Circle of Care is monthly group meeting for #SethuParents of neurodivergent kids. An evening of fun, sharing and caring for yourself, where we understand the rollercoaster of joys and challenges that makes life with our kids so special. “I’ve realised that I’m not alone on my journey – the struggle is real for every parent with brilliant, neurodivergent kids like ours. Our strengths and our capabilities help us move forward. It was wonderful meeting other parents who shared their stories, joys and sorrows.” says Rhea D’Souza* about the first session that was held on 13 May 2023.
The session started off with parents introducing themselves with an adjective that best described them. Later, parents were paired with the help of random chits placed under the chairs for a fun icebreaker. They reflected on the struggles they faced in their parenting journey and how they overcame it, using the resources and strengths that they possessed. It was an emotionally fulfilling experience for the parents as they managed to externalise their emotions and let go of particular struggles focussing on developing a positive mindset. This was followed by a colouring activity where parents used the colours of the rainbow—representing the Autism Spectrum—to highlight the strengths and resources in them and in their dear ones. After parents shared their feedback of the session, tips and suggestions were shared while summarising what the core idea of the session focused on. They were given a self-help checklist, a colouring sheet as resources and they filled in a reason they smiled during the session into our bowl of smiles as they left.
*Name changed