Parents’ Day 2024: Champs Of Parenting

In 2007, Taare Zameen Par made its theatrical debut in India, a critically acclaimed movie that shed light and opened up a discussion on the topic of Dyslexia - something that hadn't been done before. There are many such conditions that need to be brought under the spotlight and we need to emphasize the fact that these not only impact children but also their parents and caregivers. Parenting a child with special needs and those on the spectrum can be messy, challenging, and even crazy at times, but it is also empowering, fulfilling, and incredibly beautiful. For Parents’ Day, we spoke to parents whose stories not only captivated us but also inspired us. These are their stories.

The Dad Who Got Felicitated As “Best Mommy Of The World”

They say fatherhood can change you and it was no different for Aditya Tiwari, a software engineer from Pune. The 25-year-old knew nothing about adoption when he met Avnish abandoned in an orphanage where he had gone to celebrate his father’s birthday.  5-month-old Avnish held his finger firmly and didn’t let it go. That’s when Aditya felt something change inside him. After a long legal battle, on 1st January 2016, Aditya (26) became the world’s youngest single parent to adopt a special needs child. 

On his journey with Avnish, Aditya told us that “it is completely adventurous, exploring a new world, new life.” Bonding with his son has never been a challenge for Aditya. “I have explored ways to work with him because sometimes you need more ways to explain the same thing in a different way to make sure that your child understands, and also identify and understand the child's inclination and interest as well. So, I don't feel it's challenging.”

Aditya shared that his journey is no different than that of parents with a typical child. Avnish goes to a regular school, and he needs additional therapies regularly. These are crucial for him to achieve his milestones. He plays with other children and loves exploring new opportunities. He shared “My main focus is on the milestones because if he achieves these milestones, life will be easier for him.”

Both Aditya and Avnish love to travel and explore new places. The father-son duo has explored the entire country. He shared, “We have visited almost every state in the country and hiked in the high altitudes of Ladakh and Kashmir — something that is not even easy for typical kids.” Avnish also loves dancing, listening to music, playing instruments (especially drums), and cycling. 

Aditya’s Instagram account is loaded with wonderful pictures of him and Avnish, each reflecting a beautiful memory. The caption of the first post reads “I love being a special needs parent. It has been a wonderful journey and there have been challenges, but I love my child and I have learned invaluable lessons along the way. These truths have changed me and I am thankful for the changes.”

Speaking about his plans for the future, Aditya shared “If we talk about the future plans, of course we don't have anything because we don't know what happens next. But of course, we have short-term goals. We believe in living in the present and enjoying life and achieving the milestones”

The Mom-Son Duo That Beat All Odds

As the adage goes, “Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had.” and Sonam Patel’s motherhood journey exemplifies this perfectly. What started as an unplanned pregnancy turned out to be a turning point in her life, filled with a whirlwind of emotions and an overwhelming sense of love.

Sonam’s son Nisham (aka Nishu) was born preterm at 32 weeks, via C-section, as the baby stopped growing in the 7th month. 3 days after Nisham’s birth, their world turned upside down when Nishu’s calcium levels started to drop and he presented with signs of sepsis. He was then diagnosed with Rubella infection and jaundice. Nishu was admitted to the NICU while Sonam was discharged. Every day brought about a new challenge and it was then that Sonam realized what it meant to be a mother. 

While Jaundice is fairly common in newborns, Rubella is extremely dangerous and can lead to severe complications and the same was seen in Nishu’s case. He was born with a congenital heart defect and cataract. After spending days in the incubator Nishu was discharged but this was when the realization hit Sonam, his son needed extra care and was highly susceptible to infections. She started learning about his condition and exploring ways to deal with it. As time passed, Nishu lost his hearing and missed important developmental milestones. From sleepless nights to regular hospital trips and constant fear of losing her child, Sonam saw it all but never lost her hope, because she found her strength in her son. 

When Parentune reached out to her, she shared “My son was only 3 months old when he got his cataract surgery and I had to see him like that, a small baby going through so much and I realized that I had to gather my strength for him. He inspires me to be strong in every possible way” 

In February 2022, Nishu was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism. “I had this doubt from past few months but never thought it would turn real”. Sonam wrote in her Instagram post.

She shared “Some days are more challenging than others as Nisham has meltdowns but I am learning more ways that can help him. By the age of 7, he has already undergone 6 surgeries and needs more for a cochlear implant. 

When we asked her about the greatest challenge that she faced as a parent of a child with special needs, she said, “people often blame me for my child’s condition and that is the hardest part. I had contracted Rubella during the first trimester of my pregnancy and it remained undiagnosed since the symptoms were quite similar to those experienced by women during pregnancy.” Through her page Journey of Nisham, Sonam is educating people about her journey and giving them a glimpse into their daily life. 

“Nisham loves to play with water and he can spend hours in the washroom playing with it,” she giggled. “He also loves finger painting but it gets messier for him. However, it's worth seeing him happy.”

The Mom Who Raised A Star

‘Behind every child with Autism is a mom who never gives up’ and we came across the story of one such exceptional mom from Indore, Milan Singh, mother of Samar Jeet Singh aka biggish boy. 

Samar was born with autism but Milan didn’t know about it. She did notice that her son had delayed growth and missed important milestones of development like eye-to-eye contact, speaking, and walking, but it didn’t seem much of a concern. When Samar turned 3, people started suggesting that they should see a doctor but Milan didn’t want to believe it initially, however, gradually she started thinking about it and decided to see a doctor and eventually it was confirmed that Samar has autism. 

The revelation was shocking and heartbreaking as autism is a life-long condition. “For a mother, even the thought of something happening to her child is scary, and here I had to deal with his lifelong disorder,” she shared in an earlier interview. She got a lot of support from her husband and family. The first step was acceptance and she, along with her husband, came to terms with the fact that Samar was autistic and that it was never going to change. Samar was also diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Soon, Samar started going to school and therapy and even started responding every now and then. However, his growth and development were still concerning. The couple stayed patient throughout. 

Milan has been very vocal about her son’s condition and the challenges of parenting a child with Autism, but she is also highlighting the brighter side to inspire other autism parents. She shared one of the incidents from his childhood where he got lost in a mall and it was extremely difficult to mind him considering he didn’t speak to anyone. They later found him in a toy shop. 

Milan has to be extra cautious when it comes to ensuring Samar’s safety and one of the greatest challenges is how some people behave when Samar is around them. Milan has raised her son to be a star. He loves to bake and travel. On Samar’s official Instagram page which is handled by Milan, you can see videos of them doing wonderful stuff together, be it cooking, playing basketball, or going for outings. 

All these are real-life stories of parents who have defied all odds and overcome countless hurdles for their little ones. Their journeys are empowering and they teach us the importance of acceptance. Every journey is unique and special in its own way and every parent faces their own set of hurdles. There are days when it seems that you are losing it all and days when you feel on the top of the world. It’s all about learning, adapting and helping your child do the same. Your journey might be an inspiration for someone else and theirs might be an inspiration for you.