Friday, September 7, 2007

Back to basics - Ranting

Ok, I've had it. I can't take it anymore. Parenting and pregnancy are NOT fucking handicaps! I know this because I have given birth to 3 boys,so I have been pregnant and I am a parent, so I get to speak from experience here. It is not a handicap. Period.

I'll qualify my frustration.

Back in the day, there were a few reserved parking spots for disabled ~ aka handicapped ~ people. That is to say, people with physical limitations. These spots saved said disabled from having to travel farther to the mall etc., so they would have more energy to move about the mall etc., once inside. Ok fine, but lets be honest here...usually people traveling with disabilities are accompanied by some device that enables them to travel freely; oft times, the device has wheels.

Fair enough, you have a disability, I defer. Happily. Cause I'm actually a nice person deep down, and karma is serious business.

These days, when I travel to my nearest shopping destination, I find that I am relegated to the very back of the lot. This is because I have the audacity to be young, healthy and without child! Today, when I pull into the lot it starts with the whole front reserved for those with handicap stickers, next are about 12 spots for seniors, then come the 'with child' ~ aka pregnant spots, and last but certainly not least and still in prime position to make it to the doors faster than most are parent with children parking. WHAT??!!!

I'm not even going to start with the pregnant parking, other than to say that pregnant women are able to take aerobic classes right up till they give birth. I have a friend who just gave birth last week; she went to kickboxing class twice a week until a few weeks before baby. Pregnancy is not a disability. However, I will defer to your decision to birth a child and give you preferential treatment. Cause I'm nice. I'm bitter, but I'm still nice.

However, I have officially drawn the line and I will dammit, park in the parent with children spot. I am a parent, so fuck you. AND even if I wasn't, parenting is not a bloody handicap. Most children are certainly well enough to walk on their own, and babies travel in strollers. WTF???? If you're that unhealthy that you can't walk the extra 20 feet to the store then perhaps you should be home in bed. Or in palliative care maybe?

I have no problem parking a mile from the store really. I always take the stairs. I'm healthy and active. It's the principal of the thing. Enough already!

Your choice to have children is not my problem. I didn't ask for special parking or get handouts because I chose to have babies, and I sure as hell don't need to be responsible for your choice to have babies.

I'm glad I got that one off my chest!

3 comments:

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

Kickboxing? Shit. When I got to be about 5-6 months pregnant with each kid I had to stop taking walks because my hips were so sore it was torture to get my foot high enough to step up onto a curb. I had trouble getting my underwear on. I couldn't climb stairs at all. Doctors told me it was normal, it was my ligaments loosening, that some women got it worse than others and the cure was giving birth.

And that was about the easiest thing about my pregnancies. Have I mentioned I've had my tubes tied and am never going through that hell again? I hate being pregnant, but I'm thinking I might hate a pregnant woman who could kickbox even more.

I've never seen pregnant or parent/kid parking spaces, but I will run over a pregnant kickboxer. However, if I see someone hobbling around like I was, she can not only have my space, I'll put her in a cart and push her around the store if she wants.

~e~ said...

hahaha, you SLAY me!! that was funny!

kel said...

This post was brilliant!! ANd I completely agree....