We all remember the final scenes of Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Aamir Khan racing on his bicycle through the final lap of the circuit and winning the race. The ribbon is floating around him and he, his family and friends are all shedding tears of joy.
In real life, there are two kinds of victories. One is true cinematic style where the victory is followed by loud cheers and a background music to boot. While the other victory, the one that parents of special needs children achieve is more mellow.
If you’ve ever watched those sports montages, you’ll know they involve discipline, routine, and a clear goal. Now replace that with:
- A child who has decided that spoons are meant to create music on the floor
- A schedule that laughs in the face of predictability
- And a parent (hi, that’s me) who considers not ordering pizza to make meal times easier a victory.
Parenting a special needs child isn’t a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s more like one of those obstacle courses where you’re blindfolded, hopping on one leg, while someone occasionally throws building blocks and toy cars in your path.
Our victories too have a different criteria. If a meal time is completed without any fuss, I consider it a grand victory. If afternoon nap time is for more than fifteen minutes, I take it as a podium finish.
The coaches too in this race are important.
- Foremost, the therapists who deserve all the applause and lots of chai and coffee
- Other parents who lend a patient ear and understand you
- Of course, the well-wishers whose questions ranged from “Were you unhappy in your pregnancy” to “Did you ignore your child”. And yes, they always seem to know more than the qualified doctors.
Every challenge comes with its unique set of rules and once you have completed the task, another set of challenge is ready with its own rules.
But it’s all worth it for the moments of joy that come unbidden and sweep you off the floor. Your heart will simply burst with joy and nothing else will matter in that moment.
This post is a part of Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2026.
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