First Up - Parking Pal

Mamas often ask me about the products I use, and it’s no wonder – I have a lot of kids and am co-founder of Mabel’s Labels. This means I go to a lot of consumer shows and have the opportunity to test drive a lot the good stuff out there. So, here’s my little space where I’ll be sharing my opinion about the products that work for me!

First up – Parking Pal Magnets (www.parkingpalmagnet.com)

Clearly, with six kids, parking lots are hazardous places for a family like mine. Sure, a lot of places have those parent designated parking spots now, but I don’t seem to get them often. Sometimes I’m required to park quite a distance from the destination because some couple with one four-year-old feels entitled to take the parent designated spot. Do I sound bitter? OK, maybe a smidge, so if that is you and your only child taking that spot, please leave it for me….’kay? Thanks.

If your answer is “no” and you like that your one four-year-old is your ticket to a good parking spot, then this is where parking pals come in handy for mamas like me.

These magnets are on the side of my vehicle and children are instructed to ‘put a hand on a hand’ while I unload babies, strollers or generally just get organized. My kids stand there until I am ready to get them all safely across the parking lot. While they are standing there waiting, I love what they are NOT doing, which would be running around, tagging each other, and generally getting hyper. They are also not getting themselves squished by cars, which I appreciate.

One caveat – you must have kids who actually listen to what you say. If you say ‘hand on a hand’ and they are mentally giving you the finger, it’s not going to work so well. But clearly if that is the case, you have bigger problems than parking lots.

Enjoy!