Mamas, raise your hands if you’re with me. You want to go somewhere, have a little fun with your kids, or maybe run an errand, head to the gym — whatever. But there’s one thing stopping you from going: parking. Or rather, it’s the daunting task of hauling your kids out of the van and then wrangling them across the parking lot, as distracted drivers go careening about, while you clutch your toddler’s wrist with one hand and balance a baby on your hip with another, the whole time praying to all that is holy that no one tries to make an escape. Then after you’re done with your errand, you have to do it all over again, making the death-defying trip back across the parking lot again.
Okay, okay — maybe I’m exaggerating. But when you’re outnumbered by small children, the prospect of going into a building is stressful. It’s crazy, isn’t it? Something as small as walking across the parking lot can be enough to make me want to skip whatever trip out of the house I have planned. I’ll muscle through it if I absolutely have to, but I avoid it at all costs.
Now, some businesses have started becoming more cognizant of their customers who need extra help. Handicapped spaces became mandatory with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Parking for pregnant and new mothers have also begun popping up over the past few years, as well as parking for wounded warriors. These are all good things! I applaud them sincerely and would love to see more of them. But then I saw this parking sign on a social media post and immediately heard the hallelujah chorus singing.
Y’all. Outnumbered. Parent. Parking. And it’s at a taco restaurant?? It obviously must be the secret portal to Heaven or something, because it doesn’t get much better than that. No longer would I have to drag my 3-year-old across a parking lot as cars scream by while she does her best impression of a very slippery octopus. No more dodging cars backing out of parking spaces while my 1-year-old slaps me in the face and yanks on my hair. Now, I can carry my mini-Rhonda Rousey and my wicked sea creature right inside, without having to also worry about getting hit by a car in the process. We can just walk right in! The idea sounds glorious. Don’t even get me started on what it’s like when I’ve got all five kids; if that’s the case and I’m on my own, chances are, I won’t venture out at all unless it’s absolutely necessary because wrangling five super-small kids across a demolition derby just isn’t my idea of a good time.
I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, too. When this picture dropped, I saw it shared on so many of my friends’ newsfeeds applauding it. So seriously, why isn’t this more of a thing? Message to First Coast businesses: Start installing a couple of these parking spaces ASAP! Without the stress of trying to maneuver across a parking lot with my small army, I’d be so much more likely to visit, and I know I’m not alone. Parenthood is hard. It’s so, so hard. And any business willing to make my life as a mom a little bit easier will get my money, no contest.
Do you want to see more parking spaces like these?
I love hearing about creative ways small businesses show they understand their customers, but this one is high on that list now. Thanks for sharing. I wish more business owners took the time to understand their customers and the struggles those customers go through at times to shop their places of business.
Again, thanks for highlighting this, and I’m loving the blog and posts here.
We recently moved to the area and I’m still baffled at how few “cart return” areas all the Publix stores have (or don’t have). Our closest store has one sole cart return, so after I return my cart I have to cross an entire parking lot with a toddler who does not want to be carried. I can’t imagine what I’d do crossing that parking lot with more kids.