Sales professional Neha Tandon was just 26 years old when she learnt that her 2-year-old son Maahir was diagnosed with Severe Autism. While it did come as a shock to her, the diagnosis did not break her down. "I told myself the first thing I have to do is not treat him as a child with special needs, " she says. With this singular parenting mantra, Neha took the diagnosis in her stride and never looked back again.
Like all moms, she’s strict with her son, pampers him and even scolds him if required. But one thing’s for sure, when the two of them are together, they’re always up to some fun. Maahir is 12 now and has inherited his mother’s love for travel. From Goa to Disneyland, this mother-son duo has traveled the world together. “We have played with dolphins, sat on the beach just staring at the waves, we even dance in the rain together...I relive my childhood with him everyday,” beams Neha.
Neha was always passionate about her career, but during the early years of Maahir’s diagnosis, she let work take a backseat. She knew her son needed her the most and dedicated all her time to him. Slowly and steadily, her perseverance started yielding results and this was evident in the huge changes she noticed in her son. “With him I see miracles happen every day and celebrate every achievement of his no matter how big or small,” she says.
As the mother of a child with special needs, there are times you feel like giving up. However, Neha never let such thoughts influence her or slow her down. She beat all odds that came her way and emerged stronger, and so did Maahir. Today, he has surpassed all the benchmarks that were mentioned as his lifelong prognosis, and much of the credit for this goes to Neha.
Once Maahir settled in school, Neha resumed her passion - her career. Today, both mother and son are at an interesting stage in their lives, where they are growing and learning every single day. He, at school, and she, at her workplace.
It’s not easy to come to terms with the fact that you have a child with special needs. But Neha not only faced this challenge head-on, but triumphed over it too. Her story is an inspiration to parents everywhere, and that’s what makes her a bold mom.
(This story is part of #KohlerBoldStories - #KohlerBoldMoms, a Mother’s Day initiative by Kohler India and The Quint to celebrate the indomitable spirit of bold mums.)
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