These Kids are not always Kids.

If you’re able to visit us at one of our Sunshine Stop locations as a customer, please always feel free to talk with our Sunshine Squad (what we call our staff). Ask them how their day is going, what their favorite food is, what they are doing for the weekend, who their favorite singer is, when is their birthday, etc. Whatever feels like a good ice breaker works!

Shine Bright! is the mantra of The Sunshine Stop and our Sunshine Squad employees. Everyone is encouraged to let their spirit and skills shine brightly while working. We often hear things like, “I love to stop by and see the kids working—it just makes my day.” We love to hear that! But, in truth, these kids are not always kids. We would like to kindly share in this Blog a simple PSA that when you talk about our staff, ideally, you refer to them as employees, Sunshine Squad members, or workers. And that you talk to them like the young adults they are. Our Sunshine Squad members are all aged 15+. They are aware of when they are being babied or spoken to in childish ways—and are often confused as to “why is this person talking to me that way?” They have many of the same likes, dislikes, wishes, dreams and fears as their neurotypical peers. Some of their abilities may be of grade levels far below their actual grade level (or HS graduation level) but that does not make them children. Their emotional maturity, sense of place in their community, and understanding of social situations can often be on par or exceed their neurotypical peers. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this post. As we like to say, "we want to prepare our employees for the world ahead, and plant seeds in our communities so they are prepared in return."