Parents of Kids with Asperger's

German Culture/Speaking social group

This will be a ONLINE (Discord) meet and greet for adults with autism and level 1 support needs. Everyone will have a chance to share a bit about their background (only as much as you're comfortable with), their current situation, common struggles we face, and what they hope to get out of this community. We will be doing the meetup over Discord. Here is the link for the community's Discord Server Feel free to join before the meet and greet, we will have other events planned there.

Ages 3–6 Bull Run: Saturday, April 25, 10:30 a.m. Montclair: Thursday, May 7, 10:30 a.m. Nokesville: Thursday, May 14, 10:30 a.m. An inclusive and engaging story time designed for all children, with a focus on multi-sensory and interactive storytelling that celebrates neurodiversity and builds a love for stories. Our special guest will be Mrs. Robin Norris, winner of the “Mrs.” title in the Prince William County Fair pageant, who has a passion for spreading neurodiversity awareness in the Prince William County community.

Whether you're Deaf, HoH, an interpreter, an ASL student, or just want to learn or practice American Sign Language (ASL), we welcome all levels of signers to come join us for an evening of ASL socializing and practice. This event occurs on the first and third Sundays of every month, in the heart of Fairfax County at the Fairfax Wegman's (corner of Route 29 and Monument Drive). We can be found on the upper level, typically near the stairs. We generally start around 7 pm. ASL beginners are welcome, but you should know the ASL alphabet and some basic signs - this is not an ASL class, but the more experienced signers are generally happy to help beginners learn and improve. There is no better way to develop your signing skills than by joining the conversation with other signers. There is a place for everyone to join, learn and practice. Regardless, we are always welcoming so don’t be discouraged to attend; this is very informal and new folks are always welcome. Note, some attendees arrive early and grab some of Wegman’s food for dinner, so you can combine a shopping trip with the ASL practice.

Ages 2–4 with Caregiver Join us for playful sessions supporting coordination, early literacy, and bonding.

Please join us for an early dinner/hang-out at Sunflower in Vienna, VA! [https://www.crystalsunflower.com/](https://www.crystalsunflower.com/) \*Please note -- there are multiple restaurants with this name. **This event will be in VIENNA, VA,** at 2531 Chain Bridge Road Vienna, VA 22181. \*This event is cross-posted with the DMV Childfree Meetup and the Northern Virginia Childfree Couples and Individuals Meetup; if attending, please RSVP on only one group or the other. \*Feel free to just have something from their "small bites" menu or a non-alcoholic beverage if you're not hungry enough for a full dinner at that time. (LOL, I'll be having a full dinner myself.) \*Sunflower is a **100% vegetarian restaurant with a great selection of VEGAN dishes** that "look and taste like real meat, poultry, and seafood. The menu features Japanese, Chinese, and Continental style dishes." \*\*\*Please note: Fairfax County charges a **4% Food and Beverage Tax** in addition to the 6% sales tax. This restaurant also charges a **3% large-party billing fee** to prepare the checks. And of course the gratuity will be 18-20%. \*I’ll bring nametags. The restaurant said that they could create separate checks for each single or couple.

The [One Spirit Martial Arts](https://www.virginiabjj.com/programs/kidsbjj) (OSMA) Youth [Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu) (BJJ) program is designed to help children build **confidence**, **coordination**, and **practical [self-defense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-defense) skills** in a **safe**, **structured**, and **positive environment**. This class is for students **six** to **thirteen** years of age and runs from **5:15 PM** to **6:00 PM**, providing a **focused**, **age-appropriate training session** that fits well into an after-school routine. Located in [Herndon, VA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herndon,_Virginia), OSMA is easily commutable from Oakton, Reston, Sterling, and [Great Falls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Falls,_Virginia), as well as other nearby [Northern Virginia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Virginia) communities. Parents are welcome to **stay and watch** \-\- OSMA has a **dedicated seating area** where you can comfortably **observe your child’s progress** during class; parents may also take advantage of the OSMA **guest WIFI** if they need an Internet connection. From a parent’s perspective, this class is about more than martial arts: children learn how to **move their bodies with purpose**, **stay calm under pressure**, **follow instructions**, **work with others**, and **build resilience**. Students are taught to apply [Gracie Jiu-Jitsu-based](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu) self-defense concepts **responsibly**, with an emphasis on **control**, **safety**, and **respect**. What children will learn in this after-school program: * **Movement** and **coordination** drills * Practical **self-defense techniques** * Standing **takedowns** * **Ground techniques** and **positional awareness** * Position-specific **drilling** * Controlled **sparring** matches (age-appropriate and supervised) * **Games** and **fun activities** to keep kids engaged and motivated Whether your child is new to [martial arts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_arts) or already active, this program offers a balanced mix of **skill development**, **physical activity**, and **confidence-building** \-\- all in a **supportive environment**. A **free seven-day trial** is available for non-members.