Alright, be honest– when you see a guy covered in tattoos, what’s the first thing you do? Probably walk the other way, right? And when you spot kids acting up in public, you might think it’s just bad behavior. The list goes on but what we’re getting at here is that we often judge people by their appearances.
Now, over Mother’s Day weekend, Pavilion Bukit Jalil was buzzing with an unexpected sight– a bunch of kids baking right in the middle of the mall. If you had been there, you might have noticed the event poster that read Breaking barriers, inclusion starts here. A little more investigation would have revealed that these kids were autistic.
Image provided by ABC
The baking workshop was organized by the Autism Behavioral Center (ABC) with the help of CookX Asia. And these guys had a clear mission. They wanted to create a space where parents could bond with their children, let loose and have fun. It was an acknowledgement to the fact that parents are often the shield between their kids and an unkind world. And if the organizers could celebrate that while imparting some valuable life skills, then all the better.
But more than just baking, the event was about ensuring that kids with autism weren’t hidden away because of their disabilities.
Kids with autism deserve to be seen and celebrated
If you face disabilities or simply don’t fit into traditional norms, you’ll get what we mean when we say society tends to leave you out when you’re different. And that’s why this event was so important. The organizers weren’t just aiming to challenge stereotypes, they were also hoping to teach the kids that their differences were nothing to be ashamed of. Hence why the workshop was smack dab in the middle of the mall.
The scones that were baked by the kids. Image provided by ABC
But making it happen required a lot of work and preparation. We had a chance to sit down with the organizers, ABC’s director, Charlene Marie Samuel and the CEO of Cookx Asia, Wong Yew Mun, who shared that everything was meticulously planned with kids’ comfort in mind.
“It’s like we ticked all the prerequisites to make sure this event runs smoothly. We wanted to create a safe space for the children, where they were free to be themselves and bond with their parents.” — Charlene, (edited by Cilisos for clarity)
Image provided by ABC
From having plenty of trained supervisors on hand, to having thorough knowledge about the participating kids, these guys were truly ready for anything that came their way– even if the kids craved something other than the scones they were baking.
“There was this moment… one of our kids really loves to eat. He immediately came in and went fries fries fries fries… So one of our team members immediately ran to A&W and bought fries and he was happy to sit after that,” — Charlene
At the end of the day, it was those moments of spontaneity from the kids that truly made the event memorable. But it can be said that the event was a success because the organizers were well prepared and attuned to the needs of the children. Now, we ask you this: what if they weren’t?
Autism only becomes a challenge when teachers aren’t fully prepared
Yew Mun pointed out that kids, autistic or not, are fundamentally the same when it comes to receiving instructions and adapting to new environments. They may have their moments, but once you understand what keeps them calm and focused, meeting their needs becomes quite simple.
“There was no real challenge while teaching the kids. You just need some patience and give clear instructions,” –Yew Mun
Yay for happy smiles! Image provided by ABC
And that’s on the teachers to nurture that inclusive environment. Speaking further on that, Charlene explained that learning disabilities are what some would call hidden disabilities. They can’t be seen and because of that, they often get overlooked, especially in a school setting.
“In a classroom situation, regardless of whether the child is ready or not, schools have 0 inclusion policy. If the child is behind on their education, then it just means they’re the ones lacking and there’s no thought if there could be a deeper reason for that,” — Charlene
When the kids get overlooked, they get excluded. And when they get excluded, then they end up missing out on a lot of life experiences. But this just feeds into a terrible cycle where they never learn social cues or develop the awareness needed to be accepted as regular members of society.
Image provided by ABC
In truth, a bit of kindness and patience can make all the difference in teaching them.
Creating a more inclusive world is a shared responsibility
Essentially, what Charlene and her team are hoping to do is bridge that gap of inclusivity in a fun and engaging way. Parents need to know that they shouldn’t hide their kids. The public needs to know that there’s a whole spectrum of people who exist, whether with physical disabilities or learning disabilities, and they all deserve and equal chance to be included.
“When more events like this happen, more people will see them and learn about them,” — Charlene
Charlene (left) and Wong Yew Mun (right). Image provided by ABC
With each successful event, awareness grows, and we would all naturally learn to be more mindful of each other. Perhaps that man with tattoos is the kindest man you would ever meet. And perhaps that kid with a tantrum hasn’t yet learned to communicate their needs. But rather than judge them, it’s about giving them the chance to express themselves and that’s something we can all surely do.
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