Category: All about mindset

After Krishna was diagnosed as autistic seven years ago, his school asked him to leave. It was a CBSE school. They were supposed to provide a shadow teacher to facilitate learning for children with special needs. A doctor from NIMHANS had given the school a letter clearly stating that Krishna could attend regular school at…

“Krishna, it’s time to eat!” Krishna’s little head popped up from the sofa. He eyed the dish in my hand suspiciously. Pulled it towards him. Inhaled, gently. Considered. Then a thin hand shot out and grabbed a mouthful. He chewed thoughtfully. I suppose the dish passed inspection. He finished most of it and dove back…

“Krishna goes to therapy? What about school?” someone asked me. “He can’t handle school as of now,” I replied. “Oh, how sad. You must try, you know. Don’t say he can’t handle it. Put him back in school and see. He’s missing so much!” “Thank you,” I smiled. The someone meant well—convinced that I was…

“But why me???” I too cried this question out to the universe when Krishna was diagnosed as autistic. And many times after that, whenever it all became just too much to handle. I could answer myself in two ways: Why not me? And— Did I ask “why me” when people were praising baby Krishna for…

“How do I handle disappointment when my child forgets a skill he knew?” a parent asked me. We were talking about the immense effort we put in to help our children learn something. They seem to have mastered it—and then, sometimes, they forget the skill or lose it altogether. Krishna has lost large chunks of…

When Krishna was first diagnosed as autistic, I thought I had accepted it—after I got over the disbelief and grief. Yet, when someone spoke to him and he didn’t answer, or said a few words that seemed to have no connection, I would rush in to fill the gaps. To ask leading questions—and then answer…