Even at the best of times, having a child can be super difficult. Although parents love their offspring dearly, it can take the patience of a saint just to stay present, and even the most devoted and loving mothers and father can sometimes see their patience tested.
As hard as being a parent is, though, I can't imagine what it would be like to the parent of a child living with a disability. Whether that disability is physical or cognitive, the difficulty levels of parenting go from hardcore to insane, which is why one set of parents out in Sheffield will be so thankful for this message from a pub owner.
In these hot summer months, we're all looking for ice creams or for some time in the shade, and Steph Tate of The Barrel Chapeltown came across a man who came in with his disabled son, looking for some respite from the hot sun. She posted on the Barrel Chapeltown official Facebook page the next day, sending out a positive message to the parents of that disabled child, as well as anybody else who came across her pub.
“My intention is not to embarrass the parent who I spoke to yesterday, it has played on my mind all night about how this man must have felt asking me if his child would be accepted in here," said Tate, saying the idea of a parent having to ask to bring their disabled son in just broke her heart.
“It then got me thinking about how many other people must be in the same position. Whether you need us to get you extension leads to plug specialist equipment in, help moving tables/chairs for wheelchairs or any other help you may need, everyone is welcome in my pub and help will always be offered by all of my staff."
Tate told Facebook that the father in question had explained that his son "sometimes makes loud noises and waves his arms about," and initially, this pub owner was unsure why he felt the need to explain themselves. Some people just don't think about others, and Steph Tate told those people exactly where to go, making her point very clear.
"If you're sat at home with a disabled child, partner or friend and feel on edge about taking them anywhere due to fear of someone making comments please feel free to bring them here. If I find anyone making negative comments or being disrespectful they will be asked to leave not you."
Since taking over as owner of the pub back in October of last year, Steph Tate has done all she can to make the Barrel Chapeltown as accessible as possible, and speaking to iNews, Tate says that herself and her colleagues do all they can to accommodate everyone they can in her pub.
“There is a family who come in here with a little boy who needs help with breathing and has [specialist equipment] plugged in so we make sure there’s an area for them to do what they need to do. The benefit of this pub is that there’s a ramp outside for prams and wheelchairs and a disabled toilet so it’s quite accommodating.”
Pub owners don't always have the best of reputations, but with more owners like Steph Tate, we can make all public places accessible for all kinds of people.
