What a sad, bitter person Brian Jeffries must be (Letters, February 27) to use children as the excuse for parking in bays that are for parent and child.

People do not bend over backwards to cater for children and their parents.

People slam doors in front of buggies, whinge if they take up room on buses and pavements and generally glare at mums with children if they deem them too young and, in so doing, make the assumption they are single mothers on benefit with no interest in helping themselves.

I'm afraid I have news for you, Mr Jeffries. Mums and children are the ones who generally do their shopping during the day.

They bring in a good proportion of revenue for supermarkets and the like.

You and those who moan about tantrums being thrown and slaps to curb them obviously do not remember you were a child - or maybe you were not seen or heard until you were 18.

Ignoring a child throwing a tantrum is the best way to stop it, not slapping it.

So all you moaners who glare and tut because your peace is disturbed for a few minutes should ask your mothers if you threw tantrums.

Maybe you should campaign for a non-child supermarket if you feel so trodden on by little feet. But I am sure there is no retail outlet that would conform to that.

Failing that, do your shopping in the middle of the night so we parents don't have the added pressure of avoiding whingers like you.

After all, life's too short for such pathetic nonsense. Look around you and smile once in a while at the laughter of a child. For me, it makes my life worthwhile.

-Claire Burchell, Dewe Road, Brighton