepson is nearly 13, going on six foot. I never use the spaces hen i have just him with me as we dont need the extra room. I only use them if i have the babies with me. The signs say children under 12 though so i guess people use that to their advantage.

Riversong

mumps wrote: »

My youngest was 11 when my first grandchild was born so I think I didn't have much of a generation gap with new mothers.

Just a few points, when you are parking in a supermarket car park do you need to get your buggy out? I used the supermarket trolleys.

Again if you are parking at a supermarket do you need a changing bag? Back in the day if I needed an emergency change when shopping I always asked at customer services and was given wipes and nappies. Saved carrying that changing bag round. To be honest with you I never even owned a changing bag.

Have you tried a baby carrier? Sometimes it is alot easier than a buggy.

I
f you asked for wipes etc these days they would point you to the baby isle.

mildred1978

mumps wrote: »

My youngest was 11 when my first grandchild was born so I think I didn't have much of a generation gap with new mothers.

Just a few points, when you are parking in a supermarket car park do you need to get your buggy out? I used the supermarket trolleys.

Again if you are parking at a supermarket do you need a changing bag? Back in the day if I needed an emergency change when shopping I always asked at customer services and was given wipes and nappies. Saved carrying that changing bag round. To be honest with you I never even owned a changing bag.

Have you tried a baby carrier? Sometimes it is alot easier than a buggy.

I don't shop in supermarkets, so yes, I need the pram.

The likes of M&S/Next/Gap etc don't tend to sell nappies, so I doubt asking for one to change my son would work. So yes, I need the changing bag. (It's also where I keep my purse.)

I could never use a baby carrier due to my post-baby K cup boobs. And they're not really much use one baby is 10-12 months old anyway.

Tina20

Just a few points, when you are parking in a supermarket car park do you need to get your buggy out? I used the supermarket trolleys.

Yes, my baby is 6 months old, she can't sit up herself yet and cannot sit in a supermarket trolley.

Again if you are parking at a supermarket do you need a changing bag? Back in the day if I needed an emergency change when shopping I always asked at customer services and was given wipes and nappies. Saved carrying that changing bag round. To be honest with you I never even owned a changing bag.

Ok, so instead of supermarkets making P&C spaces, parents should stop taking a changing bag to the shop?! :rotfl:
You are thinking of a million and one reasons why a parents shouldn't need a P&C space. It's ridiculous!
Yes in an emergency the shop MIGHT provide me with wipes and nappies, but I'm a grown woman, with an income and a BRAIN why on earth would I sponge off a supermarket because I didn't bring my changing bag? Madness!
Are the childless shoppers happy to pay a premium for their shopping because the shop needs to spend money on nappies for parents who didn't bring a changing bag?
why not just allocate spaces for parents and children? easier for everyone!

Have you tried a baby carrier? Sometimes it is alot easier than a buggy.

Again, LOL! I have a mei tai, it's fantastic but how on earth do I tie my baby into the mei tai in the tiny gap between cars? Do I have to juggle baby, bag and mei tai and take them all into the shop to get her into the carrier? Still no safer than a buggy.

just admit that a P&C space is safer and easier for everyone

Tina20

mrcow wrote: »

Is this a genuine question? If so, it's a little worrying that you're in charge of a minor but don't know how to safely get them out of a car.

Get your stuff sorted out first, then get the kid out of the car. Never leave a baby in a pram in the middle of a car park to go back and get your bag.

If you can't get your child out of a 1/2 opened car door without banging their head, then eithe you have one enormous bay there or you need to pay more attenton to what you're doing.

Seriously, you're making a whole load of fuss about nothing.

Please read all my posts before making points which have already been covered

Yes you should never leave a baby alone in the car park, which IS EXACTLY MY POINT. with a P&C space you do not have to leave the baby alone because there is space to keep them alongside your car.

Safer and easier to use a P&C space.

mumps

Tina20 wrote: »

Yes, my baby is 6 months old, she can't sit up herself yet and cannot sit in a supermarket trolley.


