Guest guest Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Thank you, for sharing your stories from your trip to Disney. It brought back so many memories of our family trips to Disney and other places over the years, that had the same mix of good and not so good. Even though, on balance, it sounds like you all had a good time, those couple of incidents will stay with you for a long time...I know they will now stay with me and I will avoid flying United if at all possible. And Charlotte...now I won't feel so bad when I check email in synagogue this Friday evening...our little secret... Ellen Ellen Garber Bronfeld egskb@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Kathy I am not familiar with syndrome and wondering if you could share some insight either here or privately. Thanks, Re: Thanks for sharing... I've been following this thread about our kids out and about and the public reaction to them. My daughter's disabilities ( Syndrome) don't share many of the challenges you face. For the most part, she is very social and appropriate. Sometimes that can be our problem. People don't always understand the " hovering " parents who might be correcting things she says and does. She is vulnerable from the standpoint that she is soooo easy to engage and could be a wonderful victim for someone. That is our biggest worry. In my professional life I work with new families, mom's and babies in particular. The one thing I always tell them is they need to laugh at all of this craziness in the beginning as it's such a good stress reliever. I always share the story of my 2nd daughter having a large blow out diaper all over the shirt of a good friend of mine (I know, more info than we want). All I could do was laugh - I was fairly mortified. But, not in my control. Maybe a book or a sitcom of all the crazy things we have encountered with our kids....A pediatrician friend of mine who has a son with always tells a very funny story about his son perseverating to a point of making Dad want to jump. The way he tells the story is so funny, but so relatable. It took a very frustrating situation and made all of us laugh. Life is an interesting journey for all of us - wishing all of you good health, happiness, good resources, good friends, some R & R time and for all of us peace in 2011. Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 I had no trouble with United a couple of years ago. I made sure to call in advance and alert them to my son's condition and anxiety, telling them that he might tantrum if things didn't go smoothly. We were called up to the gate before anyone else and welcomed aboard. As usual, sometimes it's just a matter of taking that extra step and being proactive. Kate H. > > > > Thank you, for sharing your stories from your trip to Disney. It brought > >back so many memories of our family trips to Disney and other places over the > >years, that had the same mix of good and not so good. Even though, on balance, > >it sounds like you all had a good time, those couple of incidents will stay with > >you for a long time...I know they will now stay with me and I will avoid flying > >United if at all possible. > > And Charlotte...now I won't feel so bad when I check email in synagogue this > >Friday evening...our little secret... > > Ellen > > Ellen GarberBronfeld > > egskb@ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Unfortunately, the front line staff, ticket agents, hosts at a restaurant, whatever, are the least trained. How ironic, those are the people that first meet the public, our people, and they have the least education on how to deal with the public. Since I got the guide dog, I have had to teach TSA people on how to get me and the dog through airport security. I have been stopped from going into restaurants with the dog while the hostess checks with her manager if a guide dog can come in. We have always had early boarding when our son travels . It has always worked out well. However, every day encounters have had glitches. Recently my husband and our son were at Buffalo Wild Wings. Adam was asking about the beer menu. The waitress commented the menu is " retarded " . We assume she said that to describe how vague the menu is. My husband suggested she should not use the 'R' word. Instead of apologizing she defended herself. In conversation tones my husband asked her if she would use other known words that would be considered derogatory. Of course she would not use those words...etc. My husband wrote a letter to BWW human resources. The point I am making is we have to be constantly educating the people who want to make money off of us. All this does come from the top. Unless a company buys into the idea of hiring people with disabilities and value them as consumers the person making minimum wage at the check out is not going to be clued in. MenardsHome Center has a corporate policy on how people with disabilities should be treated.. It is posted in large lettering at the customer service desk. With that kind of public showing there probably is very little the front end people can question. Staying neutral is really no longer enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 We have been really lucky, no real problems with our son age 29 with DS, except they want to give him the kids menu often. If he shaves, he is only 5 feet with a baby face. We just laugh and say he's 29 and they usually apologize and say something nice. I does make me angry and sad to hear all these stories. Shirley From: Cindi Swanson <cbswanson@...> Subject: Re: Re: Thanks for sharing... IPADDUnite Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 4:04 PM  Unfortunately, the front line staff, ticket agents, hosts at a restaurant, whatever, are the least trained. How ironic, those are the people that first meet the public, our people, and they have the least education on how to deal with the public. Since I got the guide dog, I have had to teach TSA people on how to get me and the dog through airport security. I have been stopped from going into restaurants with the dog while the hostess checks with her manager if a guide dog can come in. We have always had early boarding when our son travels . It has always worked out well. However, every day encounters have had glitches. Recently my husband and our son were at Buffalo Wild Wings. Adam was asking about the beer menu. The waitress commented the menu is " retarded " . We assume she said that to describe how vague the menu is. My husband suggested she should not use the 'R' word. Instead of apologizing she defended herself. In conversation tones my husband asked her if she would use other known words that would be considered derogatory. Of course she would not use those words...etc. My husband wrote a letter to BWW human resources. The point I am making is we have to be constantly educating the people who want to make money off of us. All this does come from the top. Unless a company buys into the idea of hiring people with disabilities and value them as consumers the person making minimum wage at the check out is not going to be clued in. MenardsHome Center has a corporate policy on how people