Childfree by choice #5

JoeBloggs · Dec 4, 2022

I had a rather fun experience in town, maybe I’m a heartless cow.

I’m in the queue, a grandma is in front of me. Clearly frazzled. Boy of about 4 throws himself on the floor, teenager laughs and films it and then another younger teen appears behind me. At the time I had no idea they were connected. She goes oh excuse me, can I go in front I’ve only got one thing as she munches the crisps she’s about to buy. I’ve got two things so I say sorry I’ve only go two.

I was a shy kid and am still as an adult but if still never ask that to anyone!

The poor grandmother couldn’t cope and she wasnt that old but f that for a nice Sunday out.

Eggsandbeans · Dec 4, 2022

I know I’m going to hell but I don’t agree with parent and child car parking spaces so I park in them myself (without a kid in tow of course unless you class my dog).

JoeBloggs · Dec 4, 2022

I do agree with them, I’d prefer them to stay away from my car and not let a kid dink my door.

To be fair to them, you have no hope of getting a car seat out of a normal bay so why begrudge them? I don’t agree they should be priory at the front and they should be for babies and toddlers, not parents with 8 year olds. I’d never dream of parking in one.

judgejohndeed · Dec 5, 2022

My partner always does this! I don't have the balls, the glares from the Mums etc

dottynotty · Dec 5, 2022

The spaces are bigger to allow a parent to get out of the car with space, I’d much rather a family have a wide space like that than that you taking their space and forcing them into a small space, then out comes the car seat and the pram, and then a little one with no spacial awareness and literally no space potentially scraping your car. And also as much as I don’t want kids, I’m happy for them to be crossing a lesser length of the car park and it should be safe. Idlers on a car park do my head in. No concept of a car coming.

GiftedNotFree · Dec 5, 2022

They make good sense for people with young children that have loads of stuff like prams, car seats etc. in a normal bay it would be quite difficult to get all that stuff out without hitting the car parked next to you.

I do park in them though if there’s nowhere else without feeling guilty because there is usually loads of them! Whereas I never park in a disabled spot.

Rippedjeanmaybe · Dec 5, 2022

I don’t have an issue with them to be honest. They are wider so that parents can get the car seat out easier, which is fair enough.

I also prefer kids to be closer to the front of the shop rather than me driving around the car park trying to dodge them as they walk across!

shadowcat5 · Dec 5, 2022

out of interest, what about them don’t you agree with?

I have no issues with it but I do feel like once a kid is like 8+ and you have no younger kids, you could probably just park in a normal space. By that point they should definitely be able learn how to navigate a car park safely and if you stay in child spaces they are never going to learn how to do that which is evident with how some adults conduct themselves in car parks

Caffeine Fiend · Dec 5, 2022

There are stores around me who dont put parent and child next to the front door but make a clear straight path with zebra crossings to the front door.

This makes more sense imo as it means parents who want to use them for the extra space still will. Those who want to park close to the front door can then use the spaces without using extra space.

Rippedjeanmaybe · Dec 5, 2022

Yeah I think once your kid is old to get in and out of a car seat easy enough at like age 4/5, then you should just use normal spaces. Kids do need to learn to walk across safely at some point. The same with everything.

pinkmug · Dec 5, 2022

Right? How dare you live your life the way you choose? It's amusing when unhappy parents get mad at you for daring to not have kids. Misery loves company.

i just remembered that a coworker had the nerve to ask me what I do with all my money since I don't have kids, because I was complaining about some expense or another.

As if I don't have bills or food or hobbies and holidays to pay. Why does it matter? I could be pouring all my money into collecting overpriced antique teddy bears to have imaginary tea parties with and it still wouldn't be your bloody concern?! Imagine being so entitled that you think people can't spend money unless it's to feed or dress or educate a child. Miss me with that tit.

Rippedjeanmaybe · Dec 5, 2022

What do I do with all my money? Aside from the mortgage, bills & food… I spend it on making my house decent and homely, I spent it on spa days and nights away, city breaks, holidays, days out, takeaways, meals out, nice things for myself etc

I spend it on living the life I wouldn’t be able to have if I had kids!

HeyBabes · Dec 5, 2022

Back in the 80s/90s my mum used to get 3 of us in and out of a car easily without special parking or dinging anyone else. But then we had a tiny car, parents nowadays seem to drive Chelsea tractors or huge SUVs nowadays

newtoyou · Dec 5, 2022

I wish there was child free hours in supermarkets, even when I go at night there’s some in there screaming

Norfolking Good · Dec 5, 2022

I find 7pm onwards or 7am seems to be a sweet spot for little to no kids and usually very quiet too. I love my evening shopping

Princesst · Dec 5, 2022

Wish I could like this x100

I don’t know how this became acceptable honestly. I struggle with sensory overload but especially noises so I have to brace myself every time I enter a shop but dunno how this just became the accepted norm. I don’t shop in person much because it’s always an awful experience now but do the parents just not hear it?? If my husband started shouting & screaming while shopping I wouldn’t appreciate it

why do kids get a free pass??

Evie10 · Dec 5, 2022

Regarding talking, I'm so glad it's not just me! It seems that as I've got older I've developed a much lower tolerance for small talk/ chit chat. I just can't be bothered with it and I never know what to say anyway! When i get home from work i need about an hour of not talking to wind down. I dread phonecalls and wish everyone would just email or text

shadowcat5 · Dec 5, 2022

echo on the kids screaming.

thank god for drive thrus. My local McDonald’s doesn’t have one (it is inside a supermarket) so i will drive the extra 5 minutes to the one that does so I don’t have to go in and deal with the screams.

my bug bear is when parents are charging along and then stop randomly but they’re holding their kids hand so you end up just about avoiding ploughing into the back of their kids head with your knees. Would it kill you to have some spatial awareness?!

penny1992 · Dec 5, 2022

I am not sure exactly how to word this so I'm sorry if this sounds a little messy.
My husband and I definitely do have more money than people we know that have children. I find that recently I am starting to live more in a bubble and by that I mean, I am not reading the news, discontent thread or local neighborhood pages as much as they are depressing as duck. Often times it is people with kids saying how they can afford xyz and some serious things like their electricity has been cut off. I don't want to sound like I have no empathy because I do but these kind of comments are becoming a lot more frequent and it's...sad. We volunteer our time with charities or donate stuff but in regards to social media I've had to unfollow a lot of pages as seeing so much of those kinds of stories daily isn't healthy.
With all the financial woes going on I feel more firm than ever in my childfree stance.

Mycatoliver · Dec 5, 2022

I always park in them at my park and ride I use most days to get into work
There are hundreds of empty spaces because guess what if you have a small sprog you’re probably not needing a car parking space for work.

This is perfectly normal
When people whine about the lack of money and expenses but have kids and carry on having kids I have zero sympathy or empathy
I’ve said it before on this thread but I’ve been made to feel greedy or self indulgent by colleagues and friends because I spend my money on holidays
But what these people fail to see is that you chose to have kids and with that it means you won’t have any nice relaxing holidays whenever you fancy, that you will have to fork out for nursery costs and you disposable income will go on your kids

I can raise the bar on bleeping ridiculous entitled people with babies. Out Christmas party last week….sit down meal, lots of booze, loud music, dancing etc and some non beings their three month old baby!
bleeping horrendous for anyone stuck at that table
I don’t know much but I’m sure the music would have been too loud
You have kids you accept you can’t go to the Christmas party