Being different is not a negative trait and is not something to hold you back. On World Autism Awareness Day, we speak to two mothers with autistic children as they shared their stories of challenges they faced while nurturing their sons and the journey of hardships that blossomed into something beautiful as they moved forward.
Anupama Bakhshi – Pranav Bakhshi
For Anupama Bakhshi, as a mother, she says that she has come out victorious in her journey of nurturing her child, as Pranav Bakhshi (now a model) became independent despite everything he has faced in his life. For him, his disability is his superpower.
Growing up, Anupama had to make the most of any situation while taking care of Pranav. ‘There were sleepless nights, tantrums, cries and what not, and I realised much later on that that was not the right path to be on as a mother,” she recalls. She strongly believed that being a mother, especially of a special child, brought in a lot of ownership and accountability that shaped Pranav into who he is today.
“Every child is different even if they are on the autism spectrum. There is no set rule book or mandates to be followed when raising that child. You just need to be patient with them, talk to them even if they are not listening, and learn with them,” she notes.
Autistic children are also born with certain skill sets, and they have talents of their own. Anupama believes that children absorb everything around them, whether it is negative or positive, and that they apply that to their own traits. “My biggest achievement today is that Pranav wants to be independent and does not need his mom for day to day activities,” she says adding, “It is a full circle moment that now he can be a voice for young kids who are on the spectrum, be their support all on his own.”
Sukriti Talwar – Shivraj Talwar
For mother Sukriti Talwar, it came as a shocker when she learned that her son, Shivraj Talwar, had been diagnosed with autism. Initially, as a child, he was not so different from other kids, but as he grew up, the differences became more visible.
“I think the biggest challenge he faced as a child was socialising and having friends. He was isolated from the kids around, and the feeling of being left out lingered on for a long time,” she recalls.
She believes that other children should always include special kids in their groups so they learn inclusivity at a young age. They should understand that Autism is not a disease but a train that some kids have to be grow up with. “For Shivraj, he has now grown confident and safe, and autism has never held him back. Even though it was a very lonely journey, he has come out of it stronger,” she adds.
According to Sukriti, other people around the special kids need to be a little more empathetic, patient and accept them for who they are. “These kids do not need pity; they need acceptance,” she says.
