In case you needed another reason to love Target: Stores are offering quiet shopping hours for kids on the autism spectrum and their parents, according to the Mighty.
On December 10, before the store even opens, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., parents can shop free of distractions. They're going to dim the lights, turn off the music, and reduce the number of employees on the floor in order to create a sensory-free environment. These types of sensory stimulants might seem like no big deal, but for people on the autism spectrum they can be frustrating and even scary.
Target has made some small, but really important, improvements to make life easier for people with disabilities. Last year they added special carts for parents of disabled kids to use, and they've featured people with disabilities in ads.
So far one location in Lancaster, Pennsylvania has committed to quiet hours, and Angie Thompson, a Target representative, told us there are no immediate plans to roll these events out company-wide. "At Target, we are committed to creating an environment where our team members and guests feel welcome, valued and respected," she says.
If you'd like to bring quiet hours to your local Target, ask one of the managers or team leaders."We empower store leaders to make decisions that help meet the needs of the guests they serve," Thompson says. Toys R Us announced quiet shopping hours before Black Friday, and we hope more stores start doing this to make life a little easier for parents of kids with autism.
