Children with Special Needs
Has anyone of you ever known a child like lshaan in Taare Zameen Par? There are many children with special needs amongst us. The boy you shoved at the playground because he was a little too slow or the girl who had trouble memorizing her tables could be one of them. Most of us have at some time or the other made fun of somebody because we thought we were better than them.
Wouldn’t life be so dull if each one of us could study, sing and dance to perfection? When God created us he used different colours, heights and sizes to make each one of us special and one of a kind. In the same way he gifted each one of us individually with a special talent. Most of us can find that talent and learn to hone it.
Children with special needs, however, are like walnuts. Their talent lies right there, inside the shell, waiting to be explored. You can either take a look at the outer shell, and think of it as too hard and dry to be broken, or you can take a little time and effort to open it and revel in the fruit that lies within. In the same way, you can either turn your back on a child with special needs by making fun of him or ignoring him or you can be his friend and help him overcome his shortcoming.
A little patience and some encouragement is all that is needed to bring about the necessary change in a child with special needs. Once they realize your plan is not to make fun of them but to have fun with them they will open their hearts to you and help you realize the true meaning of the saying – A friend in need is a friend indeed!
