Never Say Sorry at We Rock The Spectrum Gym

By Kathryn Wohlpart

To most people, a place where you never have to say sorry is almost everywhere — you don’t stop to think about your actions because they just seem typical to you. To a mother of a child with autism, sorry is a word that is said far too often because people around her don’t understand what is going on with her child.

When Gail Field brings her son, Jayson, to the grocery and stops by the deli counter he cries because he doesn’t like to stop so she is “always saying sorry.” Gail feels as though “people need to educate themselves on autism,” because Jayson is not throwing a temper tantrum, his senses are overloaded and he is overwhelmed.

Gail had a bigger dream for Jayson than constant apologies — she wanted to bring him somewhere she never had to say sorry. After researching for a place she could bring Jayson to play she stumbled upon We Rock The Spectrum Gym in California. Gail met with Dina Kimmel, the founder, to learn about franchising, and on April 19, 2014, Gail and her husband, John, opened up in Boca Raton.

Kids jump on trampolines, swing, climb ropes, fly across the room on a zip line and engage their senses. Everything in We Rock The Spectrum is made to help autistic children engage in sensory activities and healthy stimulus. “Everything is working, and it’s working for both [typical and autistic children],” said Gail, “Typical kids get to play and autistic kids get to be engaged.”

Gail looks around the small room that her family has converted into a play area for all children and explains her vision of moving to a larger space in the future, expanding into water sensory activity areas and hosting adult and teen sessions as well as continuing to help younger kids. “Though some parents tell me they like that it’s small, you can sit on one side and see everything,” said Gail.

One such parent sits, feeding one of her children as her son runs off to swing. “This is such a good place for him, who wanders off, it’s gated and safe. He can do what he wants without me being on top of him,” said Kristen Streit.

“My son really can’t go anywhere so it’s great for the parents as well,” said John Field. John quit his job to make his and Gail’s dream happen, putting his full attention on their project.

As Gail said, she “is not a business woman,” so she needed John’s help in making We Rock The Spectrum happen and he was just as excited to get it started. “You know how when kids get so excited they forget what they’re saying? That’s my favorite,” said John.

To the Fields and other parents of Boca Raton, We Rock The Spectrum is a place where you never have to say sorry.