In the hopes of alleviating the stress parents with autistic children endure when waiting at loud and distracting checkouts, one Plymouth Meeting mother is taking matters into her own hands, writes Victor Fiorillo for Philadelphia Magazine.
Kristin Jackowski, a mother of three, has started a Change.org petition to encourage Target and other big retailers to introduce autism-friendly checkout lanes.
Jackowski’s five-year-old daughter NavyAnna is on the autism spectrum and has sensory issues.
“She has low impulse control,” said Jackowski. “And so the candy in the checkout lane, she’s constantly grabbing at it, and she has a meltdown when we don’t give it to her.”
These meltdowns often cause customers and even cashiers to express their displeasure.
“The stares, comments, and eye rolls of disgust I could do without, because the situation is already hard enough.”
What she proposes is at least one check-out aisle marked “sensory friendly,” free of distractions with a cashier with some relevant training.
Target spokesperson Kristy Welker said that “Target aims to provide a guest-friendly shopping experience” and is looking into the idea.
Read more about the petition in Philadelphia Magazine by clicking here.
