This was my first incident when someone asked me something about Rewansh. I went to a child physician for a check-up once. My son feels uncomfortable in social places, so he wanted to go out of the clinic. The receptionist observed us for a few minutes and then asked - “Isko koi mental problem hai kya?” (If he has any mental issues?). For a few seconds, I was speechless then I took a deep breath, within a fraction of second many thoughts flashed in my mind, and I calmly replied – “He is autistic.” One of the thoughts was - People will say, will perceive Rewansh but I need to keep calm; the other person has asked something so just reply, and do not react.
As parents or caregivers to people in need, we come across such situations. We need to be clear about our priorities. We are not there to fight with the world and instead must focus on what is needed. This is the courage we must build up within, to be ready to hear such words. We cannot control the world, but we may control the way we respond, something happening to us is just a small part but how we respond or react to it, is the big one.
Moreover, on the other side, people are not trained to carry on such conversations. The society at large needs training on how to address these concerns. This is when a psychologist for the parents and caregivers comes into the picture. You might need to talk to them about how to handle such situations and keep calm. Since we all talk based on our exposure to the world, our knowledge, and our vocabulary so there is no harm to share information with others and educate them.
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