Melbourne mum sparks debate on pram parking etiquette

"If there are 10 pram parks and no normal parks, I'm going to utilise the pram park," read one brutal response to the mum's strict take.

If you've ever found yourself tempted to use a 'parents with pram' parking spot in a hurry, especially with an older child in tow, please raise your hand. 

*raises hand slyly...*

Well, get ready to cop it, because the mums of TikTok are here to set the record straight on who these parking perks are really meant for. 

Hint: it's not you.

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Image: TikTok / Canva

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"I don't think that just means if you're a parent, you get to use it"

Melbourne mum-of-two Montana Older, currently pregnant, took to TikTok to share her frustrations about the misuse of these pram parking spots. 

"Pram parking is for parents with their kids," she claimed. "Too many times have I seen parents either get their older kids out of the car, like 10 or 12-year-old kids, or parents get out of the car with no kids, and I'm like, what are you doing?"

"It's parents with pram parking. It's parent parking. I don't think that just means if you're a parent you get to use it, or if you're pregnant you get to use it," she added. 

Older emphasised that even though she's pregnant and has two young children, she wouldn’t use the park if she didn’t have her kids with her.

Parents and non-parents alike rallied behind her stance in the comments.

"It's parents with prams for sureeee, not parents with teenagers," one user wrote.

"100% you have to have a pram or multiple young kids," a second agreed.

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"It should be for pregnant women or anyone really"

However, others didn’t see it that way and suggested a more lenient approach. 

"I parked there when I was pregnant, and I park there now postpartum even though my baby is in the NICU," one mum wrote. "I'll argue with anyone who tries to stop me."

"Us preggos are travelling with our babies, everyone! So I'm sure it counts!" a different viewer replied.

"Being pregnant, and not having a park that's close to the entrance and trying to get a pregnant belly out, sometimes you need the full door open, so I believe it should be pregnant and parent parking," another parent noted. 

"WE NEED PREGNANT PARKS," insisted one woman. 

Then, a small minority urged people to relax about the whole issue altogether, saying it’s not enforceable by law. 

"If there are 10 pram parks and no normal parks, I'm going to utilise the pram park," one commenter admitted.

"Calm down, you don't need a permit for it. As a parent, I couldn't care less who uses it," shared another mum.

"It's literally just a courtesy park," one person concluded. "Not an entitlement. Anyone can park in those car parks."

Originally published as Melbourne mum sparks debate on pram parking etiquette