with disabilities should be treated.. It is posted in large lettering at the customer service desk. With that kind of public showing there probably is very little the front end people can question. Staying neutral is really no longer enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 We've been pretty lucky at restaurants. It's been at least ten years since I've run into an idiot employee at a restaurant. My husband can be very vocal when at a restaurant and he makes a simple request and someone ignores him. If we ran into a situation where someone who was supposed to provide us service defended his/her use of an offensive word, I'd demand to speak to the manager and insist that someone else take care of us or we're leaving. Then, if it was a chain business, I'd send a letter to corporate. My husband works part time for the village, driving the commuter bus. His former boss was the biggest moron in the world. One time, someone with a service dog was approaching my husband's bus and the boss called him on the two way and told him not to let the passenger on. My husband told him that was a violation, but the idiot insisted, so Joe called the boss over him (who has a son with autism) and that boss called the idiot and chewed him out. That boss is no longer there (he was there way too long because he kept threatening the 'race' card). We need to be vocal for our loved ones who are unable to defend themselves. We generally go to the same places of business and they know Angel and welcome her. When we went for guardianship or Angel, Joe waited in the hallway with her and she was getting loud. A deputy, who was totally clueless, kept on interfering and then threatened action against my husband and Angel. Meanwhile, the deputy inside the courtroom was wonderful. Go figure. > > Unfortunately, the front line staff, ticket agents, hosts at a restaurant, > whatever, are the least trained. How ironic, those are the people that > first meet the public, our people, and they have the least education on how > to deal with the public. > Since I got the guide dog, I have had to teach TSA people on how to get me > and the dog through airport security. I have been stopped from going into > restaurants with the dog while the hostess checks with her manager if a > guide dog can come in. > We have always had early boarding when our son travels . It has always > worked out well. However, every day encounters have had glitches. > Recently my husband and our son were at Buffalo Wild Wings. Adam was asking > about the beer menu. The waitress commented the menu is " retarded " . We > assume she said that to describe how vague the menu is. My husband > suggested she should not use the 'R' word. Instead of apologizing she > defended herself. In conversation tones my husband asked her if she would > use other known words that would be considered derogatory. Of course she > would not use those words...etc. My husband wrote a letter to BWW human > resources. > The point I am making is we have to be constantly educating the people who > want to make money off of us. All this does come from the top. Unless a > company buys into the idea of hiring people with disabilities and value them > as consumers the person making minimum wage at the check out is not going > to be clued in. MenardsHome Center has a corporate policy on how people > with disabilities should be treated.. It is posted in large lettering at > the customer service desk. With that kind of public showing there probably > is very little the front end people can question. > Staying neutral is really no longer enough. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Hi, Agreed that the front line staff are the least empowered. In terms of educating a business owner or corporation representative that people with disabilities (and their families) will " vote with their pocketbooks, " remember www.jjslist.com. At that site, you or your loved one with a disability can write a review and rate how " disability friendly " that business was. Even colleges/universities can be reviewed. I know of too many families who've been frustrated by the lack of inclusiveness of some community colleges. Bonnie ________________________________ From: Cindi Swanson <cbswanson@...> IPADDUnite Sent: Wed, January 5, 2011 10:04:32 AM Subject: Re: Re: Thanks for sharing... Unfortunately, the front line staff, ticket agents, hosts at a restaurant, whatever, are the least trained. How ironic, those are the people that first meet the public, our people, and they have the least education on how to deal with the public. Since I got the guide dog, I have had to teach TSA people on how to get me and the dog through airport security. I have been stopped from going into restaurants with the dog while the hostess checks with her manager if a guide dog can come in. We have always had early boarding when our son travels . It has always worked out well. However, every day encounters have had glitches. Recently my husband and our son were at Buffalo Wild Wings. Adam was asking about the beer menu. The waitress commented the menu is " retarded " . We assume she said that to describe how vague the menu is. My husband suggested she should not use the 'R' word. Instead of apologizing she defended herself. In conversation tones my husband asked her if she would use other known words that would be considered derogatory. Of course she would not use those words...etc. My husband wrote a letter to BWW human resources. The point I am making is we have to be constantly educating the people who want to make money off of us. All this does come from the top. Unless a company buys into the idea of hiring people with disabilities and value them as consumers the person making minimum wage at the check out is not going to be clued in. MenardsHome Center has a corporate policy on how people with disabilities should be treated.. It is posted in large lettering at the customer service desk. With that kind of public showing there probably is very little the front end people can question. Staying neutral is really no longer enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 The wheelchair thing sound great. But, the problem for me would be that because my son is soooo active; if we were stopped in a waiting pattern, he would get up and start jumping up and down. That's when the death stares from the general public would start! Ha ha ha. Diane S. > > > > > > Thank you, for sharing your stories from your trip to Disney. It brought > > >back so many memories of our family trips to Disney and other places over the > > >years, that had the same mix of good and not so good. Even though, on balance, > > >it sounds like you all had a good time, those couple of incidents will stay with > > >you for a long time...I know they will now stay with me and I will avoid flying > > >United if at all possible. > > > And Charlotte...now I won't feel so bad when I check email in synagogue this > > >Friday evening...our little secret... > > > Ellen > > > Ellen GarberBronfeld > > > egskb@ > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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