World of Jenks: Meet Chad

World Of Jenks | Ep. 2 | Can't Make Me Be: While living with Chad, a 20-year-old with autism, Jenks experiences not only the challenges of this condition, but discovers a smart, hilarious, and heroic young man.

This is a bit belated, since I've been really busy with grad school. I had meant to post it on April 2, 2013, which happened to be World Autism Awareness Day. But hey, the month of April happens to be Autism Awareness Month, so it's all good!

Have you ever watched World of Jenks? If not, no worries- you can view all of the episodes online at the link provided in the previous sentence. This particular episode introduced viewers to Chad, a 20-year-old young man with autism. In experiencing Chad's daily life, Jenks develops a greater appreciation for his struggles and the positive attitude with which he overcomes them.

It's definitely worth checking out. If you're interested in Chad, he happens to be a recurring member of season two.

Let's use April to promote a positive image for individuals with autism and to have open, intellectual discussions regarding autism.

Simple Kindness: Fixing a Broken Cheeseburger

I couldn't help but smile when I saw this story on the evening news. The story has since gone viral. You can easily use Google to find multiple articles/posts about this story, so I'll just link to one such report in this post.

Basically, the simple actions and kindness of one Chili's waitress made all the difference for one family's visit to the restaurant. Arianna MacLean is a 7-year-old girl with autism. She ordered a cheeseburger while her family was dining at Chili's. When her cheeseburger left the kitchen, it had been cut in half- a standard procedure for all childrens' burgers at Chili's. However, when Arianna saw her cheeseburger, she thought that it was "broken" and didn't want to eat it. Arianna's older sister explained the issue to their waitress, Lauren. Instead of arguing or having a negative/dismissive attitude, Lauren agreed that the cheeseburger was "broken", apologized, and promptly delivered a new- uncut- cheeseburger to Arianna.

After staring at the cheeseburger for a few moments, Arianna then bent down and kissed it.

When you have a family member with an autism spectrum disorder, even the simplest family outings can be problematic. Sensory issues and social difficulties can make these outings stressful for everyone involved. Lauren's response in this situation was fantastic and should serve as a model for other employees in the service industry. Individuals with autism are different- not less. It's important that their feelings and thoughts are validated and treated with respect.

Aside from going above and beyond to make Arianna's dining experience an enjoyable one, Lauren has also become Facebook friends with Arianna's older sister, Anna. Providing exemplary customer service and making a new friend? All in a day's work for Lauren!

Build-A-Bear Will be Lighting it Up Blue for Autism Awareness!

Image Courtesy of Autism Speaks (Facebook)

Build-A-Bear has teamed up with Autism Speaks to celebrate Autism Awareness with a one-of-a-kind furry friend! The bears will be available in participating Build-A-Bear workshops across the USA on March 27th. From what I've heard, each store will only be receiving a limited shipment of these bears, so once they're gone, they're gone.

I know that many of us have varying opinions of Autism Speaks. I understand that- I also have issues with the way they approach the topic of autism, as well as their approach (or lack thereof) to individuals with autism. However, this... this is just cute. Wifey really wants to get me one. I'm not complaining!

If you would like to get ahold of this special blue bear, give your local Build-A-Bear store a call and/or stop by any participating location on March 27th!

"Aware" Businesses Help Families of Children with Autism

If you have any kind of experience with children on the autism spectrum, then you know that sometimes the "simple" things in life can become quite the challenge. Enjoying a meal at a restaurant can present its own unique challenges for an individual diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For example, a bustling restaurant environment can prove to be very overstimulating and bewildering; an individual with an ASD may also require special assistance when ordering their food.

Fortunately, there are some restaurant owners who recognize the difficulties that these individuals face and are willing to go the extra mile to make things a little more comfortable for them.

The article linked above also features a video report.

I think it's great that some people are willing to step up and work a little harder in order to promote an inclusive environment. Kudos! Maybe this will become the start of a new trend in the restaurant industry?