Parking-lot parents

[Anonymous]

Wait, is OP sad because no one wants to socialize with her at sports/dance practice or art class or mathnasium? So bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Maybe OP has one kid, who has one extracurricular, one digit in their age, and one 'event' a quarter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve noticed more and more parents at my kids events who spend the whole time just sitting in their vehicles in the parking lot. Some of them never even get out of the vehicle at all, then just drive off.

What is wrong with these parents?

Because you’re annoying and I don’t want to go through the drudgery of making pretend small talk with you. I don’t like you, I have nothing invested in you, and you’re not worth any energy to me.

My kid is on the field, she’s busy running drills or practicing, she doesn’t need (or want) me there observing everything she does, and I don’t want to be near you because you’ll engage me in conversation, which I don’t want to bother with.


That’s why.

Yup. Thank you for explaining this to OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did OP ever come back to explain what she meant by "events"? It's totally normal for parents to drop off or wait in the car during sports practices, or even if their child is in the school play and they have 4 different performances, but agree it's odd if a parent doesn't attend their child's once a semester dance performance or stays in the car for a basketball game instead of sitting on the sidelines and watching.

Yeah I'm curious about that too. I wouldn't stay in the car for a game, but for a practice I'm going to be reading a book wherever I am so it doesn't really matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, is OP sad because no one wants to socialize with her at sports/dance practice or art class or mathnasium? So bizarre.

Wow. Seemed to really have touched a nerve.

Why so much nastiness?

[Anonymous]

I’m a parking lot parent at times when my child has an hour practice/training that’s 20 or more minutes to drive to. I’ll make phone calls, read, or watch a movie on my phone. Or nap.

Once I had to watch a Bar Mitzvah during my child’s game so I sat in my car as well. I know other teammates’ parents are working in their cars at times.

One friend gets really nervous so she excuses herself until she can calm down.

[Anonymous]

I love that hour in my car by myself. I catch up on so many things work and personal.
Would never do this for a game or performance, but practice, absolutely!

[Anonymous]

My kids are older. I’ve sat through all the games and practices when they were younger. I’m done. They are all the same. I love the peace and quiet time in my car, alone.

[Anonymous]

12:48 poster-- I always keep my car off (or turned on at all so that only the radio is playing). I agree with PP about people who keep their cars idling (unless it is a electric car).

[Anonymous]

What type of events? I have 3 kids - elementary, middle and high school. I attend all my elementary school events and do not stay in the car. My high school kid doesn’t want me around practice and I’m waiting in the car. Same for my middle school kid.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what an event means to you but I always attend my kids games and meets but usually during practices I’m in the car. I can see them on the field from the car and they don’t want me watching them anyway unless it’s a game. I also have younger children so I’ll also take them to the playground next to the fields while we wait. I usually only see 1 or 2 parents on the field though, the rest are at home or in their cars. For gymnastics practice I’d go home because it was 4 hours long but for soccer it’s less than 2 hours so I usually stay in the car.

[Anonymous]

I have noticed more of that too. I don't stay in my car but really keep to myself much more than I did pre-Covid. I don't feel the need to be social at all: it's all so fleeting and superficial. I don't enjoy the small talk, so why keep doing it? I am there for my kids and nothing else. I assume most people feel the same way, aside from the super extroverts who still have each other and can chat.

[Anonymous]

I can see why OP feels this way.

It does seem kind of anti-social to just alone in your car while your kids are doing an activity.

[Anonymous]

I have done both. Sitting and watching practice can sometimes feel intrusive and awkward. So I use that time to go for a run and sometimes I really need to decompress and sitting in the car by myself not having to do anything is heaven.

[Anonymous]

I only chat with Indians . They are more interesting