Mom Argues That Parking Spots Next To The Shopping Cart Return Corral Are Reserved For Parents
“That’s my favorite spot as a childless cat lady."
BLACKDAY | Shutterstock There's nothing that more closely resembles the Wild West than a giant parking lot for a big box store. You've got the circling vultures looking for the perfect spot, the defensive drivers who park as far away from the crowds as possible, and don't forget the cowboy parents just trying to corral their kids into or out of the car without incident.
A mom on TikTok laid claim to a particular parking spot at shopping centers and advised others to leave it available for parents like her. However, many people argued that she had no right to make such a demand.
The mom argued that parking spots directly next to the shopping cart return corrals should be reserved for parents of small children.
Standing in a Target parking lot and pointing to the spot in question, Stephany, a toddler mom, stated that it is an “unspoken rule” to leave the parking spaces next to shopping cart returns open for parents.
“If you’re shopping and this spot is open, it’s not for you," she said. "It’s for a mom with their kids that needs to come and unload right next to the cart drop."
"It’s a safety thing," she added in the caption of her video.
Most people online — even other parents — did not agree with her take.
“I never heard of this. Managed to raise three kids without expecting the world to revolve around me," one TikTok user commented. "Kids are grown now. I’ll park there if I want."
“That’s my favorite spot as a childless cat lady,” another user wrote.
Others pointed out that having small children is not the only reason that someone would benefit from such an accessible parking spot.
“Let’s see — elderly, people that may not be elderly but need to be next to the carts so they can grab a cart for balance," a content creator listed in a video response to Stephany. "There are people who have a lot of returns and need that shopping cart area to bring the returns in.”
“We’re not doing this. We’re not reserving parking spots,” she stressed. "I never expected any type of special treatment because I have kids, and I survived them for 14 years."
While shopping with small children is no easy feat, sometimes parents have to make do without extra accommodations.
While it may be inconvenient, it only takes a couple of extra minutes to bring your kids with you to return the shopping cart before loading them up in the car.
No one is entitled to specific parking spots unless they are reserved for handicapped individuals, and last time we checked, being a parent is not a disability! However, this doesn’t mean that parents do not deserve our compassion.
If you’re out shopping and spot a mom or dad struggling with the kids and a shopping cart, offer to lend them a helping hand. If they are parked far from the shopping cart return corral, you can even bring the cart back for them and spare them some trouble!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.