On March 24, 2012 my Son achieved yet another significant milestone, a big and significant chapter is complete. His association with Anand was a brief one but clubbed with Tara this was a 23 month chapter out of his 44 months on this planet :-)
Below is my letter of gratitude to the people who brought Anand to his life.
Dear Mover Team,
As Aarshabh moves on to newer pastures with his small but confident strides, we feel the need to express our deepest gratitude to the entire Anand family for welcoming us and helping Aarshabh develop into such a confident child.
This year has been a milestone year for us in more ways than one and your contribution has been very instrumental in helping Aarshabh move forward towards realizing his true potential.
Be it through the big Fish Tank, the many ‘fishie’ toys that Aarshabh brought from Anand, the black cow boy hat which almost became our family member, Aarshabh’s fondness for his Aunties who are and will always be in our heart as A aunty, D aunty, ‘B’ Aunty and (sorry for the special emphasis) the very special A aunty who seems to be his safety mascot- he calls out to her in distress ALL THE TIME. The Phys Ed drill that we witness on ALL WEEKEND mornings without fail; and Aarshabh’s devotion to his Music Sir which is visible through the way he idolises him at home. We have had to buy him a proper (as he puts it “black and white piano”) key board with mike (since he insisted on having a wire attached) and he places it on a cross made with jodo cubes (like his music sir places his key board on a cross stand) and insists on a A-4 sheet of paper calling it a book which he places in front of the keyboard. Aarshabh’s love for music and more so his response to Music Sir helped us see the immense potential he has in music. The Jhoola zone which has been his lifeline, the toy zone from where he picked the very first but significant strands of pretend play; I have seen him at home placing a tambourine on the floor like a step, stepping on to it wearing the ‘black hat’ and holding onto a torch like a mike and sing ‘A, B, C, D, E ….’
Finally G didi, Sh bhaiya, and all the other didis who have helped him, a very BIG thank you to all. We could not have managed alone- every contribution counts for Aarshabh.
We firmly believe that the fabric that makes a child confident and willing to take on newer challenges is his self esteem, and the people who are instrumental in constructing that fabric with never ending love and a firm belief in the child’s abilities are the biggest gift God gives to the child.
Thank you all for being God’s best present to Aarshabh.
It has been a privilege to be associated with you, to witness the detail in which you all invest yourselves towards the children as well as the parents, be it through the snippets of wisdom that we get every Friday via ‘All about babies’, or a brief chat with the team for advice, events like ‘the journey ahead’ and a warm acknowledgement of “we are there for Aarshabh”. If it wasn’t for that assurance, Aarhsabh could not cruise through the new found challenge of receiving a diagnosis of Autism.
Today we stand strong, with every challenge being addressed and under control, we still need to walk slow and therefore we are deferring our ‘big school’ journey by a bit.
As we take our little steps into a bigger world, we thank God for all the kindness and love that came our way through the Anand Experience.
God bless you all.
Warm regards,
A peek into the year that was made special by Anand ....
When it all began ... July 2010
Aarshabh in his favorite hang out
A disoriented outdoor picnic for Aarshabh ... he faces the wall while others pose
Celebrating Diwali together
Pajama Party...
All dressed in their night suits
The classes got a makeover of nightfall
The Sports Day... and he looks so cute!
Gearing up!
My Outstanding star (always standing out)
The non conformist, don't tell him what to do!!!!
Christmas time!!!!
Hide and seek the Christmas tree!
For Fancy dress he became a freedom fighter and on the mike he shouts Inqalaab jindavaad!
Food .. glory is food!
Visit to the fire station (he is the tiny thing in pale green)
Fire station, stay up close!
Happy Holi ... the guy totally in himself in one corner
The Graduation Ceremony
Presenting the graduating batch of 2012
In response to a question "why are you special" amid the proper parroty answers like "because I eat my vegetables, because fruits make my skin glow, because I love my mumma and papa, as well as some genuinely honest answers like because mama papa buy me toys, I went for chinese, my son ... despite my failed attempts to get him to parrot 'because I like music' went upto the mike and with a very naughty smile and gleaming eyes said "hooosh!' loudly into the mike! Totally nonconformist!
Last but not the least .... the Graduate!!!!!
