The community that comes with a space like the new gym excites Slone's family. I was like, ‘Oh, gosh, are we going to be dealing with this for the rest of our life?’" said Slone. But you know, we don't really have a place for her here’ And I was devastated. "About two years ago, I tried to get Josie into gym gymnastics, but the class that she was a part of she just couldn't keep up and they were like, ‘I'm so sorry. Slone said learning about We Rock the Spectrum was a dream come true. "It's nice to be in a place where, if someone does suddenly have a tantrum, we can take a minute and have a quiet space to like calm down or just you know, not feel like you're being judged or getting crazy looks and that you can you feel like it's just a little more accepting," explained Jeni Slone, who is the mother of a 4-year-old with autism. The room is attached to the main gym so families can move in and out of the space seamlessly when needed. It's nice to know, here if that happens, we're okay to step away for a minute." "He can just shut down completely and he may scream, he may just covers his ears and his eyes and just stop what he's doing. He does seek out any extra stimulation possible," said Brittany Silva, the mother of a 2-year-old with autism. "We have been searching for somewhere that is friendly to Ellison's needs. Parents said that room makes all the difference for their children with special needs. As a mom to a child with special needs, we know it's very hard to find places where both my kids can go and just feel welcome and have a good time and know that they're in a space where people understand and they're not judging," Jain recounted.Ĭlaire Kopsky Children on and off the spectrum are welcome to play and participate in events at Rock the Spectrum Nashville. "I have an 11-year-old now who is on the spectrum and also a neurotypical 5-year-old. Jain said she and her husband decided to open the gym after they had challenges finding a place that was a good fit for their whole family. "We want this to be a community space where kids are where families with neurotypical kids and neurodiverse kids come together to play and learn and where kids can just be themselves no matter what that looks like." We want this to be a place where everybody feels welcome and want it to be a safe and nurturing environment for all kids," said Kavita Jain, owner of We Rock the Spectrum Nashville. "I think the core message of We Rock the Spectrum is inclusion. (WTVF) - We Rock the Spectrum gym will celebrate its grand opening in Madison on Saturday, welcoming families of children with disabilities to learn and play at the gym.
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