At the play space by Macy's inside NorthShore Mall in Peabody, MA, the entrance is wide open. While of course parents need to supervise their children while they are playing here, a gate at the entrance would make the play area safer for children with infant siblings and children with disabilities, and would give parents some extra peace of mind. With concerns about human trafficking and kidnappers in mind, as well as children just getting lost in a large mall, this small step to keep children contained in the play area would add another safeguard against these issues.

A parent would be able to feed their infant while their toddler plays, without worrying about their toddler running out of the play area. This happened to a friend of mine, whose 3yo autistic daughter made it all the way to Newbury Comics before I was able to catch her. Had my friend been alone, she would have had to quickly unlatch her infant and carry him while running after her toddler. Who knows how far she could have gotten, or what if someone decided to pick her up and take her?

My autistic son often tries to sneak out if I am tending to his twin sister, like changing her (which puts your back to the exit) or comforting her. A gate would lessen my worries about him getting out if I look away for a second. 

The person I messaged with via the NorthShore Mall page on Facebook said that they don't want to install a gate/door due to "safety concerns", but when I asked what these safety concerns are, and expressed the safety concerns that my friends and I have about NOT having a gate, I received no response. If the Children's Piazza can have multiple gates to keep children contained, then the mall should be able to have one as well. 

Please sign my petition so we can keep our kids safe while they play.