Something as simple as taking her daughter to the shops can be ‘overwhelming’ for 27-year-old mum Lisa Reid, whose daughter Ruby, four, is autistic.
That’s why the Reading mum felt compelled to share on social media her experience at Specsavers Woodley, after the store made Ruby feel like ‘any other little girl’ for the day.
“Because Ruby has learning difficulties she really struggles with everyday tasks, in particular going into shops,” Lisa says. “She has a real problem with people entering her personal space, so you can imagine what it’s like when it comes to getting a new pair of glasses.
“The team at Woodley Specsavers were so understanding, I called up to book Ruby in for an appointment and they were so accommodating. I went inside and helped pick out some suitable frames for Ruby, then two of the Specsavers team came outside and did the fitting for us as quickly as possible.”
Lisa, along with her partner, Brooke, 29, is a full-time carer to daughters Ruby and Lexi, 10, who also has learning difficulties.
Due to her age, Ruby, who has worn glasses since she was two, still has her eye tests at hospital, but the fittings are carried out at an opticians.
But Lisa says not everyone has been as understanding of Ruby’s needs.
“A lot of people don’t listen when I’m asking them to meet my kids’ needs,” she says.
“I’ll tell them not to look or talk to them because it’s overwhelming and it doesn’t compute. The Specsavers team have been a fresh of breath air – it’s such a rarity.
“It’s so nice to have a service that meets our needs. It makes Ruby feel like any other little girl who has a few special requirements.”
Wanting to share her own experiences of motherhood, Lisa launched an Instagram page – @my.autistic.girls – to help other people who have children with additional needs.
So impressed by the services she received at her local Specsavers store, she spoke out about the experience to her followers.
“It just made my day, it really did,” continues Lisa. “For just one person to understand my children’s needs or my family’s needs is amazing – it was a 10-out-of-10 experience.
“For a neurotypical person it’s nothing getting your glasses, but for Ruby some strange person putting glasses on is quite distressing.
“It would be brilliant if everyone in the world was a bit more understanding, like the team at Specsavers.”
Ravi Bhardwaj, director of Woodley Specsavers, said: “When we saw what Lisa had shared about her experience at Specsavers, we were touched to hear what a difference our team had made on her and Ruby’s experience.
“Here at Specsavers we want to make everyone included, which is why it’s heartwarming to know that our efforts are paying off.
“We’ll always do our best to accommodate special requirements and we hope Lisa’s story encourages other people to be a little more understanding and caring.”
For more details, log on to: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/woodley
