AMC Theatres Accomodates Autistic Families and Au Pairs
Happy Labor Day!
I was reading Examiner.com this afternoon and I saw a wonderful article that I wanted to share with our readers, particulary those families who have children with autism. An au pair brought her 8 year old child, Meaghan, to a theatre to see "Hairspray" and was asked to leave because other movie-goers complained when the child began to jump up and down, clapping to the music. As a result, the mom and the manager of the theatre started Sensory Friendly Films, just for families with autistic children.
I am printing the entire story so you can read it yourself (below). I think we should all applaud Meaghan's mom and AMC who made movie viewing for autistic children possible - I know I will be taking my business to this company from now on! Well done, AMC!
Examiner.com, September, 2009:
Anyone who has a child with autism knows how hard it is to do anything “typical” that most families do with children on the weekends. Going to the movies is something that most families can do with typical children but what about families with a child or teenager or adult with autism or other special needs. Thanks to one local Howard County Maryland mom who had the courage to call the local theatres when her daughter with autism had been asked to leave made "Sensory Friendly Films" viewings possible. Marianne Ross turned this negative experience into a positive one that has since started a trend for families with special needs with AMC theatres.
Meet Marianne Ross who is the proud mother to 10 year old daughter Meaghan who has autism spectrum disorder. “My daughter, Meaghan, was asked to leave a local movie theatre in the summer of 2007. She went to see ‘Hairspray’ with her Au Pair and her brother during a matinee and was quietly flapping her hands and jumping up and down to the music. There were only a few other patrons in the theatre but they complained to management and she was asked to leave. It made me sad and angry and I thought that there had to be some way for Meaghan and other special children to enjoy a movie.”
"Sensory Friendly Films" involve a different atmosphere for both the children and adults. Because some theaters sound systems could be too loud AMC theatres decided to change the ambiance of the movie experience. “The lights and sound are adjusted so that everyone in the theatre is comfortable” said Ross. “All families with special needs, not just those with autism, are welcome and encouraged to attend. The staff at AMC Columbia 14 has provisions to handle issues related to auditory, visual, physical and other needs. There is a relaxed, intimate and friendly atmosphere such that no one feels ‘special’ there. There’s no pressure to conform to traditional movie theatre behavior. We are all in the same boat and are all there to help each other. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful” adds Marianne.
“We totally applaud Dan Harris, the local AMC manager at the time the request was made, for being so open to this idea” said Kim Manning, Executive Director of the Howard County Autism Society (HCAS). His commitment to making movies available and accommodating to everyone in the community has made a difference in hundreds of families lives in Howard County. What started here in Howard County has been so successful that Dan Harris pitched the idea to the corporate office and now sensory friendly movies are in over 600 theaters across the nation every month” Kim adds.
In Maryland, AMC theatres in Columbia and White Marsh continue to show "Sensory Friendly Films" for special needs families. All films are open to the public and all families are encouraged to attend, call the box office for dates and time or visit the link below for films being shown monthly. The first film shown drew over 300 parents and children.
This just proves how one Mom could make a world of difference for not only her child but for all families in the special needs community.
For more info visit:
AMC Sensory Friendly Films Website- Edina's blog
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Comments
AMC is really great for doing this!
Edina, I loved this story - and I also will be supporting AMC by going to their theatres. My sister has an autistic child and she experiences the same kind of intolerance at movies, plays, concerts. My niece gets so excited and moves her whole body to the music. It seems that this makes people very uncomfortable.
What a lovely and supportive thing for AMC to do! Why can't more organizations do things like this for special children?
Thank you for a great news story!!! You made my day.
wonderful story about amc theaters
What a wonderful news story on AMC and autistic children. We certainly will try and support this effort by going to their movie theaters!
It would be nice to see the au pair agencies do more in the way of charities and supporting special needs children, since au pairs do take care of autistic children.
Agencies do things in the community!
Mrs. Smith, I agree, au pair agencies, since they deal with children and the care of children, should do more to support child related foundations and charities.
However, on a local level, au pair agencies do quite a bit. You just don't always see it in the press. Sometimes aupairclearinghouse prints these local stories, but they don't get enough limelight as AMC theaters do!