Ok, so instead of supermarkets making P&C spaces, parents should stop taking a changing bag to the shop?! :rotfl:
You are thinking of a million and one reasons why a parents shouldn't need a P&C space. It's ridiculous!
Yes in an emergency the shop MIGHT provide me with wipes and nappies, but I'm a grown woman, with an income and a BRAIN why on earth would I sponge off a supermarket because I didn't bring my changing bag? Madness!
Are the childless shoppers happy to pay a premium for their shopping because the shop needs to spend money on nappies for parents who didn't bring a changing bag?
why not just allocate spaces for parents and children? easier for everyone!




Again, LOL! I have a mei tai, it's fantastic but how on earth do I tie my baby into the mei tai in the tiny gap between cars? Do I have to juggle baby, bag and mei tai and take them all into the shop to get her into the carrier? Still no safer than a buggy.

just admit that a P&C space is safer and easier for everyone

Wow, someone isn't happy today.

At the supermarket I use, and used when my children were babies, they have trolleys (not sure if that is the plural of trolley) for babies who can't sit up yet.

When I use the loo in the supermarket I also use loo paper, soap, paper towels. It is a facility they provide for customers, don't see why babies don't qualify.

I don't know the layout of all supermarket car parks but where I go there are walkways between rows of cars. You can sort your bags, children etc there, don't need to stand between the cars.

I am sorry that you have taken offence at some advice from a more experienced mother.

mumps

Riversong wrote: »

I
f you asked for wipes etc these days they would point you to the baby isle.

Sainsbury's provided me with wipes and a nappy for my grandson a few months back. Were most apologetic that I had to wait while they went and got them. Maybe they are nicer to grannies?

shegirl

mumps wrote: »

My youngest was 11 when my first grandchild was born so I think I didn't have much of a generation gap with new mothers.

Just a few points, when you are parking in a supermarket car park do you need to get your buggy out? I used the supermarket trolleys.

Again if you are parking at a supermarket do you need a changing bag? Back in the day if I needed an emergency change when shopping I always asked at customer services and was given wipes and nappies. Saved carrying that changing bag round. To be honest with you I never even owned a changing bag.

Have you tried a baby carrier? Sometimes it is alot easier than a buggy.

I never owned a changing bag either.If we went out I'd have a nappy or two rolled up in my handbag along with some wipes.Changing mat isn't needed as they have a changing mat or board in the baby changing rooms.

I think some people on here would have a heart attack if they saw me getting ds out when he was a baby.When we got a lift to the telco or anywhere else I'd be climbing out of the back of a small 3 door car WITH him in his car seat in a normal parking space.Shock horror:eek: If I took his pram it was put behind the car until he was out.

I really don't know how some people cope with anything these days


But hey,with all those stories of kids and babies being killed in carparks due to small spaces...oh no,wait,that didn't happen did it...wonder why:rotfl:

blissfulbabe

The requirements for disabled spaces are often included in the planning restrictions set by the council. The law dictates that we acknowledge and try to cater for the needs of those with disabilities.

P&C spaces are a courtesy offered by the supermarket to those people who have chosen to have children - they are not a right and certainly, in my opinion, not a necessity. As a parent and grandparent to twins, with all the logisitical challenges that presents, I never NEEDED a P&C space - it was just something that made life a bit easier. As a carer for someone with mobility issues I can tell you that we need a space as close as possible to the entrance. Often, the only time my Mum leaves the house is to go shopping. It takes us all morning to do a weekly shop, with stops for rests and a cup tea. Yes, we could do an online shop but it's important that Mum gets out and chats to people, otherwise her life would be confined to her four walls.

If the choice is to park in a P&C space or to cause my Mum a lot more pain by having to walk a bit farther then I'll park in the P&C space. The way I see it is having children is a choice and disability isn't.

The above doesn't mean that I have any issue with parents and children.