We Rock The Spectrum - Forest Hill
Nikki Wooton, is a pastor’s wife and mom to Connor, 15, and Alyssa, 13. She is a former teacher who has always felt drawn to people, kids especially, with differing abilities. Nikki and her husband, Trey, have taken on the challenge to create a safe, judgement free space where grace is expected in Harford County through We Rock the Spectrum – Forest Hill, an inclusive sensory gym that caters to kids and teens on the autism spectrum but is for all ages and all abilities. The gym should be opening in January 2020.
A place where you never have to say I’m sorry. A place that a parent/caregiver with a child that has any disability such as autism desire to find. My son was formally diagnosed with autism in middle school –he’s now 15—but we’ve gone through the gamut of diagnoses. My description fits the best: severe ADHD with autistic tendencies…he’s neurotypical until he’s not. A new term I’ve heard recently is that he’s an “inbetweener.” Meltdowns, outbursts, shoving, name calling, bolting out of a room, etc. are not uncommon when he’s in public, overstimulating places or when abrupt changes occur.
My stance from the beginning: I don’t care what you label it, just help me figure out how to manage it. Anybody, connect me with resources that could help our family navigate this world of having a child with an overall invisible disability. Our family has made it this far. We’ve managed. After 15 years, I can finally say that he has a solid therapist, a psychiatrist who cares, and a less stressful environment with homeschooling for high school.
But, it’s not fair that we had to struggle so much to find these resources. I know our son is not the only one who looks like he should be able to function in the neurotypical world 100% but doesn’t always. Because his disability is not as obvious as others, we’re constantly feeling like we must apologize for the outbursts or not-filtered comments at school, church, grocery store, family vacations, activities, and more. I still dread parties and social activities.
Remember that place I mentioned that I have longed for where I don’t have to apologize for my child or worry about being judged? I found it. I have found a place where parents and caregivers never have to say I’m sorry. I have found a judgement free place where grace is expected. And, my husband and I are bringing it to Harford County. We Rock the Spectrum – Forest Hill is a sensory-gym franchise that is committed to making a safe, nurturing, and fun environment for kids, teens, and adults by providing the support and amazing sensory gym equipment to create this safe space. Our gym will foster learning, exploration, and safe sensory experiences. We provide “Play With A Purpose.” “Play With A Purpose” is exercising and stimulating any of the seven senses through positive physical, emotional and social development. These seven senses include sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch, the vestibular system, and proprioception. Our specially designed sensory-safe equipment and the classes that we offer all work to encourage these! We want to create a sense of community for our families who have kids/teens/adults with special needs as well as be a central location for these families to find out about resources available. Our gym will be a place of inclusion. Children of all ages and all abilities are welcome here.
