Then I remembered the day we took Walker to get his AFO's fitted and they were having a special ceremony at the school. There were no parking spots on the school grounds, nor for three blocks up the road. So me and my four kids walked all the way there, with no side walks. There were however many handicap parking spots unused, but I refused to park in one without a permit.
I also remember the day that I attempted to take all four children shopping, and the parking spots were so close together that I couldn't get out my door. I had to crawl through the hatch back and everyone exited that way. Its pretty tricky maneuvering a 30 lb kid while hunched over in your mini van.
Then I remembered trying to mail a package at my local post office, with both babies in the car and no stroller. We had rushed out the door and I will ill prepared. So I left both kids in the car with the doors locked. Don't worry its was in the winter and I was gone for about 5 minutes, but boy, that handicap parking spot was right out the door in clear view of the post master and it was empty!
So I filled out the paper work and got ourselves a handicap parking permit. I don't plan on using it will malice intentions, in fact I'd be surprised if I use it at all!
After our social worker gave me the application for the handicap tag, I sat on it for six months. Once I had the pediatrician complete the form, I sat on it for another two. I, too, felt we didn't exactly need it.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I couldn't imagine being without it! Lucy can walk from the car to the store, but not always safely. As part of her disability, she doesn't have good safety awareness. As part of her stubborn personality, she also doesn't have good cooperation skills! Ha! And she's a big kid. It's a relief to not have to get her from far out in the parking lot to the store. And when I have both kids, and the double stroller, it's a dream!