Why do pregnant women/mothers of small children need special parking spots???

This is one of those things that not only makes me go “hmmm” it actually falls under the “OH COME ON” for me. Which is a new one, it lands between the “hmmm” and the “I can’t even” just to give all of you a point of reference.

Now my super cool GoDaddy home page tells me where the people who are reading my site are from. So I know that there are plenty of you who are not from Canada, never mind my own back yard of Toronto. Most of you probably won’t even know what this privileged parking spot nonsense is that I’m posting about. I don’t know how they do things in your city, but around here people are losing their GD minds. It blew my mind so hard when it started to happen, that I’ve actually blocked out exactly when these spots began popping up all over my city. I’ve actually blocked it out, so I’m fuzzy on the timeline of it. It seemed to happen overnight, Toronto began putting these parking spots, right beside, and in some cases, they created twice as many of these as they did handicapped spots, at grocery stores, and in mall parking lots. They now have this designated “PREGNANT WOMEN/SMALL CHILDREN” parking.

Are you kidding me?

Is this for real? Because damn. That’s rich. I’m going to sound like my mother right now, but, back in the day when I was pregnant, they didn’t have anything special for us. Even our maternity clothing was disgusting. It was man repellent clothing, which I suppose was okay considering I was already with child. But still. Being pregnant was not glamorous, or revered. Not like it is today. It’s wild out there; and I do not abide.

I’m a parking spot rebel. When I see those spots, if there is one empty, I take my SUV and I pull it right into that spot. Because you know why?

I’m going to tell you why.

Because being pregnant isn’t a disability. It’s a choice, it’s a condition that you are in for nine short months of your life. And having children, when they’re small enough to load into a wrap on your body, or put in a stroller and push around, or carry on your hip is EASY. Those are the good days. These are not the days you deserve to have a parking spot right in front of the grocery store, or mall. No. Once you’ve raised your kids through the years of when everything you say to them they have an answer for, and not always in a respectful tone, when they insist on dating a boy that makes your skin crawl, when you’ve survived them running away, or getting piercings, just to name a few of the things coming your way. When you’ve managed to get through ALL OF THIS, without sending them to live in a convent, or checking yourself into rehab. Then, you may park in the front spot of the grocery store, or the mall. When you’ve gone through the war of parenting, and come out the other side intact, both you, and your kids, then you can take that spot with pride. Park there like it’s a parenting badge of honor.

And that my friends is why I park in those spots, because holy shit, I have earned it!! And this is me sending September out with a rant and a bang!

Thanks for reading this month, you all are awesome!!
xo
Shantelle