THE STORY OF OUR DADS AND MOMS
Pic.: Usha Prasad
Two
days ago, at 7 in the evening, a lady called-up. I knew this lady as her
11-year-old only-son had attended our summer PD-programme. Moreover, her husband
was my student, some twenty years ago.
“Sir, I need your help; I am really upset,” the lady said
with her voice cracking, “Sir, can I see you right now?”
I had left for the day and, almost, reached home. So, I
asked her, “Ma’am, can I know what is that weighing you down?”
“Sir, it is about our son,” the lady said, “He has, once
again, starting behaving in a weird manner at home and in school. I have been
getting complaints from the school regularly these days about his behavior. Now,
the Principal has asked me to see her tomorrow. I am really scared!”
The boy did have this problem earlier. After our PD-programme
and many personal counseling sessions, he had dropped his unacceptable behavior
to a great extent. Things seemed to be normal and parents were relieved… But,
now, all of a sudden, the old pattern had returned to haunt them… The boy was
behaving weirdly in school and at home…
The school was one of the best schools around. And,
parents had given their best to their only child… “Where did we go wrong, sir?”
the young mother was asking me, her heart burdened, when she had come with her
husband, last evening, to discuss the issue, “We are willing to do whatever it
takes to help our child.”
We spoke at length. The boy was very receptive and seemed
to understand whatever needed to be done from his end. Importantly, I could
sense a very important thing: he could understand how stressed his parents were
because of his behavior…
Our job was to help the kid to realize what was not
acceptable without making him feel guilty, defensive or angry. In one hour, we
discussed many things and the kid, who is very fond of me, promised to come to
me for a few more sessions – just to be with me!
Which means, to shed off the weirdness in him!
In
the morning, yesterday, Nisha*, a US-based friend of mine – and a doting mother
of two teens – had shared with me a link. “I am glad I took the time to read this...I think you will like to read this too," she had written.
‘The Most powerful Thing You Can Say to Another Mom,” was a Post written by Ms. Denise Stirk, a young mother and a writer. It was so touching, that I
had difficulty holding back my own tears… “Moms are like that,” I was telling
in my heart, “no matter which part of the world they live, and which kind of children
they bear… and raise!”
My mom, wife, grand-moms, aunts… yes, one by one, all of
them came before me… How my mom, at 80, dealt with me, her son who is 57… How
my wife, at 48, dealt with our son, who is 22… Yes, moms don’t change; they don’t
age… I was telling this, my lungs choked!
I, immediately, wrote to Nisha, saying, how moved I was
and I would be, soon, sharing the Post with my readers with my own introduction…
Then,
late at night, just before I was to retire, I chanced upon a video shared by my
friend from Mumbai, Avinash. He had written, “Beautiful… So well-made!” Avinash,
being a creative guy, would never share any stuff unless it had substance to
move. So, though it was quite late in the night, I decided to watch it…
And, yes, I was left a lot touched, too!
By sheer co-incidence, this video happened to be about
dads… and was titled: ‘My Dad’s Story’!
Now, need I say, whose images came before me?
“Really beautiful! Thanks Avi for sharing it,” I commented…
To Avinash’s reply, I responded with this:
“The floodgates open when you hear the l’le one saying
for the first time – ‘But, my dad lies!”
I could sleep with peace!
*Name changed
GERLAD D’CUNHA
Video: YouTube
Video: YouTube
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