Dreaming of a Place of Our Own
It’s time to build our own campus. Several years ago, we raised enough money to buy land, but, for one reason after another, the time never seemed right to go ahead and construct. Now, I’m not sure why, things have changed. Ravi says it’s the dynamics of organizational growth – there comes a time when […]
The Net
Last week I read an article in The Hindu which speculated about what might happen if companies banned email during office hours. According to researchers, productivity actually decreases with too much use of the internet, and particularly with too much emailing. I thought about it, laughed at the idea of giving it up and went […]
Just Three More from Ummeed!
I can’t help it. I just got a lot of great pictures that day. According to Hetal, this little one’s head tilt translates as “I love you,” so I was wondering if Deepali was saying the same thing to ME below: And finally, let’s hear it for animated mother-child communication!
Tell Me A Story, I’ll Sing You A Song
While I was in Mumbai, I went with Vibha to a meeting organized by India Book House to discuss prospects for new books in the area of special needs. The original idea was for Vibha to write a book for parents of kids with disabilities, but she cleverly passed the task on to me. While […]
Reality
My friend (and sometimes mentor) Dunu Roy often accuses me of sugarcoating the difficult aspects of disability. He says I tend to use pictures like the one on the left, and avoid those like the one on the right. I guess he’s right. I guess I figure people already have so many of those old […]
The Look
Don’t miss the expression on this child’s face: it’s one of rapt attention. she’s waiting for the next thing to happen and she is focused and fully present. It’s what Early Intervention is all about – helping our kids to pay attention so they can learn and grow and develop the skills they need.
Romance at the Mela
One more backstage story from the Concessions Mela! As usual, we asked a lawyer to be there to help answer any legal questions our families might have. Ravi Bhatia was helpful as well as cheerful and we were all happy to have him there. But none happier than Hema and Rajesh who realized with delight […]
Sad
Sometimes kids are sad. We can’t solve all their hurts and worries all the time, much as we might want to. Sometimes we just need to let them feel the way they do and be there for them in whatever way seems to help. I was moved by this little boy, and even more so […]
This is Rajesh, the very charming staff person at our Doon Hospital Helpdesk and that fellow on his finger is called Hagrid. Hagrid is the Resource Centre mascot and he gets passed from one to another on a weekly basis. Whoever has him gets to choose who he goes to next and that decision is […]
Bag Me Kya Hai?
Once upon a time, we had a genius of a speech therapist working with us. Her name was Aparna and though she finally moved back home to Pune after five years in the Foundation, her fame lives on in a game she taught us called “Bag Me Kya Hai?” (What’s in the Bag?). It’s a […]