Slice of life: ‘Bringing up a child with disability is hard, but the highs make it worthy’

Every parent has to go through highs and lows. The highs make it worth to deal with the lows, and your child eventually becomes the most important thing in your life. When my son was born with disability, I was very afraid initially. I wondered how he would be able to live in this world without sight. It was a constant fear I had, because the world is not made for people like him. He was slow with everything: slow to stand, to walk, to talk and to read. It made me worry even more. I wondered how was he going to live if my husband and I are not around. Would someone take proper care of him after we pass away? I enrolled him into many schools for the disabled from the time he was nine months old. Slowly, he began opening up and proved to be a very bright boy. With the right help, he was able to do very well in his exams. Now, if you take a look at our home, he has the final say in everything, especially the TV remote. If he wants to listen to the match, then we all would be listening to the match. My husband often says, ‘Between you and our son, I have no say in anything to do with the TV’! It is hard to bring up a child, especially one with disability. But like I said, the highs are worth it. Look at him now – he’s with his friend and he is happy. All I can do in ensure that he can remain happy, and hope that it is enough.