There's a grocery store in my very small town which provides reserved parking spaces for senior citizens and expecting mothers. Until recently, I always considered this a very charming attribute.
The other day, I found myself at this particular store with five children. We were all hankering for something sweet, and this grocery store has doughnuts that make Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts look like day-old bread being tossed out for the charities. They are superlicious.
I think there must have been a sale on Lime Jell-O or some other such Utah favorite that day, because when we pulled into the parking lot to get our doughnuts we found it was packed. Cars everywhere. I managed to snag an open spot near the back and unloaded the five children. I gave Ethan the assignment to hold Bryan's hand, Cameron was to herd Drew, who will be no one's hand-holding buddy, and I carried Trent, the amazing three-hundred pound toddler. Then we started our hike to the store.
And when I passed those senior citizen and expectant mother parking spots, I got a little angry. Of course, they were mostly vacant. But aside from that, I started resenting that there were reserved spots for people who probably needed the exercise that a distant parking spot would provide.
Expectant mothers sometimes have no other children to lug into the store, and it's not like pregnancy is really all that delicate a condition. Walking is usually not a difficult thing to do.
And senior citizens are usually in one of two positions - they either a) have handicapped tags and can use those spots, or b) are in better health than a lot of the rest of us and would rather take a stroll through the lot.
So where, I ask you, are the reserved spots for the overwhelmed mothers? The ones who have to keep track of more children than they have hands for? It's people like me that really need those spaces!
I guess I should have just taken one of those expectant mother spots. It's not like anyone would ask me to prove that I was pregnant. For all they know, I'm a solid week pregnant. And if that were true, I'd be very deserving of a sympathy parking spot as I shepherd five little boys into a store all by myself.
I am a fan of the overwhelmed mother parking spot! Why don't they have those? And beside the grocery carts! That way, you don't have to cross the parking lot to return a buggy and leave the kids alone or make them walk with you, or lug a heavy carryall to the buggy, while trying to hang on to your wild things!! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right, the old folks often pull out one of those temporary handicap tag things that you hook on the rear view mirror anyway!
Don't really know why I care though, I'm rocking that sexy diastasis recti after having my gigantic children anyway, I could totally get away with the pregnancy spot, I look at least 6 months. And my hair is starting to gray and that combined with my sun damaged skin, I could probably snag the senior spot if the pregnancy one was taken! Wish I were kidding!
You are right, not because the other two categories don't need a parking spot, but definitely being an overwhelmed mother is a severe condition too.
ReplyDeleteImagine, in my town, if you have a baby on a stroller, and you have to go on a bus, you have to close the stroller, and keep the baby in your arms, if this is easy.
Handicapped spaces are mandated by law; but spaces for Seniors and expectant moms is customer favoritism.
ReplyDeleteI like my stores to treat everyone equally.
AMEN! What really torques my chicken is when I see people who obviously don't have uteruses or are of child bearing age hog those spaces! I like to give them my most passive-aggressive skank as I waddle by 15 months pregnant.
ReplyDeleteI am all for the Overwhelmed Mothers spaces. Society would be much safer....
ReplyDeleteHow about an Express Lane at the grocery store for PMS sufferers?
i was thinking you were going to say that since you already had 5 kids with you, people could easily assume #6 was cooking in the oven. :)
ReplyDeleteUnless your water just broke and you're running in to grab towels and shoelaces, pregnancy isn't a condition that should qualify for "special parking".
ReplyDeleteThat's funny... I thought this was going to be another post about sending your kids in to fetch the donuts. But it sounds like that didn't go over so well with the hot dog buns, huh? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with ya...overwhelmed mom spots should be a law in every state!
ReplyDeleteI despise the favoritism of those spots and made a point never to park in the expectant mom spots because you are right - walking is actually a good thing for pregnant women!
ReplyDeleteI would praise the store that provides overwhelmed mother spots! Actually, our local IKEA has an entire parking lot set aside for families. It is amazing. The spots are wider, it's right up front next to the store, and no one sits impatiently behind you, honking their horn while you load up all of your kids, your purchases, the diaper bag, and the stroller. So nice. :)
Thank goodness I'm not the only one who's thought that there's little reason for "expecting" parking places! I'm just glad you had the guts to type it out loud.
ReplyDeleteOne of our grocery stores has the worst parking lot ever (at least 30 handicapped spaces in front, 10 "expecting" spaces, and 5 "pharmacy only" spaces). I've often thought it might be in their best interest to offer shuttle rides to and from the parking lot.
Ha.
Ah...take the expectant mother spot and chalk it up to it's "too early to tell"!!
ReplyDeleteIf you parked in the Expectant Mom spot with all of those boys in tow, rubbed your belly a bit, and shuffled into the store, nobody would say a word.
ReplyDeleteI think next time you should just take what's yours! I won't say anything.... :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with them. With all those tag-alongs, nobody would have argued!
ReplyDeletePS: Where were these expectant mother spots when I was knocked up, I ask you?
I agree with the others..you should park in expectant mothers. just tell Andrew in advance so, that way if your bishops wife says "congrats" to him @ church on Sunday you won't have so much explaining to do.
ReplyDeletebtw- I once parked in Expectant mothers spot. My back was out & I needed that milk & bread. Did I feel guilty....NO! I just waddled a little..not to hard for me.
ANd I would do it again..
Germany had parking spots for single moms (or any parent with small children and no help) and since Germans are STRICT rule followers no one ever stole them. I thought that was a brilliant idea!
ReplyDeleteAnd I for one was VERY in favor of the stork parking. Sure walking is good for a pregnant women. Doesn't mean we wanted to hoof it in from the back forty when suffering from back pain. Or push our 200 pound cart to the furthest spot in the lot. :)
Next time you should do it! Those spots are a courtesy, not anything they can actually enforce, even if they could prove that you were not indeed "expecting" or just much older than you appear to be. Plus, I say hauling 5 kids in there makes you an expectant mom - a mom expecting things like tantrums, toddlers running away, super long lines with all those kids standing next to the check-out aisle candy, etc...
ReplyDelete