It’s always awesome when any brand makes accommodations for individuals with special needs. I first heard about Caroline’s Cart last year. And Target just announced that Caroline’s Cart will be “rolling into stores” this March. Thank you Target for being awesome!
Thank you @Target 4 bringing @CarolinesCart to stores! Shopping will be so much easier for kids w #SpecialNeeds Click To Tweet
photo: Caroline’s Cart & Target
Before I was a mom and before my son, Norrin, was diagnosed with autism I used to side eye the mothers who had their ‘too big’ kids stuffed into the seat of a shopping cart. I thought the kids were lazy and assumed the moms had no control. Now I know better.
Even now, at 10-years-old, we hold Norrin’s hand or stay close by. And those few seconds if/when he runs away and out of sight and I’m yelling his name scanning the aisles, are agonizing. I wish he could still fit in a shopping cart seat so that I can run in and out without me having a heartache or him a meltdown.
The moment I heard about Caroline’s Cart, I knew how important it was for special needs families. The cart was specifically “created for special needs children. It provides parents and caregivers a viable option to transport a child through a store while grocery shopping, without simultaneously having to maneuver a wheelchair and a traditional grocery cart.”
Some of the features of Caroline’s Cart includes:
- The seat back has a five-degree tilt for increased comfort for low muscle tone children
- The seat faces the caregiver, so eye contact is easy to maintain, children with anxiety issues can watch the parent during the shopping trip, and children prone to seizures can be monitored
- The platform below the seat provides a footrest for the child
- An abductor in the seat helps keep the child upright
- A harness helps to secure the child so parents have hands free to steer the cart and shop
While Norrin doesn’t require the use of a wheelchair, we could still benefit from Caroline’s Cart. Sometimes shopping can be overwhelming for kids with autism. Stores are sensory overload – people talking, kids crying, loud speakers crackling, shopping carts banging into displays. Caroline’s Cart would be especially helpful while at check out. It can be difficult to keep an eye on Norrin while I’m trying to unload my purchases and pay.
I’m so excited to see that Caroline’s Cart will be coming soon to Target (our favorite place)!
“Caroline’s Cart can be a game-changer for families, and we’re excited to offer this for our guests across the country,” says Juan Galarraga, senior vice president, Store Operations. “Target is always looking for new ways to make guests feel welcome in our stores and give them a more comfortable shopping experience. We’re always listening to both our guests and team members and making changes based their feedback.”
As of March 19, the vast majority of Target stores (with the exception of a handful of our smallest stores where we don’t have full-size carts) will have at least one Caroline’s Cart, and many will have more, depending on their guests’ needs.
You bet I’ll be on the look out for a Caroline’s Cart at Target next month!
Originally posted on Parents.com/ToTheMax on February 19, 2014 & updated to share Target news.
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