What a journey Anandita's learning processes have been...Till she was born i didn’t know what TGA meant (transposition of the great arteries), I didn’t even know what the great arteries were. I only knew the heart had four chambers and pumped blood and kept me alive.
Till she started schooling I didn’t know what it entailed for a special needs child. What kind of an environment would help her blossom and nurture her spirit. I am an unconventional thinker and I did home school her for some years only because no school options were there.
I am contemplating unschooling but that is a process within me first of deschooling myself of all my deep rooted conditioning and thought patterns. Let me see where it takes me.
I have understood over the years that all she needs is an environment that is as positive as possible. All my messages to her have to be positively framed my words and actions. I know she watches my every tone and every nuance of body language and makes her interpretations.
She needs a friend who can accept her for what she is and the way she is, a patient friend who is as at peace with her world as Anandita is. I know that isn’t wishful thinking. Just willing the Universe
I have understood that it takes a lot of courage for her to face her challenges and differences and that I have to laud her every effort the best way I can. She knows her struggles and has her solutions in place.She is so aware of her feelings, does so much of self talk and finds happiness in the smallest pleasures of life at 9 years of age when children are already toting mobiles and having sleep-overs.She may not be able to hop and skip and jump. She may miss steps and lose her balance. She may never be able to handle a scissor properly or make beautiful pieces of art and craft.
A simple card made by her fills me with joy that is better unspoken.
I am filled with awe and wonder when I see how far she has come and how much she has grown.
There is so much for us to learn as a family. We love her for all that she brings. And the happiness she spreads so easily.
