Life is very unpredictable. The Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 was tough on everyone: the fight against Covid, loss of work, loss of home, ...
Life is very unpredictable. The Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 was tough on everyone: the fight against Covid, loss of work, loss of home, hunger, and worse - death. For those who passed away, it might have been a painful or painless death, but for those who had to go on living, life was a constant challenge – the challenge of dealing with the living.
Riddhi Kothari was just 8 years old when she lost her father during the lockdown. She was very close to her father, to the extent that she always turned to him first for pampering and problem-solving. She lost her dad not to Covid but to a heart attack, which was more traumatic since it was least expected in a man of just 40-odd years.
“I did not have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity or sitting back and grieving for such a profound loss. Riddhi and I had to get back on our feet and move forward with our lives. We could not stay in that house any longer as every corner and every wall had memories of the time we spent with Riddhi’s father. We moved in with my parents, who live in a joint family. The fact that I did not share my grief with anyone and took ownership of my husband’s business in no time made me very irritable, resulting in not having a heart-to-heart connection with my daughter, which I should have had,” said Shilpi Parsan, Riddhi’s mother.
The child in Riddhi
perhaps did not know what to do. The father she had always had around her since
she could remember was suddenly not there. And nothing had prepared this
mother-daughter duo for how to deal with such a situation. She lost all
interest in her studies and became aloof. A couple of tutors were appointed to
help Riddhi revive her interest in studies and give her a sense of purpose. But
they constantly complained about her lack of interest, home-works not being
done, and general apathy towards her studies. Her grades fell, and her basics
became weak. Her mother also tried to engage her in extra-curricular activities
– in this, she showed some interest, but nothing could hold her attention for
long.
“In 2020, I got her
admitted to Acharya Tulsi Academy Orchids The International School, Newtown, in
grade 3, which was one of the best decisions I have made. The school teachers turned
out to be a good influence on her. She received successful counselling sessions
at school which has had a great positive impact on her,” said Shilpi.
“When she came in,
Riddhi never used to speak with her classmates; she used to stay very quiet and
seemed lost in thoughts. We gave her the special care and attention she
required to help her overcome the grief. Riddhi is a much more cheerful and
happier person now. When she came to Orchids, it was difficult for her to mix
up with her classmates. Now she invites them for group studies at her home and
loves visiting parks and museums. She is very frank and shares her secrets with
me,” said Aditi Roy Choudhury, Riddhi’s class teacher.
“I’m happy that
Riddhi is in good hands. Two years ago, I wasn’t sure where to begin. We are
both recovering, and I’m grateful to the teachers at Acharya Tulsi Orchids The
International School for helping us navigate through this. We are looking
towards a bright and better future for both of us,” added Shilpi.
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