Today, my husband and I had the pleasure of joining our son and his elementary school class on a field trip to the Gulfarium. This was our first time visiting since we recently moved to Florida in August, and overall, we had a wonderful time. The animals appeared well taken care of, and the park itself was clean and enjoyable. We really appreciated the opportunity to see so many amazing creatures up close.

That being said, I feel compelled to address a situation that left us a bit disappointed, particularly in the way some staff members interacted with guests. We attended the morning Dolphin show and found our seats in the third row of the stadium, just above the "splash zone" area. In front of us were two mothers with their daughters, both of whom were autistic. The little girls were having fun and playing, but it was clear that sitting still was difficult for them. As the mother of a son on the spectrum, my husband and I understand how challenging it can be to keep a child calm and seated during certain situations, so we were sympathetic to their struggles.

The little girls weren't being disruptive—one was standing in front of her mom, flapping her hands, and both were staying within their space. However, at one point, a staff member named Lisa approached and told the mothers, somewhat abruptly, that they needed to sit down. The mothers tried to comply, but the situation continued to escalate when one of the girls couldn't remain seated. Lisa returned shortly after, raised her voice, and said, "If you can’t keep her seated, you’ll have to leave and stand somewhere else."

This interaction was distressing to witness, as the mother was doing her best to manage the situation and keep her daughter calm. She had to leave the show with her child, missing out on a special moment with her class. As a parent of a child with special needs, I understand how difficult it is to navigate everyday experiences like these, and I felt that Lisa’s response was insensitive and uncalled for.

While I completely understand the importance of maintaining rules for safety, the girls weren’t harming anyone. They were simply trying to engage with their environment in a way that helped them feel comfortable. I believe that staff members, especially in public-facing roles at places like the Gulfarium, should be trained on how to approach and support children with disabilities more empathetically and respectfully. This incident left a sour note on an otherwise enjoyable visit, and I hope the Gulfarium takes the opportunity to offer additional training to staff on how to interact with families who have special needs children.

We still had a good time, but I wanted to share this experience in the hope that it can lead to better training and awareness for future guests.