Going Shopping With Mom

Going shopping with my mom is always a very special occasion for me. You see, she is not just Mom; she is my shopping buddy, my eyes, and my best friend. She knows exactly how to interact with me and how to make my shopping trip a joy rather than a chore. For I can tell you this: Going shopping with a blind person can either turn out to be a nightmare or a joy! It all depends on who is taking you shopping.

For those who have little or no experience taking a blind person shopping, here is how Mom does it. I take her arm and she gently but firmly guides me through mall, describing things as we walk. She describes the people passing by, tells me the names of stores, and, if I am interested in any of them as we walk by, we stroll inside for a visit. If it is a clothing store, Mom and I visit each rack and she tells me what is on each rack. If it is a shoe store, we do the same and if it is a supermarket then the fun really starts.

In stores, Mom takes her time to describe the merchandise in detail. She tells me the colors of things, describes the shapes of clothing and shoes, and if I am interested in something then she takes the object of interest off the rack and then we go to the fitting room to try it on. Mom then gives me her opinion of how it looks on me, whether or not the color suits me or if it fits me well. I trust her totally to tell me how things look. It helps a lot that I was able to see before, so as she describes things I am able to picture them in my mind.

Shopping in stores is a two-way street because in turn, when mom chooses things, she allows me to use my sense of touch to help her decide if something would be what she may or may not like. I am unable to help her with colors of course, but I can tell if clothing fits her by touching her shoulders if it is a sweater, blouse, or jacket, and feeling the length of skirts and coats. If it is a pair of shoes that she is trying on, then she allows me to use my fingers to make sure that her toes are not too close to the tips of the shoes. For handbags and purses, she places them in my hands and I can feel the shape and give my opinion.

Shopping in the supermarket is not much different for Mom and me. She describes what's on the shelves, tells me the prices, and places produce and packaged meat in my hands so that I can get an idea of what she is describing. We always have fun doing this because we both love shopping at the supermarket.

So there you have it; shopping with Mom and me. Shopping in a different way but getting the job done in style. If you would like to learn more about how to shop with a blind person, then visit www.nfb.org.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and motivating you to go out there and tell the world that shopping with a blind person is definitely possible and can be a lot of fun if you do it the right way.