Weird Question

[maxiesmom]

Thanks for the responses. I guess it was a dumb idea afterall.

Now it wasn't! Please do not ever say anything you are trying to do to help your child is "dumb". You are thinking outside of the box, which it sounds like you need to.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I think the stool is a great idea.

As for requesting its use, I would do what I do before I travel. Email sit down restaurant staffs directly about the issue on their contact us page. Since I have multiple allergies, I need to know if I can have food at a particular place, and finding out in the moment giving the restaurant no time to prepare will disappoint me and stress them. But finding out a month prior that I may have the need and seeing if they can accommodate works well (a few places can't, most have been able to do so, but I always contact prior).

It does mean less spontaneity before eating out decisions, but then it's like a Disney trip. You've made decisions on table service eating before you leave and you'd do so again now.

PS - I think with warning, 95% of places would say okay, b/c they'd literally just remove the chair before lunch or dinner start. Although I say this if you are one of the 1st mealtime diners (which I always am - it's easiest for an already clean kitchen to accommodate allergies b/c they don't have to stop, reclean, and go, and they have the most time at the start before the restaurant is full- and safer for me, too) - having the restaurant set for you with a certain spot saved (aka, the easiest one), and then adding back the chair vs having to do it on the fly in a dinner rush is probably what they'd prefer (and you would, too).

 

[Weedy]

Maybe a simple solution
Try turning the chair around so the back of the chair is against the table.
Not sure if it would work but maybe worth a try.
Hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I am sorry you took that personally with your brief response .

I care about your legal parenting rights and only hope you think things thru…
I apologize for my words that seemed critical.
Please forgive me.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I am sorry you took that personally with your brief response .
But No a collapsible stool in a legal public restaurant is not going to be approved unless you just happen to take it into a fast food restaurant…
Maybe they will be too busy to be aware .
Please try it just Once and let us know

Yes , the medicalal profession does document everything with or without your approval … but if your child innocently makes a remark about something overheard by their teacher or doctor that is a questionable action taken by a parent … Just let you know it happens all the time .
Those professional people can not testify about what happens in your private residence.
And you don’t want to know what happens between loving parents when one decides they want a divorce and wants to guardianship because they have made up that the other is a a bad parent.
Don’t know the outcome or all the details but a child with epilepsy,called one of those hot lines to ask a question and the response from Social workers was immediate !
I care about your legal parenting rights and only hope you think things thru…
I apologize for my words that seemed critical.
Please forgive me.

What are you even going on about?!??

 

[elvispursley]

I think it’s a good idea but my one concern would be if restaurants would allow it due to a potential liability if your DS falls or the stool collapses.

 

[Nayan]

I think it’s a good idea but my one concern would be if restaurants would allow it due to a potential liability if your DS falls or the stool collapses.

I agree. A wheelchair is a medical device, a portable stool is not and I can see restaurants refusing to allow it, even fast food ones.

 

[bopper]

Have you tried turning a chair sideways so it has no back?

 

[Cloudy]

I am sorry you took that personally with your brief response .
But No a collapsible stool in a legal public restaurant is not going to be approved unless you just happen to take it into a fast food restaurant…
Maybe they will be too busy to be aware .
Please try it just Once and let us know

Yes , the medicalal profession does document everything with or without your approval … but if your child innocently makes a remark about something overheard by their teacher or doctor that is a questionable action taken by a parent … Just let you know it happens all the time .
Those professional people can not testify about what happens in your private residence.
And you don’t want to know what happens between loving parents when one decides they want a divorce and wants to guardianship because they have made up that the other is a a bad parent.
Don’t know the outcome or all the details but a child with epilepsy,called one of those hot lines to ask a question and the response from Social workers was immediate !
I care about your legal parenting rights and only hope you think things thru…
I apologize for my words that seemed critical.
Please forgive me.

This is a blatant scare tactic. How you can compare these scenarios is beyond me. This forum is getting ridiculous. You think CPS might get involved because someone brings a portable stool into a restaurant?

I agree. A wheelchair is a medical device, a portable stool is not and I can see restaurants refusing to allow it, even fast food ones.

We are talking about Denny's and McDonalds. I happen to have both next to me even in rural Ohio. Gonna take my own chair in and just test this theory. I can't imagine anyone is going to care. I'll let you know tomorrow.

 

[SirDuff]

Maybe a simple solution
Try turning the chair around so the back of the chair is against the table.
Not sure if it would work but maybe worth a try.
Hope you have a wonderful trip.

But how would her son then actually sit on and use the chair? He'd have to straddle it and (depending on the height of the chair back), reach over/around the chair back. Unless I am totally misunderstanding the suggestion?

OP - my friend travels with a telescopic stool type thing (I'll try to find a link to what I mean). She doesn't use it at meals but needs to have a place she can sit and doesn't want to rely on benches and things. It might work well for you as I think that it can be locked in at a few different heights, which means it could adapt to different table heights. It's also quite easy to carry.

Also, OP, ignore the weird CPS ramblings.

 

[greeneyedchick]

I think you'll be fine at places like McDonalds, Taco Bell, and Wendy's. I say that because the last few times that I've been to any of them, I have been unable to even get a worker's attention when having difficulty with the self-ordering screens. All the workers are in the back, manning the drive-thru or making food. I doubt any of them would even notice.

I am curious, does your son ride in the car? Will he eat in the car? If so, could you utiltize drive-thrus while travelling? Another option would be to pack a sandwhich or food for him and have him eat right before you go into a restaurant. A lot of sit down restaurants do take-out since Covid. Could you pick up the food and take it back to your car to eat or drive to a nearby park to eat?

 

[Cloudy]

Experiment complete.

Had breakfast at Denny's. Told them I needed to use my own chair. She didn't even ask why. She just took their chair and moved it to the side. Had breakfast with my 29 year old non verbal autistic son. We stick out like a sore thumb. He bobs his head continuously and makes little chirping noises. If other customers were looking at my chair I didn't notice. I did sit a little low for the table, but I don't have the telescoping chair, it's just a folding backless camp stool. My son did think my chair was hilarious though. Paid and left no problems.

Next day had dinner at Wendy's. Sorry DS29 picked and didn't want McDonald's. Didn't even ask. Just walked in and moved a chair and placed my stool. Mobile ordered because that's my jam and DS can pick want he wants from pictures easier. This time brought a chair pillow from our rocker to add height and comfort. Worked well. No problems. Ate and left. Even hung for a while because DS was enjoying himself. No one said anything. Not sure they even noticed.

Your mileage may vary. Happy traveling.

 

[Boopuff]

Just jumping in to point out that if you're planning on dining in the parks, those foldable stools are not allowed in past security. Double check with the website. Good luck

 

[Angel Ariel]

Thanks for the responses. I guess it was a dumb idea afterall.

I don't think it's a dumb idea at all. Who cares what other diners think? And I would think many restaurants would be flexible when explained it's a necessary disability accommodation. If your son is comfortable with that accommodation, and it allows him to eat - do what you need to do.