The
lockdown and the world of special needs parents and children
March 25, 2020, the lockdown was announced. My son
who was in between his class 8 exams was bored of preparing and revising for
his indefinitely postponed final exams. His only comfort was his evening
cricket time with his friend. Earlier it was friends but ever since news of
COVID19 was pouring in, I had told him not to play in group, just his best
cricket mate was allowed since Holi.
Before I narrate further, let me brief you about my
son. Kabir, my only son will soon be 14.Hw was diagnosed first with Aspergers
and finally with moderate autism spectrum. That was the year 2013.His main
issues are sensory which I have trained him to manage .He goes to a mainstream
school and he always has been a hyperactive child. He learnt how to tie laces
in 2017.His handwriting is a proof of his late developed fine motor skills. He
is good in studies and loves to cuddle and kiss and hug me. His therapists say
it is his sensory need. I am training him how to be less demonstrative in
public. Since he has endless energy he found his way out in sports. He
demolished my drawing room left wall teaching himself cricket. Of course I made
him join proper cricket academy for his practice, to save rest of my home!
Since 2018 he has been part of a local college under14 cricket team. He also
plays basketball, table tennis, football, kabaddi etc.
So now with this background ,you all may better
understand what happened when I told him that he cannot go out of house and
specially he can’t play with his friends. WHAT! WHY?????? And then long sulking
silence. The afternoon passed onto evening. The glares, frowns and more silence.
Finally I shake him and ask him to speak something .Angry, teary eyed
frustrating silence and just monosyllabic ‘NO’.I and Kabir have a tradition of
writing down our feelings whenever we can’t talk it out. Since my husband is
often on tours, I and Kabir are each other’s constant companion, sharing our
highs and lows of emotions. I took out my laptop and put it in his lap to type
out and vent out his annoyance. He did, we both felt better and we sat down to
work out other ways to burn his endless energy.
Now he has worked out a proper work out exercise
schedule. He shares the list of work outs he is doing, squats etc which I
patiently listen to. He also spends practicing his dance moves which he is
learning on his own. He is allowed some instagram and twitter time. And of
course he has his class 9 online classes daily and associated homework.
Thankfully one part has been sorted. My smiling, cuddling son is back. I
recently turned 49 and he made the day special. We parents can’t expect a
smooth life. I have a new problem staring at me. He hates his online English
classes. I do teach him at home as English is my own subject. But I cannot get
his English teacher changed. Any suggestions!
-Nalini Srivastava @Naliniharish
