Today I smashed through a parking barrier and completely destroyed it.
It was most definitely not my finest moment!
So let’s set the scene: I was driving out of a country park having taken 3 kids on a bike ride followed by a play at the park. I was tired and keen to get home. I was also totally distracted by my 3-year-old who has taken to screaming in the car because she hates wearing her seatbelt.
I’d turned around to talk to her and turned back to see the barrier was up. So far so good, I proceeded to sail on through assuming it was my turn to go.
Epic fail.
Turned out the number plate recognition wasn’t for my car at all, it was in fact for the car in front. As I was driving forwards the barrier was coming back down – I then smashed through it like a bandit.
It did successfully shut the 3-year-old up, but I don’t think I can resort to this every time she has a seatbelt meltdown.
Parenting is harder at times like these, the high levels of stress and anxiety are extreme. Combine these with incidents like ‘the day I smashed through a parking barrier’ and you can understand why so many parents have meltdowns of their own.
Luckily my car was fine and the country park staff where the parking barrier once lived (RIP) were so understanding. They were actually more worried about me than their barrier, and after trying to leave my insurance details they said not to worry and that it happens all the time!
This is reassuring to know that I’m not the only stressed-out parent destroying property!
Whoever I spoke to on the intercom was an absolute diamond so all that was left to do was to pick up the destroyed barrier, sweep it to one side out of the road (along with my dignity), and drive the hell away.
It was only at this point I noticed the ENORMOUS queue of cars behind me waiting to leave!
Do you know what though? Not one of them beeped me or seemed impatient at all. The unwavering solidarity of the stressed-out parents doing stupid stuff club is strong!!