Mum's thank you letter makes us wonder will 'quiet hour' hit our stores
A mum has just posted an emotional thank you letter to her local store for a new initiative which is designed to make shopping an enjoyable experience.
The scheme which is being rolled out in Melbourne, is structured to make shopping easier for people with autism, and mums with children who suffer with autism.
Emily Dive's son Lachlan has autism, with shopping trips being a source of discomfort for her young son: "Crawling under shelves, running out of the store, screaming, running, and yelling are our 'norm' when we visit the supermarket. Behaviours that are his way of communicating 'I can't cope'."
Nonetheless, with the scheme being rolled out, Emily decided to bring Lachlan with her; becoming tearful with how her son reacted to being in the store during quiet hour.
"Today was a milestone for us. We filled a trolley! No mad dash to get in and out as quickly as possible only grabbing a handful of items. Lachlan was provided with such a positive experience in an environment that is challenging."
"Today we walked side by side for the entire shopping trip, and the hardest challenge he faced was to make a decision about choosing grain waives or tiny teddies. Kudos to you Coles for your quiet hour today, and acknowledging your environment for people entering the store can be a sensory land-mine for many to navigate."
The programme advertises a 'quiet hour' containing a sensory-friendly experience, which lowers the stores music to a low volume, dims the lights by 50 per cent, turns down register and scanner noises to a minimum, avoiding PA announcements throughout this period, removing roll cages from the aisles and offering free fruit at customer service.
Emily reveals as a mum, she fought back the tears throughout the entire quiet hour experience, as for the first time, she exited the store with a full trolley of shopping, and her son enjoyed a positive experience.
The simplest of changes allowed one family to enjoy an encouraging shopping experience, thus conveying how easy it is for other stores to follow suit as sometimes, it's the little things that matter.
In her note to the store, Mum graciously exclaimed: "Please know that your acknowledgment of those who require the simplest of changes to environments to assist in making them more comfortable, is respected and appreciated."
Would you like to see this initiative introduced worldwide?