Gymnastics programs are a great tool for kids; they promote fitness & health, coordination, flexibility, social skills, self-confidence, and discipline. These skills can particularly beneficial for kids with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Since watching Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles compete in the 2016 Olympics Roo has been begging to give gymnastics a try! With our busy schedule we could never make time, but with all of the challenges she was facing in school we decided to MAKE time so that she could have a positive outlet.
We weren’t quite sure how well she would actually like gymnastics so we perused Groupon to find a trial course. We were in luck when we found a gym less than 10 minutes from our front door!
In order to reduce stress and anxiety with new activities we allow for Roo to watch videos and help plan. One of the ways to plan for gymnastics was allowing her to pick out her leotard online and watching reruns of the Olympics.
Our trial period lasted 4 classes, and Roo truly thrived when it came to the physical aspects of gymnastics.
However, Roo is a very social child and there was always only 1 other child in the class with her. Now in most situations this would be ideal because it allows for the teacher to give more one-on-one time with the student, right? Sadly, this was not our experience. Our teacher changed each week, and each teacher looked unsure how to fill the full 45 minutes.
The compounding issue was that Roo’s impulse control symptoms make it very difficult for her to wait her turn especially when she really enjoys an activity. I think that this can be easily rectified if we had one consistent teacher who understood her challenges.
Aside from a couple of necessary corrections to wait her turn, Roo really loves gymnastics! It really seems to give her a physical outlet for her energy while also boosting her confidence.
