I went into our trial class at GymStars Modesto feeling hopeful and genuinely impressed by the…read morecompany. We left with our three-year-old crying and us in tears ourselves. As a parent, it is hard to describe how heartbreaking that was, especially after everything we had done beforehand to prepare them for his needs.
Before enrolling, I spoke with three different people about my son's autism (level 1), ADHD, and support needs. I initially called about their Starbound program, which was discontinued during COVID. They explained that they plan to bring it back and that someone would contact me to discuss my son in more detail. After more than a week without hearing back, I followed up and learned that person was on family emergency leave, which I completely understood. They could not provide a timeline for Starbound's return and suggested a trial class while we waited.
I registered online and received another call asking whether my son had any needs or concerns. I went into detail again, just as I had during the previous conversations, and was assured the instructors would be made aware. I told my husband multiple times how impressed I was with their communication, professionalism, and timely calls. Those interactions made us feel comfortable giving this a try.
When we arrived, I was shocked by how different the experience felt. The gym was chaotic and overstimulating. We checked in, paid for the trial, and were told the instructor would call our son's name in about ten minutes. There was no gym tour or individual introduction to his instructor, despite the introductory email describing those steps.
This was a class for three- and four-year-olds. My son is three, has ADHD, and was entering an unfamiliar space full of things to climb and jump on. He immediately began running around. The instructor started saying things like, "You need to listen," and telling him that if he did not come over, he would not be able to do gym. She then reached for his hand, and he recoiled. She was a stranger to him who had never been introduced. Parents were not allowed into the area to help him transition.
I understand that a class needs rules and that instructors must keep all the children safe. But I had specifically called ahead to explain the challenges he might have. I expected that information to shape how he was welcomed and supported.
My son admittedly continued running around. Other staff came in and tried to help him individually, and I appreciate their efforts. However, it appeared they were unprepared for his needs and had not received the information we had shared. We eventually took him out early because we did not want him disrupting the other students.
He began crying because he wanted to stay and play, asking why he could not play. We were distraught. Our three-year-old could not understand the adult conversations or why the class was not working for him. It broke our hearts to think that, to him, leaving could feel like being punished simply for being himself.
Afterward, I asked at the front desk about Starbound. The woman was kind and respectful, but when she pulled up his profile, she said, "Oh, I see now." That moment was especially upsetting. His needs appeared to be documented, yet that information did not seem to have reached the people teaching him.
I do not blame individual instructors for information or training they may not have received. I recognize that some instructors are young and have multiple children to support. But GymStars needs to do better with staff training, reviewing student information, and communicating before class--especially when a parent has gone out of their way to explain their child's needs repeatedly. We scheduled this trial in advance, following their recommendation. There was time to prepare.
As an educator myself, I would have expected, at the very least, a personal introduction and a tour to help a new preschool student become comfortable. If the class could not provide the support he needed, we deserved an honest conversation about that beforehand.
We plan to return tonight to try the superhero class and see whether it more closely matches his needs. We still hope to find a positive experience here and are willing to update this review afterward.
Children with autism and ADHD need access to physical movement and recreation, too. Our son wanted to climb, jump, and play. We wanted to find somewhere he could do that with support and understanding. No parent should leave a trial class in tears while their child cries about wanting to play, particularly after working so hard to prepare everyone involved. The care we experienced over the phone needs to carry through to the children on the gym floor.
